McCoy vase

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

I saw a McCoy art pottery vase yesterday at the Goodwill. They must have known what it was, because while there was a chip in the top (looked like it had been chipped many years ago), they had a price of $15.99 on it.

I don't know what the value on this would be-- I know at antiques stores McCoy can go for some pretty big bucks-- but chipped and at $15.99 it seemed a lot.

Guess I should go peruse eBay and see just how "off" the pricing might be.

[Magpie18]

My question is:  was it beautiful?

IMHO, fair market value doesn't improve ugly.

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

I'd say it had an interesting sort of art nouveau shape to it, which is why I noticed in the first place. But not enough so that I cared to pay the price for it, along with it having damage. If that makes any sense. :-)

[ChrisMiss]

There was one Salvation Army store in Tampa that always priced items too high for the condition they were in.  They said they used a book to get the prices.  Obviously the book is for items in perfect condition; not with chips or cracks in them.

[Jay2TheRescue]

There was one Salvation Army store in Tampa that always priced items too high for the condition they were in.  They said they used a book to get the prices.  Obviously the book is for items in perfect condition; not with chips or cracks in them.

There are problems with thrifts doing that.  As you mentioned, book price is for items in nice, undamaged condition.  Also with prices like that they are going to have to sell to the end buyer, and find that person themselves.  If they priced the item to allow a dealer a decent margin they would move the item immediately, and the dealer can do the work to find the buyer willing to pay that price.

-jay

[Magpie18]

Yes, the thrifts seem to have a problem marking down for condition.

Also, there is a problem with venue --- the dealer will have a different market than a thrift.  The dealer has an antique shop or a group of regular customers/collectors or a booth in a nationally known flea market...

I collect vintage costume jewelry & there are a lot of price books out there.

IMHO, the best price books have multiple prices for the same piece: an internet auction price, live auction price, antique store/mall price etc.   See what I mean?

[Jay2TheRescue]

Yes, the thrifts seem to have a problem marking down for condition.

Also, there is a problem with venue --- the dealer will have a different market than a thrift.  The dealer has an antique shop or a group of regular customers/collectors or a booth in a nationally known flea market...

I collect vintage costume jewelry & there are a lot of price books out there.

IMHO, the best price books have multiple prices for the same piece: an internet auction price, live auction price, antique store/mall price etc.   See what I mean?

It seems to me that some thrift managers don't seem to realize that you can't hold out for top dollar on everything.  Its best to mark the stuff down and keep your inventory turning quickly.  This keeps shoppers interested and in the end makes more money for the thrift's cause, and in the end, isn't that the goal?

-Jay

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

I have bought things in the past that have chips, knowing they do, when it's been cheap enough and I know I can display it nicely in my home...

Because I figure hey, I don't plan to resell it, it's for me aesthetically only, and if any of my guests are looking at it that closely and getting judgey, then I need to rethink how much I enjoy their visits. :-)

But you all are absolutely right-- thrifts need to keep in mind that the name value alone is NOT what sells a damaged piece.

Now if the vase had been about six bucks, I would have said okay, and it would have been nice on the mantle.

[Big Daddy Audio]

It all goes back to the people doing the pricing not knowing what the stuff is worth.  If the idea is to move the stuff, taking into account what needs to be made to cover the monthly "nut," then prices, on the whole, should be lower than they are.

The thrifts must be able to move these overpriced items (probably to people who know less than they do) , otherwise, they'd be able to catch a clue and lower their prices.

It's frustrating to us, but overpriced stuff does move, and any manager would rather get $16.00 for a cracked vase than $6.00.

It's a head scratcher, to say the least.

That is all.

[SecondhandSophisticate]

I started "collecting" pottery with the advent of eBay in the 90s.  Since I live in Central Florida, most of the people who live here have already cleaned out their homes of great stuff in the North and moved here, so generally vintage pottery pickings are  slim.

At that time on eBay, chipped California pottery pieces such as wall pockets by Claire Lerner went for $42 (I own them) Ten years later (now) I don't know if they would sell at all in that condition (very minor chips, but some folk want mint) or are actually worth more now OR (and this is important to consider) because of the passing of the "greatest generation" (baby boomers' parents), is the market for vintage pottery such as McCoy becoming glutted, with only the hardest to find having any value? Some McCoy pieces are rare, and will command a higher price, even if slightly damaged.  

