Okay, I know I said I would do this series every other day, but apparently I lied. I have another post planned (fingers crossed) for tomorrow and Friday is consistently the day of the week with the least visitors and page views, so today it is. We’ll have Part Three on Saturday.
Speaking of page views and visits, Spring is here….and you’re all busy outside, as you should be! But let me remind you that I posted a book review on Monday for a great book and I’m giving away a copy. Do you really want to miss out? I usually have twice the number of comments/entries for a giveaway, so I can only assume you’re outside, trowel in hand, planting and having a great time. Take a minute, though, and read the review and throw your name in the pot.
Just a few more pieces from the den and then we move on to the living room.
Two pots, and a centerpiece bowl.
This pot is from a line McCoy produced called Floraline – which was strictly for the florist industry and was highly successful. Simple designs were the theme. This pot is probably the ‘newest’ piece of McCoy that I own – from the 60s. It sits on a table in the den and holds the remotes.
And there’s the Floraline mark, as well as a number which identified the design. If you see anything marked ‘Floraline’ as you’re out and about, you’ll know it’s McCoy.
A centerpiece bowl, from around 1948, with a lovely leaf design at the base. Such a pretty color. This was a gift from my friend Heidi.
This adorable pot is from the Rustic Line of McCoy. The most common glaze for Rustic was ivory with a turquoise and brown spray. But some of it was also produced in solid colors, like this one. I have another Rustic piece in turquoise that you’ll see on another day. This was a gift from the lovely Linda. It’s from around 1945.
We move on to the living room. A jardiniere, two planting dishes, and a hanging pot. The yellow pieces live on the shelves in the sideboard. The cream piece lives on the coffee table.
From the late forties, a yellow jardiniere. It has a lily motif. Lots of crazing, which I love. I can’t remember where I got this one. (I know you think I remember where I got everything I collect, but it’s becoming quite clear that I don’t!) This one holds our sunglasses.
Another one of my favorites and one of the first pieces I bought – on eBay. This is a hanging basket with a gorgeous ivy design.
It originally came with a chain that fit into three grooves on the basket. You can see one in this photo.
And, perhaps the most creative way to show the McCoy mark:
Isn’t that cool? From around 1950.
This yellow planter is from the 1940s. I’m pretty sure Don gave it to me. It holds our keys.
And this cream colored planting bowl is just like the aqua version I showed you yesterday. I bought this in San Diego when I was working there for six month a few years back. It made my apartment there seem like home. It sits on the coffee table and holds vintage bakelite Mah-jongg tiles – also found in San Diego.
More on Saturday – there’s lots of McCoy to show you!
And you might find this video interesting. I remember seeing this when it first aired (I loved the first Martha Stewart series that aired on television, I think it was the best.) Anyway, this is a glimpse of her McCoy collection – and believe me, she has much, much more.
Here’s the link to the video.
Happy Wednesday.
It is all so beautiful! I love the pink and the bird pieces the best. You’re right, Martha does have a large collection, but then, what would you expect? She’s Martha!
Hugs to you, Don and the Dame :)
Deb
Exactly! She’s Martha! Actually, I’m grateful to her because reading about her collection in her magazine and seeing the episode I linked to encouraged me to start a collection.
Claudia, I am enjoying this series! I have a very small “collection” of only 5 pieces ( McCoy is not easily found around here; I think it is all in collections already )
Thanks for providing the link to the Martha Stewart video.
You are very welcome, Carolyn Marie. Enjoy!
I’m glad you mentioned the Floraline mark, I saw a piece yesterday and might go back and buy it today. A pretty green! I was in a hurry and didn’t have time to buy as I dropped off things, just a quick look. I am enjoying this series so much. I really love how you say this holds our keys, this one our sunglasses. Makes perfect sense to use them and also admire their beauty!
hugs,
Linda
It does, Linda. Some things are simply on display and others do double duty.
Claudia, I loved Part 1 yesterday, and this post, also. I also love that you USE your pieces. I have learned a lot! It surely seems to be harder to find McCoy in the past few years around here. We do see some Hagar Pottery because it was made in No. Illinois, so it seems to be a bit more available in this area. Of course, I don’t know if I was looking at some of the bottom markings as smartly as I will now! Thanks!!
