posted on October 11, 2000 08:39:52 PM
Does anybody know anything about a company in Tennessee that is making Cookie Jars with the name "McCoy" on the bottom?
I was looking for a cookie jar to bid on for a present for my MIL and started seeing ALOT of "NEW" McCoy Cookie Jars listed. Boy, I'm afraid to bid on any McCoy pieces now! What gives???
Tattoonana
posted on October 11, 2000 08:49:38 PM
I vaguely remember reading an article in AntiqueWeek a couple years ago that for some reason or another, the copyright on "McCoy" had expired or wasn't protected or something. A guy with a pottery in the South somewhere got the rights to "McCoy" and started reproducing McCoy items. The reproductions I have seen are lighter weight and a tiny bit smaller than the originals.
posted on October 11, 2000 09:45:44 PM
The person that was making these "new" McCoy jars was shut down last year I believe?
He can no longer use the McCoy name, but thousands of these jars are still in circulation.
Here's a site that shows a few of the jars that have been made in recent years, and marked McCoy.
posted on October 11, 2000 10:00:22 PM
Thanks Reddeer, that is a beautiful site. I am glad the NEW Potter was shut down. It makes me so mad that people are selling them on eBay with just a slight hint that they may not be real.
They should be under the "Reproduction" listing, not under the "McCoy" listing. No wonder people are afraid to bid.
And thanks Mapledr1216 for the size and weight info.
Tattoonana
posted on October 11, 2000 10:31:52 PM
As far as repo cookie jars go, the jars made by the Co. in Rockwood TN & marked McCoy are pretty easy to spot. There are many other repo jars listed on eBay, that are VERY hard to tell whether they are authentic, or not.
There's also a few known "repo" rings active on eBay & some of these sellers have high feedback numbers. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
I've seen people drop $700+ for repo Shawnee jars on eBay. I imagine the same thing takes place in RL shops, shows, etc. So sad, but so true.
One should take the time to study & handle the original pieces, or buy from a reputable dealer.
posted on October 12, 2000 04:31:35 AM
Good Morning all. My son almost purchased two fake McCoys at a fleamarket. He wanted me to look at them first "thank goodness". One was the Red Riding Hood, which we all know was not made by McCoy, and the Davy Crockett. These were such poor fakes that anyone could tell if they knew anything about McCoy. I informed the dealer that these should not be tagged McCoy even though the bottoms said McCoy. Hopefully some other poor person didn't buy them.These were not done by the group that you are talking about.
[ edited by rarriffle on Oct 12, 2000 04:33 AM ]
posted on October 12, 2000 07:24:24 AMProbater ........ Um, not quite.
The McCoy trademark was first used by the company in Rockwood TN on Jan 1,1991. Because the original McCoy trademark was never registered by the original OH potters, they [TN Co.] were able to legally qualify the trademark in TN simply by using it for 1 year. They then filed for federal trademark
registration on August 31,1992 & received approval on March 9th 1993.
Nelson McCoy Jr. did not sell his name rights, or any of his original molds to this person.
As of last year the company in TN was taken to court & is no longer allowed to use the McCoy name.
IMO it was a sneaky & underhanded way to cash in on a famous potters name.
