COBALT is now a color being reproduced!
WARNING!

The McCoy Leaves and Berries Wall Pocket is one of those items that is on just about every collectors wish list.  But collectors BEWARE!  These wall pockets are being REPRODUCED.  Fakes are popping up all over internet auction sites and online storefronts. 
There is good news, however.  There is a VERY easy way to tell them apart.  When compared to the original, these reproductions don't even come close to measuring up to the "Real McCoy."

Below is a picture of a AUTHENTIC piece owned by Billie and Nelson McCoy.  As you can see, this beautiful piece just yells....."McCoy".

In contrast, BELOW is a picture of a yellow FAKE leaves and berries wall pocket.  Besides not having the "look" and beauty of McCoy, there are several differences which are outlined below the picture.

 

When given the opportunity to hold the piece, most collectors will realize it is a fake.  It is very light weight, has a different "look" and color to the glaze, and when you rub your hands over it or top lightly, there is a high pitched sound that just bellows the word REPRODUCTION!  But, with purchasing online, you don't have the opportunity to actually hold the piece in your hand.  So, what should buyers look for before placing their bid?  Below you will find a list of dead give-a-ways that will help you identify these fakes online.

leaveswallpocketback.jpg (15388 bytes)

 1.  First, and probably the easiest way to identify a fake is to find out if it is marked.   The fake piece has a very poor version of the most common "McCoy" mark.  However, the original piece, which was made back in the 1940's, will  have NO mark.  The original piece is NOT marked with the word McCoy!  If the description of the piece does not mention the marking, be sure to ask the seller.

Click to enlarge
 

2.  Find out what the exact measurements of the piece.  The original will measure 7" long.  However, the fake version only measures slightly more than 6 1/2".  Be careful....if the seller rounds his numbers to the closest inch, this often won't be a key factor.  Ask for EXACT MEASUREMENTS!

 

 

 

3.    When these pieces originally came out, there were certain flaws on them that made them easy to identify in pictures.  Unfortunately, the makers of these fakes have figured that out and the newest line being produced does not have ANY way to identify them from the front!  Therefore, in an attempt to keep confusion to a minimum, we have chose to remove the old information about these flaws, as it is no longer relevant to identify ALL fake leaf & berry wall pockets.
4.  Use the chart below  

Characteristic

 Original Fake
Marking on back none McCoy
Size 7" 6 1/2"

 

These reproduced pieces have been found in MANY colors.  We are aware of the following, but please note.....this may not be a complete list and you should NEVER determine authenticity of a piece by the color.  Some of these colors were used on both the originals and the reproductions

Fakes found in:  green, white, pink, light yellow, sunflower yellow, white with blue specks, lime green, aqua (matte and gloss), and light blue. As of March 31, 2002, reproductions have also been found in COBALT!

REAL pieces have been found in the following colors:  white, maroon, cobalt, deep yellow and aqua.  There has also been ONE original wall pocket found in green that we know of.  Examples of it can be seen on page 127 of the McCoy Pottery Collector's Reference & Value Guide, Vol. III.
 

 

For more information on reproductions, please be sure to visit our reproduction alert page!

Note:  We would like to thank Judy, who provided us with the information and the fake  piece for this page!  Thanks also to Craig Nissen, co-author of McCoy Pottery Collector's Reference & Value Guide for his valuable and greatly appreciated expertise and additional photos!