Rich of Calif

Hagen Renaker Links

2010-08-03T11:46:00.000-07:00

Some links collectors of Hagen-Renaker figurines might find useful...

Hagen-Renaker on flickr
Hagen-Renaker Pieces on California Pottery Index
Hagen-Renaker search at Worthpoint

Sascha Brastoff Signatures

2010-08-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

The most desirable pieces are those with the full "Sascha Brastoff" signature, because they indicate that Brastoff personally designed and painted those pieces. Those signed "Sascha B" were produced either by decorators under his supervision using his designs, or by Brastoff himself. Sascha Brastoff Pottery was produced by Sascha Brastoff of California, Inc., in West Los Angeles, from 1953 until 1973.

CPI For Mobile Web

2009-12-31T00:51:00.001-08:00

I read an interesting fact this morning, that 20 percent of Americans access the interwebs from a hand-held smart phone of some sort. That struck me as a rather large percentage and prompted me to put together the framework of a mobile web version of the California Pottery Index. You can check it out on your web browser, but it is designed for a small screen and so looks better on your phone.

New Video On Howard Pierce Pottery

2009-08-22T00:51:00.000-07:00

Just posted a new video on Howard Pierce Pottery, maker of figurines in the 50s and 60s.

Find The Best Florence Figurines

2009-08-08T22:35:00.000-07:00

We found a wonderful gadget, or widget, over at the iGoogle directory, this is the Florence Ceramics Auction gadget. Embed this into any web page and have easy access to the best Florence Ceramics figurines currently up on eBay. We like it!

Brayton Laguna Pottery Video

2009-08-03T09:18:00.000-07:00

Collectors of California pottery, especially figurines, are always on the lookout for Brayton Laguna Pottery pieces. Durlin E. Brayton made handcrafted vases, lamps, and dinnerware in a small kiln at his Laguna Beach, California, home from 1927 to 1968.
If you're interested in Brayton Laguna Pottery, here are a couple of informative videos to enjoy.

Know About Brayton Laguna Pottery

Wonderful Beatrice Wood Film on YouTube

2009-04-18T21:25:00.000-07:00

I was looking around on YouTube and stumbled upon Tom Neff's 1993 film "Beatrice Wood: Mama of Dada." What an excellent look at the amazing Ms. Wood. I especially like her serendipitous approach to the glazing process. Fans of Beatrice Wood pottery will want to check out the entire film.

Weil Ware Snack Set

2009-04-16T13:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of Weil Ware. Who says dishes have to be round? Well, whoever said it, Weil didn't listen to 'em. There's a very nice 31-piece Weil Ware snack set on eBay right now and the price is very reasonable under $30. A real pretty set but I'm more partial to the bamboo decorated pieces. I've never gotten around to building out a Weil Ware page at California Pottery Index, but do include them in the "More Potters" category. Yes, Weil Ware deserves better.

Winfield Tahoe

2008-05-28T09:18:00.001-07:00

Over at the Winfield Pottery page at California Pottery Index, Robbin Walker commented:

I have 4 round plates/ 2 bowls with what appears to be a version of the Tahoe pattern --the back of the plates say Gabriel Pasadena 227 and the bowls only say 182. I would like to find more of these items--any ideas or help would be appreciated. thanks Your site was very helpful!

Winfield Tahoe is a very classy dinnerware pattern, featuring pine cones and pine needles with a deep gray border. Not surprising that its hard to find as none of the Winfield patterns were what you would call "overproduced." A quick look at Replacements.com turns up nothing in stock.

I would think the best bet is keeping an eye on the eBay listings and grab a piece when you can.

Freeman-McFarlin Indian Chief on Horseback

2007-11-18T10:58:00.000-08:00

Over at California Pottery Index, Ron Carnes posted a question to us...

Help! We just acquired a large statue (19" tall) of a Native American Indian Chief seated on a horse with his right arm upraised. This is marked on the bottom Anthony California USA 168. The odd thing about this piece is that it seems to be made of metal, not ceramic. It is hollow and has a distinct metallic ring when struck lightly with another piece of metal. Both Indian and horse are done in an odd antiqued matte brown finish, and the Indian wears a white chief's headdress. From the signature, I believe this is a Maynard Anthony Freeman piece -- any ideas on what I have here? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Capt'n Ron

Our Answer to Ron

Hey Cap, I'd say what you have is a Freeman-McFarlin piece...it is hard, that's what keeps the chief from having a stump at the shoulder. The glaze sounds like the FM woodtone finish.
A place called the "Black Horse Ranch" has an example pictured in their online collection of ceramic horses, which is pretty cool in itself - check about a third of the way down in pic labeled "#C Upper".

