The Rare & Valuable Vintage Pottery Brand Collectors Always Look For At The Thrift Store

Thrifting is a really fun pastime. Scouring shelves for valuable vintage trinkets and looking through rails of retro clothes for your next party fit makes for a relaxing Saturday afternoon. But sometimes, the things you come across at thrift stores can actually be incredibly valuable and may have an intriguing history behind them. When it comes to spotting valuable, high-end items at thrift stores, one pottery find that loads of thrifters dream of coming across are pieces made by the McCartys. The brand's story starts in the 1950s, when Lee and Pup McCarty took a pottery class and unlocked a new passion for creating. At the time, they lived in Oxford, Mississippi, and got to know the writer William Faulkner, who let them dig the clay out on his land for their projects.

After converting a mule barn into a pottery studio and living space in Lee's hometown of Merigold, Lee and Pup spent years working on their art, weaving their stories and inspiration into the clay. They did everything themselves, from digging the clay from the Mississippi earth to adding the finishing glaze. McCarty pottery is defined by quality and love — the quality of the materials and techniques they used, and the love between this married couple who worked alongside each other for decades. 

McCarty pottery has spread across the globe, with pieces on display in Japan, Germany, and Paris. In terms of monetary value, finding a McCarty piece in a thrift store can mean big bucks. Smaller, more common pieces can go for around $100 or $200. However, rare pieces have been sold for around $10,000 at auctions. 

There are a few things to look for when pottery hunting at your local thrift store. McCarty's pottery features vases, plates, and bowls, but also various sculpted animals. Pottery shaped as rabbits, fish, and even hippopotamuses have all come out of the McCarty studio, so double-check any of these ornaments at your thrift store. 

Many McCarty pieces have a trademark river design that makes them stand out. This small, black wiggle decorates the pottery and represents the Mississippi River, serving as a reminder of where the clay came from. Many pieces also have Lee and Pup's signature on them, hand-signed during the process. Color is something to watch out for, too, when you are hunting down a McCarty piece. Cobalt blue, jade, and nutmeg brown are three shades often appearing in McCarty's designs. These colors are classics for the brand, with the nutmeg brown shade coming into existence when Pup decided to mash coffee grounds into the glaze. 

If you do find McCarty pottery in your local thrift store, you could sell it for a decent price. Or, you may want to keep it, decorate with the pottery in your home, and treasure a piece of history. In a world of fast fashion and cheap, low-quality purchases, McCarty pottery represents a time when people slowed down, enjoyed crafting, and put their heart into the work they created.