Archives
by Linda Romberg
Feb 2009
SHAWNEE TALES
Go to - Moment
Most of the country is having a terrible winter yet Arizona is in the low 70's and sunny. Cardinal Fever is going crazy - we may be the underdogs but Arizonan's are hoping the game will be an upset. My son and his wife are flying to Tampa later today. My brother Jim, that we lost a year ago, was a die hard Steelers fan as well as followed Bruce Springsteen on tour in the 70's and 80's, driving Bruce and Clarence when they were in town for concerts. Jim was in Tampa years ago when Bruce played half time and Steelers won - we hope if he is in heaven pulling strings, this time it will be for the hometown team!!!!!! I am not a football fan but will be watching this one.
Remember we tried having a matching service and for sale/wanted column - the
response just was not there from the readers!!!
"wondering if you have any ideas on where we might find a gold Tom Tom lid.
We have the bottom with a red patch on it. I keep checking Ebay but never find anything there."
A collector emailed about locating a top for a gold Tom tom the Pipers Son
teapot - she has been looking for a long time - any chance someone reading
this might have an odd lid or a teapot with a damaged base that she could put
together for a mint teapot???
Speaking of parts needed , I am still hoping to find a lid for a gold decorated water bucket sugar/grease jar - just my luck to find an unusual decaled base WITHOUT THE LID. I have never seen one like this one so may not be able to find one with damage to get a mint lid, mine came without any lid.....
Many collectors early on are not even aware of the sugar and grease baskets or buckets - I remember nearly thirty years ago buying my first one only because it resembled Shawnee - at the time I had never seen any book or heard of these items. Most commonly decorated with either blue or green trim but in gold they have been found with red lacquer decor over either blue or green. Gold decorated ones always come with decal decoration - to my knowledge I have never heard or seen of one with gold trim only.
I think the least common of the baskets is the ROUND one - I have seen very
few of them over the years. Most common are the oval baskets and the water
pail/bucket Designed to be part of a range set - the baskets with Smiley and
the Pails with the Dutch couple but obviously could have been paired however
at time of purchase - many customers might have matched decals instead or the
collar color on the plain range Smiley shakers.
Doug has been posting updates on our "corrupt designer" Larry in Kentucky -
he continues to turn out doctored gold decorated pieces - authentic Shawnee
items but "newly" decorated by him with gold. Please check the web site
frequently. Remember the four or five listings out of Kentucky about two years ago for Indian Corn - no proof that it was his work, but those shakers are SO
RARE that when several pairs surfaced all within 25 miles of Larry's location we
were alarmed. Just not possible when in thirty years there had only been two maybe three sets surface - not a common item at all. BEWARE!!!!
Doug's Corner
From my inbox -
"I have been collecting off and on for years, mostly buying what I like. My wife recently brought home from her grandmother a what I can guess is a shawnee clover bloom pig creamer. it is marked on the bottom - patented smiley (in script) usa. it is 4 and1/4" tall, nose to handle 5", and 3and 3/4" wide. she remembers this pig as far back as she can remember. being she is a lady I will not tell her age, but I can say at least 45 years. am I correct in assuming it is real. it would really be interesting if it is since my wife is from california and the pig has made it back to ohio about 30 miles from where it was made. i am very interested in finding her the cookie jar and salt shakers to match the creamer and any other products from shawnee that match the clover bloom pattern. also if you have a suggestion of a comprehensive book on shawnee with pricing and how to spot fakes I would appreciate it. also i am becoming interested in mccoy pottery I know this is a shawnee site but the same goes for any books with the same info. I already own the ultimate cookie jar guide by the roerig's. any info you can give me would be greatly appreciated. I would like to stick to ohio potteries.
Thanks for reading my e-mail"
I answered the questions as best as I could and asked for a picture. The picture is below, probably one of a kind. A winking Smiley!
Happy Hunting, Doug shawneeone@comcast.net
Oh, one more thing, treasure time - see a box of Valencia as delivered from the factory. Valencia