Value? I'm not certain but would put it at least $125-150.

and here's a pic of the Chief from the Black Horse Ranch collection. Very cool piece.

Freeman McFarlin Mermaid Dish

2007-11-14T08:45:00.001-08:00

Isn't she a Sweetheart...1957 Freeman McFarlin Mermaid Dish.

Freeman-McFarlin Potteries began in the mid-1940s as a partnership between Gerald McFarlin and Maynard Anthony Freeman. McFarlin was the businessman of the pair and an established Southern California potter, having operated McFarlin Potteries in El Monte since 1927. Freeman was fresh out of the service and ready to try his hand at pottery design.
Most popular items from the company were the slip-cast earthenware sculptures of various animals; horses, dogs, cats, mice, coyotes, giraffes, owls, ducks and more.

Otto Heino in Ojai

2007-08-05T19:44:00.000-07:00

I don't know how long Otto Heino has had a website, but I just found it today. Mr. Heino has been throwing pots for over 50 years, and he's still working out of his Ojai studio...Otto's Pottery on McAndrew Road in Ojai.

The beautiful bowl to the left is a 12" bowl with oatmeal glaze with copper red. Absolutely wonderful

Check the website for a look at some of Otto's beautiful work, especially note the high-temperature yellow glaze that he has developed.
Otto Heino, one of the great California studio potters.

Mudman Standing on Barbara Willis

2007-07-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

Ask me about Mudmen and my thoughts immediately jump to some sort of creature from the blackest of lagoons. "Mudmen!" I shout, "Mudmen scare me! Keep the Mudmen away from me!"
I don't know anything about mudmen, except what I just read on this webpage about mudmen. In short, mudmen are small ceramic figures incorporated into tabletop bonsai displays...little dioramas depicting Chinese village life.
On eBay right now is this Mudman fellow standing in the shrubbery. I don't know anything about him. I don't know anything about his greenery. But I do know that he is standing in a sweet mid-1940s Barbara Willis low bowl...square, chartreuse with tooled unglazed sides, about 5 and half inches square.
I wonder how hard it would be to de-Mudman this thing? I wonder how much I would regret doing that later?

Potter's Art in California

2007-07-25T16:39:00.001-07:00

I picked up a book last week that I recommend to all fans of California Pottery...The Potter's Art in California 1885 to 1955 by Hazel V. Bray. Published in 1980, this is the catalogue for a 1978 exhibit at Oakland Museum and Scripps College. Excellent information on the early potters of California...Alexander W. Robertson, Ernest Batchelder, Arequipa Pottery, Rhead Pottery and others from before the Great Depression. These are all the great artists who preceded the Mid-Century Modern crowd with whom California Pottery is most often associated. Those people are in here too...the great studio potters of 1940 to 1955...Glen Lukens, William Manker, Otto Heino, Edith Heath, Laura Andreson and others. Best part of the book are the super color and black and white photos of representative pieces.
Up top is a picture of some Arequipa Pottery from about 1913...a "Madrona" vase by Albert L. Solon and a beautiful green bowl by Frederick H. Rhead. The bottom pic shows a couple of bowls by Manuel Jalanivich and Ingevardt Olsen as well as a 1937 yellow plate by Glen Lukens.
The Potter's Art in California 1885-1955 is a wonderful addition for your California Pottery bookshelf. It's long out of print, but luckily its readily available from online booksellers...find it on Abebooks

D and M Tile and Hispano-Moresque Tile

2007-07-12T09:15:00.000-07:00

Stumbled upon an interesting bit of info on a couple of mostly-forgotten Los Angeles tile makes...D and M Tile Company and Hispano-Moresque Tile. The California Heritage Museum in Santa Monica has had a display on the two companies for the past year and the basic info is still up on the museum website.

