Today? A lot of photos. Hope you don’t mind! I’m going to start with one more living room group.
The singing bird planters. Oh, how I love these. They’ve been photographed frequently for the blog, as they live on the piano. Of course they do. They’re singing!
They also used to be part of one of my headers when I was still on Blogger.
The birds came in two sizes – 7 inches tall and 4½ inches tall. These are 7 inches tall. You can see how the glaze varies from piece to piece. I absolutely adore these birds. They’re from the 1940s.
The mark – USA – is at the base of the bird.
I bought the aqua birds individually. First one, then I had to get another. Then, I felt they needed another companion, so I bought this little one:
She is 4½ inches tall and is lovely. The books all describe this color as white, but it’s more of a cream to me. More of a matte look. Same USA mark on the base.
Now we move on to the kitchen china cabinet, where I display a lot of the smaller McCoy pieces. Here we go.
Two planting pots and a pitcher.
A flowerpot in the Hobnail with leaves pattern. From the 1940s.
A quilted flowerpot with leaves around the upper rim and on the saucer. From the 1950s.
Very old pitcher in a water lily pattern from 1935. This is from the early Nelson McCoy stoneware line. I found this when I was on a coaching job in Owensboro Kentucky. Wandering through an antique shop, my eyes lit on this one and I grabbed it. I think I’ve only seen this one other time. Hard to find out in the wild! It’s gorgeous.
Marked with the number 124.
More smalls: Three vases and a planting dish. Are you starting to see the wide range of blue and blue-greens that McCoy used?
I particularly love this little vase and I often use it for little bouquet; rose buds, for instance. I don’t have any info on the date (checking on that.)
From the Rustic line – in blue. The line was first produced in 1945 and was made for many years. I don’t like the multi-colored Rustic pieces, but I do like the solid colored ones.
A very small cornucopia vase, with leaves and berries. From 1956.
An aqua planting dish. From 1948. Or 1952. Depending on the McCoy book.
And the last group of smalls from the cabinet:
A planter, a bulb bowl, and a vase.
This is a ball planter. From the 1940s. A present from Don.
It’s marked with the Nelson McCoy (NM) mark:
Interlocking NM and USA.
A pretty yellow bulb bowl, from 1957.
And a lovely little yellow vase, from the 1940s. This is 5¾ inches high and is part of a small group of vases that are now called the 5″ vases – considered harder to find nowadays and, therefore, a desirable collecting group. I believe this was also a gift from Don. One birthday or Christmas, he set out to find some McCoy for me and ended up with three pieces in the yellow glaze. What a guy!
That concludes the contents of the kitchen china cabinet. Whew!
More on Wednesday. As always, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!
Happy Monday.
I love it all, your pottery, your house and your dogs. What a charmed life you lead !
Thank you so much!
I am partial to your birds, Claudia. I will have to be on the hunt for them in my corner of the world. Do you ever rearrange the groupings of your McCoy?
Occasionally, but I don’t rearrange just to rearrange or compose another vignette. Usually, it comes out of a practical need. I like everything where it is at the moment!
I adore the yellow. So pretty.
The yellow is very cheery, Deb. Thanks!
I am learning so much from this series. I just added the vase from the Rustic line in peach to my collection. It’s a pretty thing! I agree, I don’t like the mulit color but the solids are very pretty. I’m on the hunt for a ball planter next I think. I just like the shape of them! Happy Monday Claudia!
hugs,
Linda
The ball planters are really cool. I’d love it in several colors. Where to put it all, Linda?
That IS the question, without a good answer I’m afraid!! :)
I love your pottery and am so glad you are sharing it with us. Although I think I like the pick shade, I must say the aqua shade is a close second! Those little birds are so adorable. They remind me of the little pie birds used to let the steam out of the baking pie.
By the way, I think I missed who won the book on Thursday. Did you post it?
I hope you and Don have a wonderful day!
Tons of pets to the Dame :)
Deb
You know, I didn’t pick a winner yet! Tomorrow, Debbie. Have a great day.
Claudia, what exactly is a “bulb” dish or bowl?? I guess I don’t know what the term means.
I love every piece! And as I said before, I love that you actually have a use for so many of them in daily life.
To plant bulbs in: Like hyacinth bulbs or tulip bulbs. Paperwhites, amaryllis…
That was what I assumed, but wondered if there was drainage in the dish bottom…. thanks for the answer, kiddo!! I appreciate it.
