Tips on Tuesday - Real McCoy

 Remember the saying "real McCoy?"  I just looked up the origin and it comes from a prize fighter named "Kid McCoy."  The story goes like this, he was in a bar and another patron challenged if he was really who he said he was.  A fight ensued and as the accuser fell to the ground, when he stood up, he said that's "the Real McCoy!"  I didn't know that and I love it!

How to spot a "real McCoy" and I'm not just referring to the pottery.  However, these tips can be used in doing that too.  Have you ever wondered if something you had was valuable or real?  Not too many years back, this was so much harder to do than it is today, thanks to the internet.  

Here are my 5 quick tips:

1.  Look over your item, pick it up, does it feel "right."  If you think it's made of silver, is it heavy?  Whatever your item is, examine it to see if it fits what you are thinking it might be.  If you are wondering if your stand of pearls are real; are they cool to the touch, is there a knot between each pearl (this is done so if the sting broke, you'd only lose 1 pearl not all), is the clasp or fastener made to last or is is cheap.  Do a quick search on "how to tell if my ..... is real."

2.  Look for identifying marks.  Check the bottom, inside, back, along the rim - get out your magnifying glass, some are so tiny you can't see them.  Look for K for gold or Sterling, kind of marks as well.  Maker's marks will also give you a time frame to how old your item is.  Do a quick search of that mark, look under images and see if you can find the one you are looking for.

3.  Use ebay, etsy, collector groups as a reference too.  Even if you don't see any marks on something, you can still probably find it on bay.  I've looked up as broad a description as "pink vase" and have found things I was looking for.  The seller usually will have the name of maker and then you can search it.  Even if you are not sure if it is the same as yours, search it anyway.  I did this, and found out my pink vase was Lenox, it was way more valuable than I thought.  

4.  You could always ask an antique dealer.  Take your item to the antique shop or show, look for a booth with your type of item in it, ask that vendor.  Often times, they are willing to help.  I'm not saying they will give you a value, as they might charge for that.  

5.  You could always look for a "Red Wing Collector Society" club or a facebook group "For the Love of Pyrex" kind of thing.  Check out their website, posts and comments.  Is there any information or post about what it is you are looking for.  Message them and ask.

It's like a scavenger hunt with a bit of research.  One can't possibly know "everything" about "everything" however, the internet does....I hope these tips help.  

Blessings from Ringle, Wisconsin.