Arequipa T-Shirt on Cafepress

2007-07-09T10:32:00.001-07:00

I was reading the story of the Arequipa Sanitorium and its production of art pottery on the Oakland Museum of California website.
Very interesting stuff. Sadly, I'll probably never own a piece of Arequipa Pottery. I'll never have an Arequipa vase or bowl. A single piece of Arequipa tile is beyond my reach. So how about an Arequipa T-Shirt? That I can handle! I worked up this design for my RetroRanger Cafepress store last night. It utilizes a couple of Arequipa marks...the crossed initials and the tree with vase mark. It's a RetroRanger exclusive...Woo Hoo!

Twin Winton Mother Goose Cookie Jar

2007-07-05T08:08:00.000-07:00

I'm not really up on the cookie jar market, except to know that prices have come down substantially in the last few years. I can't help but thinking that this 1962 Twin Winton Mother Goose cookie jar currently listed on Shopgoodwill.com is worth more that the $5 opening price. It has some nice hand-painted details, which I think sets it apart from Twin Winton's normal production run. Anyway, five bucks for a pretty jar like that is a bargain. Closes 7/9.
UPDATE: Closed at $40.99

California Pottery Fan Mail

2007-07-04T12:06:00.000-07:00

What a nice email to receive:

"This is Pat and Cara. We just wanted to send you a note to say THANK YOU for your website on California Pottery!
It has been a great place for information and link-ins to where the "good stuff" is.
Wow! It is truly designed for the collector, but also, for beginner web surfers like us.
As a matter of fact, I'm not sure how I found you, but I do know how to bookmark, so we'll be able to return again!
We are novice collectors. We are very non-profit: we actually do this for FUN! We are just getting a kick out of where we pick up our knick knacks. Because of your website I have decided my "direction" will be California Pottery.
(Pat loves the Hull, Roseville and Weller stuff.)
I am an amateur American History buff and I truly enjoy reading the history of each pottery house.
We are certainly a talented country. How interesting that free enterprise and such incredible U.S. creativity was given away to cheap and imports.
Well, I dont' want to get on a soap box here!
Thank you, Mr. Tubbs! We appreciate your fine website! It has made our collecting more fun!
Sincerely,
Pat and Cara"

Thank you Pat and Cara. I really appreciate the encouraging words.

Barbara Willis Necklace

2007-07-03T08:25:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of anything made by the hands of Barbara Willis. And I love her story. She made some pottery for a while in the 40s and 50s and then got out of the business, and went about the rest of her life. Fast-forward to the 1990s, Barbara discovers that her old handiwork is on everybody's short-list of cool. Who'd of thought!
At that time Barbara started tinkering around with the pottery again at her Malibu home. The new items she makes are sold mostly local and through The Accessory Hut, at least they have her stuff when they can keep it in stock. But I haven't noticed too many of Barbara's new items popping up on eBay. They just haven't passed into the secondary market yet.
Currently listed though is this knockout Barbara Willis necklace from 2002. Its wonderful and 20 bucks is a steal.

Batchelder Fireplace Mantle

2007-07-03T07:45:00.000-07:00

Here's an interesting eBay auction that bears watching. Someone in Redlands has an entire old Batchelder Tile fireplace surround for sale. Interesting in that the thing is unsalvaged and it tips the scale at 400 pounds. Because it hasn't been cleaned up and because its local pickup only the price might stay down. Certainly higher than the $5 opening bid, but I can't see runaway bidding on this.
I hate driving south of Sacramento (OK, honest truth, I avoid driving south of Red Bluff) so I'm not going to bounce down to Redlands in the truck to score these tiles, but I sure would jump on this if I were closer and if the price stays down. My quick figuring tells me that the tiles removed from the concrete could easily fetch $2,000 to $2,500 if parted out on eBay.
And that doesn't include the wonderful 28.5" by 3.75" tile in the center...the design being birds on grapevines. I wouldn't sell that. For two reasons: 1) Its just too cool, and 2) I'd probably break it trying to get it loose from the concrete.

UPDATE: LOL...Auction closed at $4500.