No drainage holes, but I guess you put gravel in the bottom.
My sisters’ McCoy collecting began with a yellow singing bird. I don’t have one, wish I did. I do have the little vase you use for rosebuds in white, the ball planter, also in white and the aqua planter box ; mine is yellow. Love seeing all of your pieces.
I’d love to add a singing bird or two in yellow, but I don’t often see them, Margaret!
Well….I have the perfect spot for something yellow….love the ball planter! They are all beautiful, and the birds are very special. I’m going to find me some McCoy!
Go get ’em, Marilyn!
The yellow is beautiful! I don’t remember, do you display according to color? I’m rather smitten with the bulb planter and the ball bowl…but then there are those birds…how do you ever decide what to buy when? Or, is it strictly a matter of opportunity and price? ;)
Sometimes I display according to color, yes. Usually, it’s a matter of opportunity and price – I buy much less often than I used to. Usually when I see something when out and about – but I often see what I already have.
Claudia, your collection is beautiful. My question is how do you recognize if the name on the bottom is a real piece? Doris
There are some fakes out there, but that’s what reference books are for, Doris. I’ve studied mine enough that I know what’s legit and what isn’t and what the mark should look like. I suppose there will always be something that might stump you. I’ve bought a couple of pieces that I thought were McCoy – in my earlier days as a collector – and weren’t, but that wasn’t because they were reproductions. It’s because the seller said they were McCoy and I accepted that. Now, I would know better!
Love the pottery – the patterns and colors you collect. Now I want some!!
Oh good! I’m getting you excited about McCoy!
Thanks Claudia. I have a piece that is on Ebay now that they say is McCoy and the bottom looks like it could be a McCoy but I remember buying it at a store years ago. Did they sell items at a department type store? Thanks for the info. Doris
I’m sure they did. It was very affordable in its day.
Those little birds are indeed a familiar sight- I like seeing your kitchen pieces up close.
The yellow again — my favorites!
I think it’s romantic that Don knows your taste and likes ; and that he can find lovely gifts that suit you. After 32 years my hubby still doesn’t have the knack for it, though he tries
You’re blessed.
He’s pretty good at that sort of thing, I have to say. But your husband is a wonderful guy, I’m sure!
Oh yes ! He’s wonderful! I have to say… He did great on this recent anniversary . ;)
I love it all – but the little birds have always been a particular favorite. I’m loving this series Claudia.
I’m so glad, Debbie.
Who couldn’t love those singing birds??..I have to smile every time you show them Claudia..
They are pretty wonderful, Nancy.
I never realized you had so much McCoy! I’m enjoying seeing each piece. The singing birds and that vase that you said you put rose buds in are my faves in this group. :-)
Two of my faves, too, Melanie!
Claudia, I have always loved your singing bird pieces. Those yellows are very nice too. I have enjoyed seeing all the wonderful things you have shown us Thank you. Blessings, xoxo,Susie
You’re welcome, Susie!
I think it’s really good you’re doing this series because it’s a perfect written (and photographic) inventory you should have for yourself (maybe you already do in some other format). I imagine it’s fun, too, because when you sit down to really do this and categorize it, you have to afterward be saying to yourself, ‘wow, I really HAVE built up quite a collection.” A feeling of satisfaction, accomplishment and also of gratitude, I’m sure! But I like to do it, too, to edit myself, reminding me of what I already have, since I have a tendency to overdo it and have been known to wind up with duplicates
Anyway, for me, I am so taken with the gorgeous aquas, yellows…the dear birds at the top of your post and that 1935 pitcher is really a prize; isn’t it always amazing to think how a breakable has somehow survived 80 years intact but, of course, it’s probably been gentled and cherished by more than a few people who kept it as protected as possible. I think of my parents (as opposed to me, the nomad, relocating too many times, packing up and unloading, packing up and unloading), with the two of them living in the same house for 60 years and never budging; much less likelihood of item breakage or getting lost along the way…were it not for cleaning ladies coming who were in too much of a hurry with the ‘dusting.’ (Mother eventually learned with her very-best-better things to just put them inside the glass curios or hutches and say ‘You don’t need to get into all that; nothing in there needs dusting today but thank you for offering to do it.”)
Thanks for another great post, Claudia.
I love doing it. The whole experience makes me fall in love with each piece again!