It’s not easy to find it around here, either. A few years back I was out on Long Island doing a coaching job – a relatively wealthy area of LI – and I couldn’t believe how jacked-up the prices were there! I think the best stories are all those I hear about finding pieces at garage sales and thrift shops…but I don’t find them in those particular places around here.
See I am learning new things….did not know there was a hanging pot! Cute design, and love how they are marked. I’ll have to find a pic of one with the chain. I’m glad you use your McCoy…but, I assume you don’t plant plants, or fill them with water for flowers. (I’m glad you lied….I really didn’t want to wait for the next installment!) ;)
I have two duplicate pots – so one of them does have a pothos planted in it.
By the way, there are several hanging pots!
What is your favorite glaze color, Claudia? You put keys in one of your McCoy’s…does that scratch or crack the inside surface?
Not that I’ve noticed, Wendy. The glaze is pretty thick and that particular piece already has a lot of crazing, so they aren’t going to harm it.
Favorite color? Either the aqua or the teal or the soft green. I like those colors the best.
Love a lot of today’s pieces, especially the one your friend Heidi gave you, and that last cream-colored bowl, and the low ones classified as “planting dishes.” What were they used for, Claudia? Do you know? I’m guessing little indoor dish gardens maybe? I think my mother had one or two around when I was a kid, with tiny cactus plants and other things. And I know both my grandmothers did. Maybe even in McCoy pottery too. PS – another reason page views might be down right now could be people doing their taxes [yuck]. Even though I get a refund, I always procrastinate with mine, and I just finished on Monday morning. Enjoy your day!
I think they were used for smallish plants and/or bulbs.
Taxes are a pain. We always file an extension, so we’re not dealing with the tedium of it yet.
You said a mouthful. Each year at this year, I honestly get nostalgic for all those years in my 20s and 30s when I didn’t have any $$ at all and could file that 1040EZ form. Took – seriously – less than 10 min to complete, start to finish [including sealing & stamping the envelope]. Sigh… :>)
I remember those days…..long, long ago!
Thank you so much for the intro to McCoy pottery! I spent hours last night on Ebay, found a Aunt Jamima cookie jar in mint condition and put a bid on a tulip vase for a friend’s upcoming birthday. Also enjoyed the Martha Stewart video. She looked so different back then.
We all did, Susan! I sure looked a lot different!
Oops! That was a Mammy cookie jar that I bought on Ebay.
Congratulations!
I love the glaze and the colors of the McCoy pottery; gosh, you have some really terrific pieces. I’m glad for all the info so that I know what to be on the lookout for in my forays to thrift stores or yard sales now. Thank you again for the wonderful photos; I hope you are enjoying the revisiting of your collection as much as we are…it’s so cool to see a glimpse into ‘home decor’ like this of the 40s and 50s! I have some color photos of my relatives’ home interiors and it seems like in the 40s and early 50s, they had room curtains with big, splashy florals, not exactly tropicals, with browns & pinks & the yellowy-greens; I was drawn to the colors and I can just see how your McCoy would have fit right in, so I imagine they might well have been following color trends in those years at McCoy, as to how they might accessorize nicely with how women were decorating their homes…fabric, upholstery, etc. I can remember when avocado green was very popular, especially with turquoises/aquas, like late 60s or so…I remember my aunts getting avocado green shag carpeting, my mom’s sofa was turquoise and avocado, my dad’s car was avocado green, appliances in kitchens were avocado green, and then Mom would receive gifts of avocado green hors-d’oeuvre trays and Dad an avocado ceramic ash tray; turquoise glass vases; I can remember wearing an avocado crocheted vest. Then, that trend died, and it seemed like everything went to Mediterranean/Spanish, with heavy and rustic woods, velvets and other plushy fabrics in reds and golds, for bedspreads and chair coverings, throw pillows and rugs which I kinda recall as earliest 70s. I bet if you looked at couture fashion models of the time, the clothes probably reflected similarly to furniture/decor. Dressing our dolls, dressing ourselves, dressing our homes…all rather intertwined, going beyond function, with an emphasis instead on beauty and what’s pleasurable to our eyes (although I love how you use your McCoy for a glasses holder, or a remote holder; perfect!).
Oh, our house was full of avocado green. Sofa, chairs, appliances. And the interior of our travel trailer was also avocado green – I swore I would shun that color the rest of my life!