Great Website of Chinese Figurines

2007-06-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

Well, not Chinese Figurines, but figurines of Chinese people. I stumbled across an excellent website put together by Mark Lieu of San Francisco...Mark's Collection of Figurines of Chinese People from the 40s and 50s.
Mark has a extensive collection of over 800 figurines...a great many of which are by California potters like Brad Keeler, Hedi Schoop, Florence and others. The great thing about Mark's site are the wonderful detailed descriptions of each piece and the fabulous photographs, one of which we show here. These are Peasants with Baskets Planters by Kaye of Hollywood.
Mark's Collection = Well Worth Bookmarking

S-Quire Ceramics at CPI

2007-06-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

I've added
a listing for S-QUIRE Ceramics at the California Pottery Index. I don't know much about this company, except that they produced some very nice figures of men and women from their Los Angeles factory in the mid 1940s. Chief designer, probably the brains of the outfit, was someone named Zaida.
Really nice pieces that look much like Kay Finch or Hedi Schoop figurines. Any info on S-Quire or Zaida would greatly appreciated!

Goodwill Listing on CPI

2007-06-24T20:31:00.000-07:00

I've been tinkering around on the California Pottery Index site this evening, adding Franciscan listings from Shopgoodwill.com. Loading up the Goodwill listings through an iframe seems to work pretty well, but wish the links could open in a new window automatically.
I've mentioned shopgoodwill.com before as a good place to find California Pottery pieces. Their search is a little clunky, and sometimes the pieces aren't described fully, but it still remains a great place to find a bargain.
And I gotta mention, I've been listening to 94.7 The Globe lately. They're a rock radio station out of Washington D.C. And they are very very good. I'm a fan.

Franciscan Desert Rose Collection

2007-06-21T22:51:00.000-07:00

A huge mix-and-match collection of Franciscan Desert Rose popped up on Craiglist the other day. If you're in Hollywood you might look it up. I especially like this quote from the seller, "the reason i have so many plates is i had to buy people's entire collections just to get their serving pieces."
Been There, Done That!

Brad Keeler Lobsterware

2007-06-18T23:39:00.000-07:00

SecondHandRose blogs on her collection of Brad Keeler Lobsterware. I agree that this is a really cool line. Keeler turned out some beautiful items from his Glendale and Los Angeles factories in the 1940s and early 50s. Especially nice were his Flamingo figurines...and some pretty cool Siamese cats. But the thing that I like about the Lobster items is the deep red glaze that Keeler developed. It was called Ming Dragon Blood red and was the boldest red of any of the California potters of the period.
SecondHandRose is right that the Lobsterware can be a little pricey in shops, but it does come up on eBay regularly. Patient shoppers can find many of the pieces for under $30.

Barbara Willis Pillow Vase

2007-06-17T23:39:00.000-07:00

Real sweet Barbara Willis pillow vase starting at a buck on eBay. One would expect it to go much higher, even though the seller has missed the production date by about 25 years.
Figure this turquoise beauty dates to the mid-40s. Very distinctive BW style of glaze above tooled clay. I think the turquoise glaze she used is the most mid-century modern of all her colors.

Addendum: The vase stayed at a buck for most the week. It was almost getting exciting, but pretty gems like this don't go unseen on eBay too often. Closed at $450.

Dirty Job at GMcB

2007-02-25T18:36:00.000-08:00

I really enjoy the TV show "Dirty Jobs" with Mike Rowe. Its on Discovery Channel, and for those not familiar with the show, Mike travels the country looking for dirty jobs and we have a great time watching him getting dirty while doing those jobs.
Earlier in the season Mike took a shift at the Gladding McBean Terracotta Plant in Glendale. And got real dirty one would assume. Gladding_McBean is the company that used to make Franciscan Pottery and other wonderful lines of dinnerware, but anymore just makes architectural terracotta...stuff like roof tiles and floor tiles and sewer pipe.
I missed that episode and have waiting for it to come back around. Make a note that "Garbage Pit Technician" episode is scheduled for March 13th at 8pm et/pt, and again March 14th at 12am et/pt.

