Stickley Era, the Arts & Crafts Movement

Ray Fleck · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:34 am Post subject: Grueby scam?

Something isn't right here; why wouldn't the seller include a picture of the whole vase? The parts you can see look poorly executed.

http://cgi.ebay.com/EXCELLENT-MATTE-GREEN-GRUEBY-VASE-WITH-BUDS-LEAVES_W0QQitemZ180194199977QQihZ008QQcategoryZ2771QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Fred Zweig · Posted: Thu Dec 13, 2007 12:49 pm Post subject:

I've contacted the seller for a picture of the entire piece. Seems foolish to not understand the need to see the vase in it's entirety.

Looks very desirable.

Fred

casequarter · Esteemed Scholar Joined: 04 May 2007 Posts: 458 : Items

Have to agree not posting a full picture is a bit silly. That being said, from the photos it does appear to be Grueby and will likely sell in a last minute flurry for $1,500 to $2,000+.

craftsmansky · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:45 am Post subject:

looks like the item has been removed....

Ray Fleck · Posted: Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:12 pm Post subject:

I didn't rat him out to eBay so I guess someone else thought it looked fishy. I'll say again that the parts that were visible in the pictures looked sloppy to me.

Fred Zweig · Posted: Sat Dec 15, 2007 3:18 pm Post subject:

I never did get a responce from the seller for additional images.

Fred

casequarter · Esteemed Scholar Joined: 04 May 2007 Posts: 458 : Items

While I'm not certain the post that started this thread was a scam (just poor judgement when listing a high priced item), I'm pretty certain the below linked auction is for a piece that was intended to defraud. Despite the bids, I'm certain the piece is a reproduction. If it were real it would be worth $10,000+

Overall I think you can tell because the glaze is flat, all of the hand tooling is poorly reproduced, the bottom is unlike any of the Grueby pieces I have seen, the mark isn't quite right and overall the piece is just too uniform and lacking in depth.

Curious in others opinions.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Grueby-signed-pottery-vase_W0QQitemZ270197055387QQihZ017QQcategoryZ2771QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Ray Fleck · Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 4:51 am Post subject:

I knew within a fraction of a second of the picture's appearance on the monitor that this wasn't Grueby. I might be fooled by a Teco repro, but I pay more attention to Grueby and I'm lucky enough to have scored a great deal on a Grueby scarab a few years back. While I don't think that qualifies me as an expert on the subject I think it takes only a reasonable familiarity with Grueby to recognize this as a fake. The glaze is indeed flat and, even allowing for photographic and monitor alteration, the color isn't even close to any Grueby glaze. The bottom, as you say, is also a joke. It looks like someone smeared mud on it five minutes before the picture was taken. The modeling (molding, rather) also lacks the relief of a hand-thrown and modeled piece.

Fred Zweig · Posted: Tue Dec 18, 2007 11:52 am Post subject:

An obvious fake reproduction of the famous Kendrick Vase. It is amazing that some folks are willing to bid it up to $600 already. I suspect the winner will be dissapointed.

Fred