One of the most desirable collectibles available on eBay these days is vintage Roseville pottery.

All of us have heard the stories of the wonderful piece that somebody found at a garage sale for 50 cents ... which sold on eBay for $675. Hoping for that same experience is a wonderful hope.

However, it is very good to ask seven key questions, particularly if you are buying Roseville on line:

1) "Where did you buy this wonderful piece you are offering on eBay?"
       You want to find out a little of the "provenance" -- that is, where the heck has this treasure been? You don't want anything that has just arrived from China as all made-in-China Rosevilles are fraudulent. There is no such thing as "new" Roseville, "second generation" Roseville or even "authorized reproduction" Roseville. The company folded decades ago and there's nobody around to give such authorization ... and if there are heirs who could, they aren't doing so.
       You want Roseville pieces that have been a prized possession for years, that were inherited, that were bought at a dealer's auction, that were picked up at a garage sale in a box of trivets or something that has been on a store's shelf for years.
        Read the auction text carefully. If there's a phrase you don't quite understand, ask about it. Don't be shy. "You say vase has an unnoticible chigger bite that may be a factory defect -- can you send me a close-up picture of it?" or "You say that you have six of these vases ... wow, what a treasure trove! Can you tell me how you had such good fortune?" Remember that these vases are hand-painted and pretty unique. Thus, any time anybody has more than a matching pair of the same item, beware! The fakes come 20 to a case. The real thing are one-of-a-kind, each one of them a unique find.

2) "Can you tell me what the piece says on the bottom?"
       You want it to say "Roseville USA." Without the USA, chances are very good it's a fake -- one of those China fraudulent pieces. U.S. Customs turns back imports that attempt to claim to be made in the U.S. Yes, there are some vintage Roseville pieces out there that don't say USA. Very few, though. Be skeptical. Use the tactic described in the next question:

3) "What numbers are on the bottom?"
       You want to check out those numbers. This is a little time consuming, but let's say the numbers are 187-7. Print out the auction page, then go to an antique store and ask to look at their Roseville books.  Do the books and auction pictures match identically? Colors will probably be different, but back away from the sale if the auction item has square handles on the top while the one in the book has rounded handles on the bottom.
        If your piece is marked "Roseville 187-7, do a Google search for "Roseville 187-7." One of the odd results will be that you'll get a number of hits from track meets in various towns across the U.S. named Roseville where some youngster had a winning time of 187-7. But what you are looking for are auction houses, antique stores, on-line dealers and so forth who are offering a "Roseville 187-7." Look at the on-line pictures of theirs, then look at the one you are considering buying. If the one on line is different in terms of profile and design, be very suspicious. Ask more questions. If the seller gets testy, walk away.
       If you cannot find anything on line for the numbers you have, be careful. The fakes all have numbers.
       You may get a hit on a couple of sites that list fake Roseville -- and point out what the real thing should look like versus the bogus.

4) "Has this piece been repaired?"
       You don't want a piece that shattered and was tacked back together with Elmer's Glue. You don't want one that has had bathroom caulking pressed into a big chip, then painted over.

5) "What is your return policy?"
       You want the seller to assure you that if you are unhappy when you receive your Roseville that they'll return your money, including shipping. Extract a promise to that effect.

6) "Do you take PayPal?"
        Another guarantee is to pay for the item by PayPal. If your purchase needs to be returned and the seller is  uncooperative, launch a grievance against them with PayPal. Your payment will be frozen in their account until you resolve the situation. Here it is good if you have saved the emails that promised you could return the piece for a full refund -- or any promises that the piece is absolutely authentic and unrepaired.

7) "What is your feedback?"
       Obviously, you don't need to ask this question, but just check it out yourself. Search for any feedback, even positive or neutral that hints that the buyer didn't get what they wanted. How was the problem resolved? Be assured by "Vase turned out to be repaired, embarrassed seller gave me a complete refund." Beware of "Seller refuses to answer emails." Be assured by "Good communication. Vase is beautiful and authentic." Run away from "Seller insisted I pay by bank wire-transfer and now their phone is disconnected."

In short, be careful. There are bad guys out there. There are also very nice folks. And there are the completely naive. Be wary.



Warm regards,

Rob Kerby
Country Rooster Antiques and Cafe
Green Forest, Arkansas
an eBay Powerseller
(And yes, we bought a fake Roseville on line ... three different times actually! And we sold a repaired one unaware -- and gave a complete refund. Most embarrassing. But it happens.)