Collecting - McCoy Pottery

A Century of Pottery

W. Nelson McCoy Pottery, J.W. McCoy Pottery Company, Brush McCoy Pottery
NELSON McCOY POTTERY COMPANY
Click to Enlarge Nelson McCoy Pottery Works around 1926	In April of 1910 The Nelson McCoy Sanitary Stoneware Company, located in Roseville, Ohio, was formed by Nelson McCoy and his father J. W. McCoy. They began to manufacture and sell functional and decorative stoneware. They also mined, bought and sold clay. This part of their business provided clay to many of the area potteries for several years. In May of that year they contracted for the construction of a building and purchased the equipment necessary to produce the products in large quantity. They selected the Roseville area because of the availability of clay and the land that the city donated free of cost. McCoy Pottery

I started collecting McCoy pottery after finding a piece under my mom's back porch thirty years ago. I started researching the piece and my mom made a macrame holder for it. It was a yellow flower pot with calla lilies embossed on it, about 8" diameter. A few years later, I came across a green 6" flower pot at a nearby thrift store. And so it began, I started to collect McCoy pottery, mostly inexpensive flower pots and kitchenware. I have one early Nelson McCoy Sanitary Stoneware Company vase I bought on eBay. this piece has no markings on the bottom.

On our first wedding anniversary, my husband and I went up to my sister's cottage. We both enjoy fishing and the cottage is on the Pigeon River. Well, we went fishing and no matter where I put my line in, there was a turtle there, waiting for it! I tried to avoid them, but they watched where I threw my line and would go swimming after it, trying to get the worm on the hook. This went on day after day, and by the time we were done fishing, I had hooked a dozen turtles. Coincidently,

I found this turtle planter in an antique show & sale on the way home and just had to buy it.

I also have several flowerpots, planters and some kitchenware too.

4" aqua qulited and a pink basketweave
flower pots I found at an auction.

6" beaded flowerpot I found at a local auction also.



6" green basketweave flowerpot I bought at a yard sale.

8" brown bamboo flowerpot I bought at a local auction.

10" yellow bamboo flowerpot I found at the flea market at Heritage Village a few years ago.


6" cushion vases, the white one I found at a thrift store, the green one I found at a yard sale. The green one is marked and the white one isn't



Here are some more eBay finds:

aqua basketweave planter



a McCoy match safe


some small sauce dishes made for H.J. Heinz Co.

Another advertizing item, a Van Camp's coffee mug, my grandparents used to live down the street from the Van Camp's plant when I was growing up.

small yellow ware bowl

6" & 8" mixing bowls, modern, 1970's

I even have a fake McCoy Mamie with Cauliflower cookie jar. I knew it wasn't original when I bought it on eBay for $35, the originals are scarce and are over $1000. The seller said it was vintage, but the paint was too uniformly crazed and there wasn't much wear on it. I haven't measured it yet, I know it won't measure up.

From McCoy Pottery website:

Mammy with Cauliflowers - hand decorated, basic white.

Mark McCoy USA Date Produced Produced in 1939 Description Made in a limited edition. Extremely Rare. Typically found with worn cold paint. Collector Value $1000.00 - $1200.00

I can hardly wait for spring to start hunting for more McCoys to add to my collection.