Weller Coppertone Vase, ca. 1925
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GUEST:
Well, my mother-in-law was walking out to the pear orchard, and we went through the barn loft, and I saw the frog's head sticking up out of the ground.
APPRAISER:
You said you were pregnant at the time?
GUEST:
Big pregnant, with my third child.
APPRAISER:
This is how long ago?
GUEST:
50 years ago.
APPRAISER:
So you saw the frog's head sticking out of the dirt?
GUEST:
Yes. We walked right by and it didn't move, so I just swished my foot across it, and it still didn't move. And I told my mother-in-law that I was going to go back to the barn and get a shovel and dig down and see what this is. So, I got it, and I dug it up, and there was not one blemish on it. Not a crack, chip, or anything. So that's how I found this vase.
APPRAISER:
And in 50 years, there still isn't a blemish on it.
GUEST:
Yeah, true, and four children, and all those grandchildren you asked me about.
APPRAISER:
And you have no idea who made this?
GUEST:
No idea whatsoever.
APPRAISER:
Well, there's a good reason for that because there is a mark on the bottom, but it's kind of blurry. And I've seen the mark before so I know what it is. It says "Weller Pottery," and that's a kiln that they fire pottery in. So that's from the Weller Pottery from Zanesville, Ohio, one of the more famous companies. This is a production piece. It's not a one-of-a-kind artist piece. They made a number of these, sometime around 1925, 1930. It's called their Coppertone line. But it's a particularly good piece of their Coppertone line. And the last one I sold, I sold for $2,800. And I think this is a $2,500 piece and could bring as much as $3,000, right in that price range at auction.
GUEST:
Oh my.
APPRAISER:
So it's a really good production piece.
GUEST:
Well, golly. Who would have ever thought that you could dig something like this up and it would be worth that much?
APPRAISER:
So you spoke to your son, the one you were carrying when you found this?
GUEST:
Yeah, yeah, and he said, "Well, she should leave it to me because I was with her when she found it." (chuckles)
Appraisal Details
Current Appraised Value: $2,000 - $3,000 (Decreased)
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