Poppytrail California Contempora

2007-02-17T13:13:00.000-08:00

There's this cat that lives at my house. His name is Bootsie. He's at my house because a friend of mine couldn't keep him anymore and putting him down (the cat, not my friend) seemed a little extreme. He's a spoiled cat. He won't eat dry food like all the good cats who live here. He has to have canned food and won't settle for anything less.
Last night I didn't have any canned food, so its was dry food for Bootsie. Take it or leave it. Of course he didn't eat it. And this morning he let me know early that he was still hungry for his preferred meal. So about 8:30 I headed down to the store on his majesty's duty
This is where the story gets good. On the way to the store was a yard sale and I stopped to take a look. Oh boy, some Beach Boys and Eric Burden records. Gotta get those. Don't need any patent leather shoes. Wait, what's this? Oh my god, its a Poppytrail Handled Vegetable Bowl. Sweeeeet.
Now the bowl was upside down in a box. And my first thought was that it might be Aztec. There were a few Poppytrail lines that used this very cool mid-century design by Bob Allen and Mel Shaw...California Aztec is my favorite but there's also California Contempora and Mobile and Free Form. The Handled Vegetable Bowl is instantly recognizable, even upside-down.
Turning the bowl over I see that it is California Contempora. OK, so its not Aztec, but still a very cool piece. Its going to eBay where I bet I can get 50-75 dollars. It has a small chip on the pointed end, but Contempora is really hot.
And Bootsie? He gets a big heaping bowl of canned food just as he likes it. He's a good cat.

California Clay & Paint

2007-01-27T12:16:00.000-08:00

Fans of Gladding-McBean Pottery will enjoy "California Clay & Paint," the new blog by Deb Hollis, aka Renaissancewriter. Deb has numerous pictures of her GMcB collection and promises more.

Aztec Coffee Set

2006-12-28T10:15:00.000-08:00

Oh yea, its well documented that I am a big fan of the Poppytrail California Aztec line of dinnerware from the late fifties-early sixties. Its my favorite of the Metlox designs. Aztec is pretty hard to come by and so a little pricey.
This coffee pot with six cups currently on eBay is wonderful and should go for about $400.00...figure $300 for the decanter and $20 each for the cups. With the bids sitting at $36 this could be a steal.
So what I would like is for everybody that recieved a Christmas gift from me to please take it back to the store and cash it in for money. And then bring the money to me. Otherwise I won't be able to get a bid down.
Auction closes 12/31.

California Pottery Company of Merced

2006-12-24T11:16:00.000-08:00

An interesting article in the Merced newspaper about a new book on the California Pottery Co. of the city. Have to see about getting a copy...

"This afternoon at 1 p.m., Merced attorney, collector, and now author Neil Morse will be at the book signing for his very first book, "California Pottery Company, Merced," at the Courthouse Museum. This 100-page book with more than 90 beautiful color photographs is the newest publication from the Merced County Historical Society. It is available for sale at the Museum Store just in time for Christmas.
For a short 10-year run before the Great Depression, the California Pottery Company's Merced operation produced exquisite art, pottery and high-quality building materials. The business was so prosperous in the 1920s that it was considered one of the top five industries in the county. For the first time, the story of the plant founder, Frank A. Costello, and the many employees is being told and celebrated in this wonderful book."

Here's more of the article http://www.mercedsunstar.com/life/story/13119432p-13766893c.html

Or check out the museum's page on the book http://www.mercedmuseum.org/exhibits_current.shtml

Brock of California

2006-11-17T22:14:00.000-08:00

This afternoon I was down at my local Old Dishes Superstore, aka Sacred Heart Thrift Store, and found a great old plate by Brock of California. This was the California Farmhouse pattern...ya got a donkey pulling a hay wagon to the barn...not exactly mid-century modern.
Bertram J. Brock produced his dinnerware in Lawndale from 1947 to 1980 and also used the name Southern California Pottery. Most of the Brock patterns were rural in nature incorporating various farm scenes. But a couple of patterns break from that and I think they're quite nice. First, there's Aloha, which as the name indicates is a tropical pattern of palm trees swaying in the South Sea breeze. The other, which I think is just wonderful, is Brock Manzanita. This is a real stark design...a lone leafless manzanita in black and platinum plus a few cactus. This patterns has aged well and still looks great (to me).
California Farmhouse and the other rural patterns are pretty easy to find. Manzanita is kind of tough to locate. And Aloha is really quite scarce.

Backyard Picture Taking

2006-11-15T09:34:00.000-08:00

What an absolutely wonderful Bauer oil jar on eBay right now...its the #100, 22-inch oil jar in a bright Royal Blue glaze. Bauer made these babies in 12", 16" 22" and 24" sizes and in an assortment of colors. The 16-inch is easiest to find but still books at almost $1000. This blue jar is at $1,500 with a couple of days to go. $1,500 is about right, but on eBay condition is everything and this baby is real nice, so it could keep climbing.
I just love the picture of the jar. An interesting dichotomy in the reflection...

