Customer Reviews

The Collectors Encyclopedia of Brush McCoy Pottery

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This book is a must for collectors of Brush-McCoy pottery. The pictures are beautiful and the information offered is just great. A large number of different pieces of Brush-McCoy pottery are shown but this book does not show every piece of pottery made by Brush-McCoy. I was very pleased with this book.

I will agree right away that this book has some nice photography and it is not likely that the average collector will ever see some of the pottery listed in this book. Also I want to tear my hair out at times distinguishing between Nelson McCoy pottery and Bush McCoy pottery. Some of the pieces listed were apparently either made by both or they were borrowing heavily from each other. For instance I have always thought that the Princess Line from the mid-60's was a Nelson McCoy line (Page 144). So it would definitely suggest that a novice might also want to pick up Sanfords'Guide to McCoy Pottery. Just to note, the use of the name Brush Mccoy ended in the late 20's so anything made after that should be either Brush or Mccoy, not the combined name.

(I also have to admit that I have a distinct fondness for the Princess Line. It is still reasonable and fits nicely with both a mid century modern decor or a more traditional decor. Plus, it is still reasonably priced.)

The price guide is a separate leaflet, but as was noted elsewhere it is very outdated. The price of the older items have soared, and even the more common planters are attracting interest because of the increased interest in mid 20th century design.

Finally, I have a complaint about the presentation of information in the book. One of the main reasons to buy a guide such as this is the identification of unmarked pieces. A great deal of the early Brush pottery was unmarked. A good way to identify unmarked pottery is by looking at the bottom of the pot. The way the pottery is finished can give good hints about maker and age. Good photographs of the bottom of some of these pieces would be very helpful in identification.

This is a well-organized reference to McCoy. It contains a history of McCoy; this added knowledge adds to the fun of collecting and allow you to sound more as if you know what you are doing. Then there are pages on the different "marks" of the pottery. There is a dated value guide. Nevertheless, I find it easer to do my own comparing. The big plus is the color pictures that show what is available. For those discriminate people that do not just buy anything that says McCoy there is an index. It is also fun to see you McCoy pieces in the book.

McCoy Pottery Ultimate Reference