Q: I have a Roseville floor vase that is my treasure. It was given to my great aunt and uncle for their 25th wedding anniversary by my mother and cousins. It’s marked “Roseville, U.S.A., 129-18” on the bottom. Can you give me some information on its age and value?
A: Roseville Pottery Co. began operating in Roseville, Ohio, in 1890 and opened another plant in Zanesville, Ohio, in 1898. The company went out of business in 1954. Your vase is in Roseville’s Freesia pattern, which was introduced in 1945. Freesia was made in Delft Blue, Tangerine (brownish orange), and Tropical Green. The numbers on the bottom are the shape number, 129, and the size, 18 inches. Freesia was made in at least 47 different shapes. Value of your vase: $800-$1,000.
No it is not a typo. Important Roseville pottery pieces sell for thousands of dollars. The very early sgraffito always has been high priced. It was all made by hand with the decoration sort of inscribed into the clay. The early lines, like Rozane especially those that are large or that were decorated by artists who almost made portraits bring high prices. You rarely see these at the average show. Roseville is so popular it is bought quickly. Some of the very modern patterns like Futura also are popular. Look at our free pice guide on kovels.com and you can see some of the actual prices. Or go online to see the results of the big pottery auctions. Keep collecting. You may find a great piece at a garage sale. We found one in the laundry room at a house sale. It was stored on a high shelf waaaaay in the back so no one saw it.
Terry Kovel
I wish I owned a Roseville. I think of all the ones I have passed up in garage sales and at Grandma’s house in the past. You are so lucky. Ohio is known for its pottery.
I believe you may not be looking at the size of this piece–and be aware that Roseville is one of the most copied items in the antique market. Only an expert can detect, at times, whether the finish and the hallmark at the bottom of the containers are real. Be aware of this.
And if you feel you are paying too cheaply, have the piece looked at by an expert.
Yes, I was also wondering if that was a typing error.
I was reading this article and I believe there is a typo in the pricing value. $800-$1000?? I’ve purchased many pieces of Rosevilee and never paid more than $40-$80. Perhaps it should have read “$80.00-$100.00”?