Ha Ha Ha, that's so funny. Broken pot funny. Not so funny though. Seriously. Check out this heartbreaker...Arequipa Vase.

Free Dinnerware With Every Dinner!

2006-11-07T23:50:00.000-08:00

Here's a million dollar idea for steakhouse operators out there. After a customer enjoys a nice dinner at your restaurant, allow each member of the party to choose one piece of the table setting to take home. So for example, if there were five in the party, they could each take a dinner plate. Or they could each take a different piece...one dinner plate, one salad plate, one bowl, one cup and one saucer...that would make one table setting. Half a dozen visits later they could start on serving pieces. Hmmm, this will need more thought.
One thing for certain, you'll need cool restaurant ware. Plain white ain't going to cut it. Some of the coolest restaurant ware ever made were the various western motifs designed by Till Goodan for Wallace China...Rodeo, Boots & Saddle, Pioneer Trails and others.
There's a fabulous water pitcher in the Rodeo pattern on eBay right now, ending 11/12. Bidding on this will probably end about $200 or $225, but could just as easily take off to $500. Maybe a lot more if cousin Willard starts bidding, he got kicked in the head back in his rodeo cowboy days.
If you're collecting the Rodeo line remember two things: 1) it's going to take a lot of money, and 2) there is a reproduction line on the market but its easy to recognize as it has neither "California" or "Wallace China" as part of the backstamp.

New Items at Retro Ranger

2006-11-07T18:51:00.000-08:00

Been busy creating new California Pottery themes for my Retro Ranger Cafepress store. Some of them are pretty good, IMHO. I've made some shirts for personal use in the past, but have never designed shirts to be sold.
This Kay Finch T-Shirt is a fairly simple design but I think it came out well. Everybody loves "I heart" stuff and I've incorporated that with the classic Kay Finch signature.
You'll also find shirts and other items with an E. A. Batchelder design, there's a design featuring Barbara Willis's trademark pottery style, a couple of different Franciscan designs and of course some designs for my favorite, Poppytrail.
If you like Poppytrail too, check out the Poppy Trailer Trash design. It makes me chuckle.

Batchelder Bookends

2006-11-03T18:03:00.001-08:00

Here's the deal, you probably can't afford a Batchelder fountain in your backyard. So set your sights on something a tad smaller. Check these out...a pair of Batchelder bookends. These are circa 1923 from Ernest Batchelder's Los Angeles pottery. These kids have the engobe finish, which was common for Batchelder pieces. Engobe is different than glaze, being more of a staining technique.
I'm pretty sure these are going to leave my price-range pretty quick. 4 or 5 hundred dollars would not be out of line for the pair. But the seller does have a reserve and that does keep prices down. We'll just have to keep on eye on this. Batchelder Bookends auction ends 11/9.

T-Shirt For Your Inner Aztec

2006-10-31T16:49:00.000-08:00

I really like the Metlox Poppytrail Aztec line of dinnerware. Composed of squiggles and spiraling circles, its just goofy enough to be very cool. It was never one of the more popular Poppytrail lines, so you don't see alot around.
Busy making up some Christmas gifts today and worked up what I think is an attractive t-shirt design.
I started with a scan of an Aztec dinnerplate, took the basic bluish-gray Aztec squiggles & spiral and tinted it to a more violet color. Over at Cafepress.com I found a nice yellow t that works perfectly with the design...the Aztec Jr. Ringer T-Shirt. If you too like this design, then head over to Cafepress and buy one or ten. I make a dollar on each one sold. There's a sweet Aztec coffee decanter I've got my eye on that would only cost me a couple hundred t-shirts.

Franciscan Apple Dinnerware

2006-10-31T09:05:00.000-08:00

To a lot of people, the embossed, hand-painted Franciscan dinnerware produced by Gladding-McBean is the epitome of California Pottery. The first major line issued by Gladding-McBean in 1940 was Apple, which the company called Franciscan Classics. An immediate hit with consumers and later with collectors.
an eBay seller has some very nice Apple pieces up right now, including this 64-ounce Water Pitcher. You find the smaller milk pitcher a lot, but this pitcher is rather hard to find. Priceguides put it between $125 and $150. This seller also has a sweet Apple Jam Jar. These auctions end 11/5.
Interesting how the seller came across the pieces. Seems they were cleaning out a relative's estate and found the Apple pieces in the garage rafters, wrapped in newspaper, and placed in an old apple basket. Yea, that's about right.

