June 2011
Shawnee Tales
by Linda Romberg
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Our readers are keeping in closer touch with us - so glad everyone is willing to share. Without you we wouldn't have a lot to share. This month has been especially difficult for me as my Mom passed away after a difficult journey. A blessing she is in a better place and no longer suffering.
On a happier note, a collector shared a find with me - There are some pieces we RARELY see and they have found TWO of these, both from the same dealer. In all my years of collecting I have never seen one of these in person let alone have the chance to purchase one.
"What do you think the odds are of finding two of the milk pitcher in the center of the attached photo? (The Smiley with the flowers over his shoulder.) Not only finding 2, but also the same person finding them both. We paid a high price for the first one and this second one is suppose to be a lot cheaper . . . So we'll have to see what happens next Saturday. I thought this one was suppose to be a rare pitcher and I thought only a few (like 3 or 4) were known. So we'll have to look it over very carefully. Any ideas on a price?
Also, do you know of any new price guides that are out? Haven't found any in a few years."
I am not aware of any updated price guide - I would hate to see how low the prices would be estimated at but then again it might make sellers more aware of realistic prices. Also the new collectors might not over pay as has happened many times, I am afraid we then lose them as long term collectors.
Curious note from Lin - are these found with both color of flowers, the peach and the burgundy??? Also any found with gold trim??
Lin requested an opinion from Doug's corner about prices and the experiences of non-collectors. I recently got an email from a person wanting to sell a GT Muggsy that she got from her mother. Included was a link to an about.com website that had a picture and description of a GT Muggsy jar. Basically this how it read -
"Shawnee Muggsy was sold in August 2006 for $1825. The jar belonged to the seller's mother, who received it as a wedding present in 1946 and never used the jar, hence the excellent condition.
•Mark: Patented Muggsy USA
•Sold for: $1825.
•Auction Date: August 2006"
This was an Ebay auction. The jar's owner hadn't mentioned price, but I felt this was being presented as the "fair market value". I as gently as possible explained the current state of the collecting world and the economy and present expectations. The only current example of a GT Muggsy jar in the completed listings on Ebay was a starting bid of $350 and $650 Buy It Now that had been listed twice with NO bids. This caused a lose of interest in selling the jar.
I'm suppose to be keeping this short. The following is my opinion (opinions are free and everybody can have one) about price guides. Before Ebay the guides that were consist with their prices, be they realistic or high, did give an idea of rarity of an item. At the time they served their purpose. It was up to the buyer to get the best price they could. Today it's still up to the buyer, but with the advent of Ebay we are getting real time action on what is rare and what collectors are willing to pay. The result is the true market value, subject to supply and demand. Collector books still have a place as an identification and educational tool. The pictures are valuable to new collectors, as well as reminders for experienced collectors. OK, I'm done - thank you Lin for the op.
I am a firm believer that certain pieces turn up in limited areas - i.e. the corn casserole with kernels on the lid, the tulip pitcher - they all seem to come from the Northeast - never have I heard of any being discovered anywhere else, certainly now out west even though California turns up a lot
of Shawnee that seems to have made it across the country! I have to believe these are limited production pieces that were released in those general areas. Here's a picture of the large tulip water/milk pitcher that matches the small tulip creamer.
While in Virginia last month I walked through a large antique mall, surprisingly little Shawnee, one dealer had a few nice jars and some good pieces of Valencia but I expected to see more Shawnee overall.
Another question is regarding the Laurel Wreath pattern lids
"Hello again,
The lid on the grease jar in the Mangus and Curran books has a rounded knob. Mine has the same knob as the teapots. The two teapots I know about are both large with larger and deeper lids. If there are no smaller teapots in the line, what else could my lid belong to other than the grease/sugar
jar? My lid does move around a bit, however, that's very common."
These are likely to be a variation that differs during production dates on these pieces - I don't have the laurel wreath but do have the embossed wave pieces where the lids are much deeper on the teapots than the sugar/grease jar. Maybe our readers can check their collections to see if the lids
have the more pointed finial or the round version.
Next month we will delve into the Chic pottery connection with Shawnee - any information you might have would be greatly appreciated.
Until next month
Lin linromb@aol.com
Doug's Corner
This is a little follow-up on last month's sample planter. I found this picture on Ebay shortly afterwards. Ah, Ebay as a research tool, how about that. The paper sample label is more common than the painted on "sample".
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