Roseville Pottery Buying Guide

Facts about Roseville.

In this article I will talk about some interesting facts about Roseville Pottery Company. I will also cover the value and how to tell the difference between a fake and a reproduction. Roseville used many different marks throughout the years. These marks can be used to help determine the age.

Most all Roseville pieces and patterns are very collectible. Collectors look for pieces that are in mint-very good condition. Even the most common pieces of Roseville have high auction value.

Reproductions do cause problems for new collectors who have not handled many Roseville pieces, but most reproductions are easily recognized by avid collectors.

Roseville Values

Over the past few years prices seem to have stabilized some. Collectors often have to pay greatly to add a piece of Roseville to there collections. Starting a Roseville collection can be very costly on today’s market.

The quality of Roseville varies from piece to piece. Since artists decorated each piece by hand. The talent of the individual artist came into play with each piece of Roseville produced. Artist signed pieces of Roseville often bring higher prices then unsigned pieces.

Most all genuine Roseville pieces are considered collectible and even the most common hold some value in the markets today. Roseville umbrella stands, floor vases and jardinieres with matching pedestals are increasingly harder to locate at reasonable prices and can sell for well over $1,000 today. The Pine cone, Wisteria and Sunflower patterns are well-liked, and often sell for hundreds of dollars per piece. Even the most common pieces of Roseville in excellent condition regularly sell for $50 or more on eBay and other retailers.

Reproductions

If you are new to Roseville, keep in mind that reproductions from China have been showing up in the pottery market for quite some time now. Many avid Roseville collectors easily recognize a fake piece of Roseville. For beginners this they may find this a bit more difficult to distinguish the difference between a fake and genuine piece of Roseville.

Here are some tips on detecting a reproduction piece of Roseville.

• The coloring on reproduction is often close to originals, but not quite right.
• Décor on reproduction pieces often looks amateurish and sloppy not of the same quality as a genuine piece of Roseville.
• The ‘USA’ is often missing from the raised mark, or can be faintly seen. Keep in mind that some genuine older marks did not include USA. Remember you can always ask an expert opinion if you have any doubts.
• The way the “R” is shaped is often vastly different than the genuine marks.
• The glaze on reproduction pieces feels rough and unfinished in comparison to the smoothness of old Roseville.

Here are some examples of Roseville marks.

Fake Roseville Mark

Genuine Roseville Mark

The best way to keep yourself from investing money in a fake or reproduction with any antique or collectible is to do your research. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask a professional or specialist. There are also many books available on this subject.