Ashtrays Repurposed

2006-10-28T21:49:00.000-07:00

If you're looking to collect California Pottery on the cheap, I'd suggest you check out ashtrays and cigarette boxes. Back in the 50s smoking was very popular, especially with cool Californians. And all the companies and designers produced ashtrays and/or smoking sets that included cigarette boxes, table lighters, humidors, etc. The lighters and humidors can get pricey because there are lively collector markets for such. But cigarette boxes and ashtrays, especially ashtrays, tend to get ignored. That's too bad, as many of them can be quite attractive pieces.

Especially nice are works by Sascha Brastoff and Marc Bellaire, and ashtrays from both go unsold on eBay all the time. Many of them would make great incense burners or candy bowls. Some of the ashtrays out there are so dead-on 60s-Mod that they fit perfectly with such decor.
The ashtray pictured here is by California Originals, probably mid-sixties. Wonderful wood-grain finish and classic teardrop-mod shape. Its up at shopgoodwill.com right now for just a dollar. Probably won't go much higher. Ends 11/4.

Tigers Lose Series, I Lose Lion

2006-10-27T22:54:00.000-07:00

When I shop on eBay I use a sniping service. Not because I think its important to place a last second bid, but because I have a nasty habit of forgetting the auction until a couple minutes after it ends.
So tonight this wonderful Freeman-McFarlin lion was closing on shopgoodwill.com. My plan was to snag it if it stayed under $50. This is the nice big 20-inch lion, a Kay Finch design. Priceguides peg it a $300 or so, so even with a little chip on the mane I figured I could get a super deal.
Unfortunately for me, at about the time I should have been bidding, I was busy explaining to the Detroit Tigers how to play the game of baseball. And they weren't listening to me. In fact, they refused to listen to me.
So, I missed my chance to place a bid. The auction ended. Final price, $17.05. Ooh, someone got a fantastic steal! So, the final standings...
Happy: St. Louis Cardinals and buyer of Kay Finch lion.
Sad: Detroit Tigers and Rich of Calif.

Sascha Signed Here

2006-10-26T17:09:00.000-07:00

Sascha Brastoff is one of the more collectable names, especially for those seeking mod, "Eames-era" pieces. This 5-inch vase from the Mosaic line is on eBay right now and ends 10/31. The glaze looks a little haphazard, but its a good deal if it stays under $50 (as I word process its at $10).
This particular piece, and most Sascha Brastoff that you'll find, is signed "Sascha B." According to Chipman, and also Kovel, this means it was signed by one of the decorators. If you want a piece that was actually painted by Brastoff, look for the full signature, "Sascha Brastoff."

Shopping Goodwill

2006-10-26T11:57:00.000-07:00

Thrift stores have always been a great place to find California Pottery. They're like a magnet for Grandma's old dishes and knick-knacks. Goodwill stores have their own online auction site and its well worth a visit...www.shopgoodwill.com. Its laid out pretty well and you can always find some California items. The search function is a little clunky, but it gets the job done.
There seems to be plenty of smart shoppers hanging around as few choice items go cheap, but there are some bargains to be found. Like these three Metlox Poppytrail mugs with the detachable handles, from the 200 series...one has a slight crack the other two are excellent. They sold on the Goodwill site this morning for $11.87. That's a genuine bargain as priceguides put these at $20-25 apiece.
So check them out. There's an undiscovered gem sitting on there right now. Can't tell you what it is though as I'd like to get a bid in at a low price. Maybe more later.

Cool Hawaiian Punch Pitcher

2006-10-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

Wallace China is best known for their western motif restaurant ware of the fifties...Rodeo, Boots and Saddle, Little Buckaroo and such. But Hawaiiania collectors lust after the Shadowleaf pattern, which featured philodendron and banana leaves in green, also red and rust. Its a classic tropical pattern. This sweet Shadowleaf pitcher is on eBay ending 10/31. Its up to $70+ so its no longer cheap, but anything under $150 is a good deal. The seller has presented this as Palm Leaf, but I'm pretty sure that Shadowleaf is the correct name and perhaps this will keep bidders away.

