What $90 bought me today

bazinga

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Oct 31, 2005
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41.9 grams Misc Sterling
1844 O Seated Half
1893 Columbian Exposition Half
1894 Barber Half
1936 Walker
1922 Peace Dollar
1895 Barber Quarter
1851 Large Cent
3 1928 Red Seal $2 Bills
2 1953 Red Seal $2 Bills
3 Bracelets & 1 Pendant that appear handmade/mexican type silver that are unmarked (47.9 grams potential)
Antique *possible* sterling silver filigree bracelet
Between 50-100 linen and earlier post cards
Vermont Maple Syrup Jug Marked York inside a keystone on the bottom - 1930s/1940s - Early Pfaltzgraff I believe


So not too bad. Got around $110 or so in silver value alone with the potential for more. This all came from my favorite kind of yard sale. Young 20 somethings inherit grandmas house and all of her belongings and start selling them off. Paid $2 for the silver dollar, $5 each for halves, $3 for the post cards. They had about 50 pieces of Franciscan Apple they offered to me for $65. Thinking about that one since I'm not in the mood to ship large lots of it out right now.
 

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diggummup

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Nice finds, I always love to find coins and silver (and gold too!). Today I found very little. A US military silver star medal (for gallantry in action) issued and a few pieces of pyrex spring blossom. I passed on a Russian Samovar because it was a little beat up even for 1870. I hope tommorrow brings better. I did make $70 on a yard sale my neighbor had though, I set up a table next door before I left this morning and she sold about half of it for me. Nice neighbor.
 

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bazinga

bazinga

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Until I hit this sale as I was on my way home, it had been a sad day. Take away a neighborhood sale and there were fewer than 10 yard sales. Everybody here must be afraid of the potential for rain.

Do you know much about older Pfaltzgraff pottery? I can't seem to find anything between the modern patterns and the older crock type items.
 

Rodbuster209

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Nice score! It is defineatly encouraging to find older U.S coins. Good luck!........Scott.
 

diggummup

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Until I hit this sale as I was on my way home, it had been a sad day. Take away a neighborhood sale and there were fewer than 10 yard sales. Everybody here must be afraid of the potential for rain.

Do you know much about older Pfaltzgraff pottery? I can't seem to find anything between the modern patterns and the older crock type items.
I don't know too much but I know a little. You talking salt glaze and cobalt slip? Does the mark have the P under YORK? I didn't know they made any new stuff with old patterns except for the miniature repros. They have that folk art stuff but the marks aren't old style and neither is the finish. What's the piece look like?
 

creeper71

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I don't know too much but I know a little. You talking salt glaze and cobalt slip? Does the mark have the P under YORK? I didn't know they made any new stuff with old patterns except for the miniature repros. They have that folk art stuff but the marks aren't old style and neither is the finish. What's the piece look like?
Com'on Digs you know more then most....
 

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bazinga

bazinga

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I don't know too much but I know a little. You talking salt glaze and cobalt slip? Does the mark have the P under YORK? I didn't know they made any new stuff with old patterns except for the miniature repros. They have that folk art stuff but the marks aren't old style and neither is the finish. What's the piece look like?

The mark is the P under York inside a keystone, yes. From what I've read online, that mark puts it into the 1930s and maybe the 40s. There is no pattern. Just a plain green jug about 8" tall with the original foil label still attached saying that it held Vermont maple syrup.
 

diggummup

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The mark is the P under York inside a keystone, yes. From what I've read online, that mark puts it into the 1930s and maybe the 40s. There is no pattern. Just a plain green jug about 8" tall with the original foil label still attached saying that it held Vermont maple syrup.

Oh, it's green huh? Maybe it was made during the time when they started producing art pottery in the 30's? I know they made wares for other companies, having the foil label I think it's safe to say this is one of those. I would assume it's a matte green finish not a glossy? Is it shaped like a small "moonshine" jug with a spout? I think the fact that you have the foil label makes this piece that much better. I mean how many of them do you think still exist with the label still attached? Not to mention it sounds like it was a utilitarian type piece that was meant to be discarded after it was used up. Sounds pretty rare to me. I've done some searching and I can't find anything even close to what you've described with a Pfaltzgraff mark on it. I'm with Creeper on this one, I pic would be nice. You got me interested.
 

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bazinga

bazinga

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I had to build the suspense before I uploaded some pics. I've found it pretty tough to find many pieces online with this particular mark. I think I saw one or two old ebay ads on worthpoint for a jug, but I'm not a member there to see what they brought. The top is a metal bottle cap. Not sure if that's original or was just put on it later. These aren't the best pics since they were taken indoors with my phone, but it gives you an idea.

IMG_20120506_202535.jpg

IMG_20120506_202549.jpg

IMG_20120506_202600.jpg
 

diggummup

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That's a nice piece. Definitely Pfaltzgraff and like you said probably 1930's based on the mark. I don't know if you figured out the label. It's from Maple Grove Farms in St. Johnsbury, Vt. They are still in business and started out making candies. This is about all I could find as far as the history of the company, it's an excerpt from The Vermonter Magazine of 1927, taken from their website-

Maple Grove Farms
 

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bazinga

bazinga

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Thanks for the article link Dig.

I'm surprised with as popular as Pfaltzgraff is today that there isn't more information on the web about their earlier wares.
 

diggummup

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Thanks for the article link Dig.

I'm surprised with as popular as Pfaltzgraff is today that there isn't more information on the web about their earlier wares.
I just read there was a fire in 1906 that destroyed all of the early business records. I can't even find any really good books dedicated to the subject, except maybe one- "Pfaltzgraff: America's Potter," and I don't know how in depth it is with only 128 pages. There's plenty of info on the modern junk though. Here an informative little article where I read about the fire- Pfaltzgraff Tradition | Stoneware, Earthenware, China, Dishes
The book is available on ebay for like $10 includes shipping. PFALTZGRAFF: AMERICA'S POTTER - Published by the Pfaltzgraff Co. (1st 1989) | eBay
 

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bazinga

bazinga

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Interesting read. Yeah, I'm really surprised there aren't more books on the subject of this pottery since it's basically a household name. I bet that book just has lots of useless information and talks mostly about the modern patterns.
 

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