When thrifting for resale I first look for items that catch my eye. I am drawn to certain colors, materials, and styles. I really cannot explain what it truly is about an object that catches my eye and draws me in to look at it more closely. First it is the general appearance of the item that catches my attention. My example today will be vintage/antique Brush McCoy stoneware/pottery.
The two pieces of above at both Brush McCoy pottery from around 1920/1930. I happen to walk up to a local thrift store and these where sitting on a shelf outside. What caught my eye first is the color, followed by the over all look of the pieces. They both show signs of being old piece.
I picked them up to hold on to while I looked around. I took time to google lens each piece. Google lens returns identified them as Brush McCoy pottery from around the 1920's-1930's. The elephant bowl is sometimes listed as a mixing bowl, planter, or pet food bowl. The bottom is identified as a bulb tray/planter tray. Both which have some resale value.
Here is a brief history, Brush McCoy pottery is actually a company formed in 1911 when Brush Pottery, Zanesville Ohio and McCoy pottery Roseville, Ohio merged. With this merger the company had two plants turning out pottery and stoneware. Plant #1 was in Zanesville, Ohio creating art ware and plant #2 in Roseville created stoneware and cookware. The McCoy family withdrew their interest from the company in 1925 and the company returned to being Brush Pottery Company.
I noticed in researching these piece some sellers contribute it to McCoy pottery and others Brush McCoy pottery. Only one has a mold mark on it, no other marking what so ever. When researching these pieces I noticed that there where not a lot listing for them, and the listings I found had all sold. Seeing that I knew these might be rarer pieces. After all given the age and the utilitarian use many probably did not survive.
At the time I purchased these the sold comps where $100-$150. That was for ones with no visible flaws. Both of these had a chip on them. Imperfect comps where selling $50-$90. I decided to take a chance on them. I am glad I did, I paid $1.50 for both pieces. I listed them one at a time. I listed the shell motif bulb tray first for $65 and it sold for $52, a few months later. The elephant bowl comps where also $100-$150 for perfect ones, flawed ones $50-$90. I listed it in June for $80 and it sold last week for $80.
Growing up in and around antiques and in the antique dealer world my eye for antique and vintage items has become more skilled or sharpened. I struggle to put into words what it is exactly that makes me stop and look at an item for closely. There are many working factors working together that draws me to take a closer look, sometimes I am lucky to score a treasure and sometimes I score a dud. As I have written before it is a learning as you go game. Those duds can still make you some money in the end, one mans trash is another mans treasure.