Claudia, You have beautiful pieces of pottery. I enjoy looking and wishing I had some. Doris
Maybe you can find a piece or two someday, Doris! I hope so.
…just beautiful…. just don’t make pretty things like they use to……thanks for sharing, I am enjoying your collection !!!!
I know – they don’t make things like this anymore, that’s for sure! The quality, the weight, all of it makes for an excellent product that was relatively inexpensive at the time. Thanks, Linda!
Claudia, I am amazed at how many wonderful pieces of McCoy you do own. I went back to you la post and oh my goodness, all those pretty unusual things and colors. I did not know they had such great colors. I love that you and Don actually use them to hold things around your house. That’s great. Blessings, xoxo,Susie
They have wonderful colors, Susie. I love the sherbet-like colors the most. Thanks!
Oh that rotten Martha! She’s got my McCoy collection on her shelves! (My jadeite one too!) ;)
She sure does! Perhaps she’s leaving them to us in her will?
I saw the original Lantern Bearers by Maxfield Parrish at the Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville AR today and thought of you. It absolutely glowed!!
Oh, lucky, lucky you, Martha! I’m envious. I bet it was simply GORGEOUS!
I’m really enjoying seeing all your McCoy pieces and learning more about McCoy, too!
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the posts, Melanie!
Catching up with the tour, Claudia…you have a wonderful collection! I love the colors and styles!
There’s definitely something for everyone, Linda.
Love seeing more of your pieces – and the Martha video was great!
I’ve watched it about 3 times now. I’m sure I’ll watch it again. Just to drool over the McCoy on her shelves.
Floraline is a new one for me… Didn’t know it was by McCoy. You certainly know your pottery!
The yellow pieces and planter are eye catching.
Yesterday when I read this post it was jumbled up on my phone. Your header on the blog was gone- and it was replaced with a photo from yesterday’s post – and the pictures were out of order. It was crazy. Of course I had restart my phone– it’s old.
So I tried reading on my computer– it ran so slow I gave up.
It all seems better today —
I’m enjoying reading about your collection.
Glad things are better! My phone – which is an iPhone, though not at all the newest – sometimes freezes up. It did that this morning. Drat these hi-tech devices!
Same here Claudia – iphone out of date. I live with it for now. :)
Claudia, as a collector of depression glass In my younger days, I would come across McCoy pottery and think it was the ugliest stuff made. Now I see it was the Rustic pattern. Horrible colors to me. You have given me a new eye for this pottery. Isn’t it wonderful to enlighten and be enlightened?! That darn Martha just has it all, doesn’t she!!! Hahahaha. Thanks for the video. Wouldn’t you just love an hour with that gent telling his expertise!
P.s. I’m writing this while giant flakes of snow are falling out the window (it’s been in the 70’s for a month now). The lilacs blossoms are now dragging the ground. It’s marked on my calendar this was the date last year our first hummers showed up. The feeder is up and ready should any hungry cold birds show up.
The rustic patten in the sort of multi-color look is not my favorite. The two pieces I do have of Rustic are solid colors – coral and aqua. The other stuff? I totally get why you didn’t like it!
How can it be snowing, Verna? Where do you live? Oh you poor thing!
Such pretty colors..
I’m running behind catching up on your posts – but just wanted to drop in and say THANK YOU for this McCoy series! You have a great collection and I can’t wait to see more of it. So far I have one piece like yours – I think you called it the “rustic collection” – but mine is yellow (I think….it is stashed on a shelf somewhere in the basement and I’m going to find it and some of my other pieces thanks to you renewing my interest!) Also loved the idea of using a piece to stash sunglasses – I’ll be copying that idea.
My pieces have been purchased at either garage sales or thrift stores – or my mom started giving me some of her pieces. I have several great “finds” stories. Unfortunately, I haven’t had much time these past couple of years to go “saleing”, but this has me savoring to go treasure hunting soon!
Thanks also for the link to the Martha Stewart episode…..I knew she collected McCoy but I had never seen this segment about it. I do miss that show….I would record it and watch it when I had the chance.
Looking forward to more of your McCoy episodes!
I miss that show, too. I wonder if it’s available on video somewhere? Or does Martha sell it?