The Colorful And Valuable Flower Vases You Should Look Out For At Thrift Stores

For avid collectors, the thrift store opens up a world of possibilities. If you're willing to put in the time and effort, there are all kinds of treasured collector's items worth grabbing for your home if you see them while thrifting. What's more, these precious treasures often go unnoticed and underpriced, so there's always a chance you can score them for a good deal. One example that's definitely worth searching for is a set of McCoy ceramic flower vases. McCoy pottery is known for its beautiful colors and high-shine glazes, and the company's line of flower-shaped vases is no exception.

For pieces this beautiful, you won't need any styling secrets to make these thrifted vintage ceramics the centerpiece in your home. The vases' unique shape and style do all that work for you. The collection features all kinds of flower-shaped containers, including magnolias, chrysanthemums, lilies, tulips, and the rare bud vase. Online, these pieces go for anywhere between $30 and nearly $200. So, if you're hoping to snag this gem, then it's time to start shopping. 

With any once-popular vintage decor in thrift stores, it's important to verify that you have an authentic piece before dropping tons of cash on an item. To tell if you've got the real McCoy, there are a few characteristics to look out for. The easiest and most obvious characteristic is the maker's mark — a detail that has varied over the years.

Early in the 1930s, the initials NM, often accompanied by "USA" or "Co," would appear on the bottom of each piece. Later, during the 1940s, it was more common to see "McCoy USA" embossed or incised on the bottom of the pottery. Sometime in the late 1960s, the company was purchased by Mount Clemens Pottery Company, which chose to remove the McCoy name and replace it with a pitcher illustration, though the name was later reinstated. The company was purchased once more in the 1970s, this time by the Lancaster Colony Corporation. The new owner opted for a design that closely resembled the McCoy logo from the '40s, alongside their own initials "LCC."

Finding a legitimate maker's mark is a great place to start, but it is still possible for these marks to be inauthentic. For example, there was a Little Red Riding Hood cookie jar with a McCoy mark making its rounds on the internet. While the mark looked legit, a little research quickly revealed that the McCoy company never produced such a jar. Outside of the markings, you should also look at the size of your pieces. Sellers hoping to make a quick buck will sometimes create a mold of an original McCoy piece to create a near-identical knock-off. However, because of the mold and the way clay shrinks, these replicas are almost always smaller than the original. If you can, research the dimensions of the original piece before buying.