April 2011
by Linda Romberg
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Shawnee Tales
Go to - Moment
Here in Arizona we are having a very early Spring - all the citrus are in bloom so the air is heavy with fragrance - temps are reaching mid 80's to an expected low 90's this weekend. My friends in the East and Midwest are still complaining about snow and rain yet. Won't be long until the antique markets will be opening for a new season!!!
A note about a recent listing on Ebay - it was a Smiley cookie jar with a Buy It Now per one of collector friends - a butterscotch bottom with unusual bib color - normally a bank jar but this one was NOT but it appears the lid is cold painted larger lid that was decorated to appear to be a bank lid without the bank head slot which many collectors would love to have!
$260 is pretty steep for a NOT authentic jar! Hope the buyer realizes it and has a return privilege.
A couple who are terrific about sharing information and emailing pictures of their finds sent an email about a Smiley cookie jar they recently acquired. I really appreciate their contributions!!!!
Hi Lin,
Well, here goes. One of the things that we're wondering about is the shape of the apples. Do you think they are shaped differently just because of the hand painting? Or do we happen to have a plum? We've looked in Pam's book, but the shape of both the plum and the apple look the same to me in the book.
The other thing that we've started noticing (between all of the Smiley's) is that the straps in the back seem to be brown or green or black, as well as the buttons. We also have different colored hooves or no color at all as seen below. Do you believe this means anything or is it just the way someone wanted to paint them on that day?
New Jar - purchased as an Apple
The jar on the right is one that we've had - the jar on the left is the new one.
The old one has embossed apples - on the new one the apples are flat
Hello,
Great finds!!!!! Both Smiley's are gorgeous!!!!! Way back years ago I was having a debate with Ralph Meranto about the difference between clover bud and apples - he kept insisting the only difference was the paint coloring - I didn't realize until months or years later that what he had was the raised bud apple painted jar, which I had never seen nor heard about - since then a lot of us have differentiated by referring to the raised bud apple paint as a raspberry. I was thrilled to finally find one for my collection. Plums that some refer to is really an apple with just a speck darker pink paint - not a difference in shape - of course some variations occur with different decorators yet it amazes me how overall, they are very consistent. Clover bud jars are supposed to have the green suspenders to match the buttons on the base - I have seen more with brown on the apples so am guessing they weren't paired that way - curious if some of the "raspberry" raised buds have green suspenders - mine does not yet my apples both plain and gold all have brown suspenders. Possibly our readers can check their jars and let us know. Ermagene Westfall had a gold clover bud Smiley in her collection that had brown suspenders, it was a married jar according to her as the original lid had damage. Nevertheless a very hard to find jar in gold - for all we know jars were produced both with green suspenders and brown as we all know lids fit better into some bases plus many jars could have been switched at the retailers because one lid or base appealed more the shopper.
I have only seen black suspenders on the blue bibs, once in awhile on a yellow bib but never on an apple, clover bud or any red or green bib - , I am speculating the missed hoof paint is an oversight. So much of this is just speculation based on what seems to be standard.
So good to hear from you - always appreciate you sharing your pics and ideas with us.
Another piece they recently found is an unusual decaled Smiley range shaker -
Had an email from someone who found a corn casserole with the kernels on the lid, he plans to list it on Ebay. Interestingly most of these have been found in the Maryland, Pennsylvania and Indiana area, at least the ones I have heard about have been, they are not a common piece. We have quite a few readers who are corn collectors so am including the information below.
Hi Lin,
I set up the auction for the corn casserole this morning and it’s scheduled to start Thursday April 7th (a little over a week away), at 8:30 PM CST and last for 10 days. I've set the opening bid at $9.99 and there is NO reserve. Someone will get this!
The auction number is 320677515959 and my seller ID is bsmns – thanks again!
Bill
Another alert collector who is very detail oriented contacted me about a Muggsy variation. The feet on this variation are nearly identical to the mold on the Puss N Boots with a deeper separation then the familiar Muggsy mold. I actually had to walk around the house to check out my Muggsy's to see if I had one. Many of you remember the lamp I found years ago in a local Glendale shop - it is gold trim - has the Puss N boots head with a Muggsy base - no wonder when I first spotted it, it didn't immediately dawn on me it was two different parts. Until I turned it over to examine the lamp works and saw the Muggsy incised on the base!!!! It is a funky piece which I love and it has the unusual feet mold. Often times we walk by a piece we already have, glance at the price and don't even notice a difference such as this. I'd love to know if many of our readers have any of this mold variation - no idea if this is rare or just lesser known. Just realized a friend who has the gold green scarf Muggsy - it is ALSO this unusual variation with the deeper but foot pattern!
Friends just recently purchased an interesting Smiley - beautiful gold shamrock base with a gold lid that appears to be the chocolate brown, same as the suspenders - beautiful jar and a version I have never seen nor heard of before!!!!
Keep sending pictures and sharing information - the newsletter is part of a community effort.
Have more to share but it will be next month so until then.........
Happy Collecting,
Lin linromb@aol.com
Doug's Corner
The mismatched Mugg/Puss lamp reminded me of some pictures I've had saved for ages.
Newsletter notification email
At the risk of getting grief from my Internet provider I'm going to run a notification email each month when the newsletter is published. Just the Newsletter, NO spam.
Click here for the sign up form .
If you don't receive your notification, check your "spam filter" or Folder
I guess the big issue now is with Larry's (mcckoy4u2) junk. In this case a McCoy piece, is back on the market as a real McCoy decorated piece. This is what Lin has been warning us about. I contacted the seller, at the moment he is playing dumb. I've made him aware of the situation. If this changes I'll update this.
The proof of forgery - Larry bought the one on the left on Ebay. The one on the right was sold on Ebay as gold-trimmed and now being sold again as orginal gold-trimmed. See here
estin81217@ , tlschmitt@ and nimel8656@ - Your notifications got kicked back to me.
From the buyer - "Really late delivery but he made it safely on a wing and a prayer, because he was in a small box with nothing but small sized bubble wrap to protect him.
Gorgeous jar and the brown is definitely the same underglaze chocolate used on the bank heads and on suspenders, hooves, etc. Really thrilled and so happy we bought him."
April 6th Looks like the seller - "alexthegreat6565", may be "alexthecrook" of Larry's ilk. He just relisted the piece for 30 more days. He sure can't say he didn't know, I sent him this link.