I bought one McCoy  piece many years ago, and then began doing research, using books from the library, eBay, and local bookstores (Schiff books--I think that's what they're called) as well as the internet.  Our own Scott has an excellent site with fabulous links, if mid-century modern is your passion, for example.

Obviously, if the store is using a "book", then they are aware of the collecting market out there, but not all pieces go for the prices mentioned in these price books, as the market may have many of those exact pieces listed on eBay and Ruby Lane, Tias, etc.  Rule of thumb for me in case like this, if you choose to buy it:  LOVE the piece,and understand it may never make you a profit if you decide to sell it one day. Or go home, do research on it, and see if it is really worthy of your hard-earned cash.

Earlier this year, I stumbled in to a thrift on a lazy Friday afternoon. There, sitting on a shelf, all by itself (as those it was in quarentine) was a Hull double-handled vase in the Magnolia pattern---alll those soft pastel colors drawing me like a beacon to their gentle warmth. I thought I was having hallucinations:  What was a Hull piece like this doing in this thrift store---why hadn't some wild-eyed picker triumphantly snatched it up with visions of dollar signs dancing in their heads?  Because, on veryyyyyyyyyyyyy close inspection, one of the handles has a hairline in it. And there is about an 1/8 of inch of paint loss (or could have manufactured that way) on the rim of the vase.  It was marked 4.99 and is definetely not my style or color scheme, but the sheer shock of finding it made me want to see if owning it was possible. I showed the on-duty manager the "flaws" and got it marked down to 1.99, plus tax.  I have in my powder room, and it's just divine. It's marked Hull Art USA/8-81/2 on the bottom. For two bucks to me it was worth it, and I believe it has some resell value for the future.

So always ask a manager--"Look this piece is chipped, can we do something about the price?"  If you really want it--nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I hope this helps y'all consider some things to look at when buying vintage pottery.

Ciao, Bellas,
SeSo

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Good information, SeSo (as always!). Thank you for your perspective. (Very cool about the Hull vase, certainly!)

And I think the collecting book company you were thinking of is Schiffer. For anyone interested in collecting-- they have a wonderful selection of helpful books on collecting any number of things.  Good overview information, and sharp pictures. (I have a few books from them on collecting the Victorian/Edwardian plates I like, but there are TONS of other topics.)

[Other People s Junk]

I would have loved to have found SeSo's Hull pottery, even at $4.99!  My parents have a few of the Hull, Roseville and McCoy, but they are so spendy, their collection hasn't gotten any bigger over the years.  Hairline cracks are fine by me.  I'd rather have something like that than something pristine... then I am not afraid to own it or use it how I want.  It's just not as fun owning things if you can't actually USE them. 

As for the orignial post... I guess it would depend on the actual design.  $15.99 seems a bit high for chipped, but probably not as bad as it sounds. 

[SecondhandSophisticate]

OTJ, thank you for your vote of confidence on my find!

I have to look really hard to see that hairline Maybe my eyes are really bad, or maybe the crack is not that bad. It's still a beautiful piece, in my very humble opinion.  It looks well-loved. The colors are just superlative. I had never seen a piece of Hull up front and in person before. Well, maybe in antique stores, but I never paid attention because it's not really my style and who could afford it, anyway? That's why it was just so shocking to find it.

SeSo

[ChrisMiss]

Here's a hint on checking for cracks hairline or otherwise.  With the item sitting on a surface (not holding it yourself) use your finger to give the item a couple of taps.   It should have a nice clear ring quality to the sound if it is crackfree.  If it makes a "thunk" sound then there is a crack in it somewhere.  I've been amazed that when I do this and hear the dull thunk sound and look really close at my pottery I will find a crack somewhere; sometimes it's very hard to find but I do find it. 

If you're checking out cups or other items that have attachments this tapping works only for the "whole" section of the piece.  It doesn't work to tell you if the cup handle or other attachments have been reattached.  That section would need to be examined in a different manner.

[Krisathome]

I completely agree with not paying the big price for the McCoy.  I have been told by several antique dealers that you can't expect people to pay a bigger price for something that is chipped or cracked.  Now $16 at a Goodwill seems very high to me.  I wouldn't even consider it.