Cincinnati Art Galleries Can Do Better

2006-10-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

There's all kinds of sellers on eBay. Some are quite knowledgeable folks who share what they know about a piece so the buyer can make an informed decision. These are they best kind of sellers. There are also a lot of sellers who don't know their product, but do present an honest auction, albeit a little light on info. Often times you can score a bargain from these people. If you know your stuff.
When I'm looking at a listing on eBay and evaluating an item for purchase I take the knowledge level of the seller into large account. If its obvious that the seller is a weekend picker selling a wide variety of items then I don't expect the same level of detail in the listing that I do from an established seller. By the same token, when I see a listing by an established seller of high repute, a listing of low detail but high price, I have to wonder what the deal is. What am I not being told?
Case in point, this Bauer Plate with Mexican Scene being offered by Cincinnati Art Galleries. Opening price $300 with an estimated sale price of $600 to $800. Excuse me? Are you insane? Or...maybe...am I insane?
I see a fifty dollar plate with a reasonably nice scene painted on it (better than I can do). The listing indicates that the plate is signed on the back by the designer, Lola Lawrence. Is that why this plate is so valuable? I've never heard of Lola Lawrence, but the Cincinnati Art Galleries are a lot more educated about pottery designers than I am. Maybe they could add a little bio info on the high-priced designer. And maybe show a scan of the signature and mark. How about a little effort here.
I'm half tempted to think that the Cincinnati Art Galleries is floating this piece on eBay with an artificially high price hoping that their good name alone will sell this plate to some unspecting bumpkin. People do this you know. But I just can't believe that. Because that would be so incredibly stupid.
I've got an inquiry in to the folks at CAG requesting more info on Lola Lawrence. I'm certain that they will respond with information that validates their high appraisal. And when they do I will certainly follow-up this article with that info.

VK Nubian Centaurette

2006-10-23T01:05:00.000-07:00

Disney collectors will be happy to see this show up on eBay...a Vernon Kilns figure from 1941. This is #24, the Nubian Centaurette with left hand at throat, from the animated classic "Fantasia." VK made this series for Disney for less than two years in 1940-41, so you don't see them too often. The seller is lowballing the value at $750...$1300 to $1500 is more like it. Be fun seeing how high this goes. Auction ends Saturday, 10/28, at 8pm.
Interesting to note that the two Nubian Centaurettes in Fantasia's Pastoral Symphony segment were seen in the 1940 original, but edited out of later re-releases because of the stereotypical racial depictions.

Clay Sketches Egret Vases - ends 10/25

2006-10-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

Aren't these a pretty pair? Egret Vases by Clay Sketches...13 and a half inches tall and only $19.99. That's a bargain if the reserve isn't too high. I would think $100 to $125 each would be a reasonable value. These end Wednesday, 10/25. Clay Sketches was a Pasadena potter in the 40s and 50s.

Barbara Willis Did What?

2006-10-22T18:13:00.000-07:00

Wow, what if somebody blamed this on you? What a glaze job...something I might have done in 6th grade arts and crafts class. So someone was selling this monster on eBay as a Barbara Willis vase. I saw that and thought, "Gee, no wonder she gave up pottery."
Not really. I love Barbara Willis pottery. I had the good fortune to own one of her vases once with a turquoise crackle finish. It was mine for awhile and I wish it still was.
Anyway, Barbara wrote this auction seller a polite email informing her that she didn't combine glazes and, oh yea, that drip stuff wasn't her style. To the seller's credit she added the email to the listing so we all could see. And kudos to Barbara for taking the time to email this seller and setting her/him straight.

New Arrival in the Blogosphere

2006-10-22T16:21:00.000-07:00

I'm a big fan of California pottery...artware and dinnerware produced by California potteries in the middle of last century. I simply cannot walk by a piece of California pottery without picking it up and taking it home. And I have no problem blowing an afternoon surfing the online pottery sites looking at the latest offerings.
Unfortunately my monthly pottery allowance is rather miniscule, and there's no way to buy all the good stuff I see.
Which brings us to the purpose of this blog. When I find a nice piece of California pottery, not an everyday piece but something really sweet, I'll post it here. So you can see it too. And when I learn something new about a California potter I'll post it here. So you can learn too.