Hello there! Hoping someone can offer “tiebreaker” knowledge or a professional reply. I used the following Kovels (therefore much trusted by me!) content to market an item. I have now been challenged by a prospective buyer, who insists Western Stoneware did not exist until 1906. I shared the Kovels link and content used to market the item, and I’d think that would be enough for anyone but apparently not this person. Can you advise on additional resource, or share how you/Kovels might respond to this challenge?
Kovels on Monmouth: [url=https://kovels.com/price-guide/pottery-porcelain-price-guide/monmouth.html?/pitcher/-brown-drip-handle-10-12-x-6-x-3-in=&eid=727093]Monmouth[/url]
Monmouth Pottery Company started working in Monmouth, Illinois, in 1892. The pottery made a variety of utilitarian wares. It became part of Western Stoneware Company in 1906. The maple leaf mark was used until 1930. If Co. appears as part of the mark, the piece was made before 1906. Monmouth’s stoneware animal figurines and other small items were not stamped with the company’s maple leaf mark.
I think I know why its confusing !! Going to check !! I checked Monmouths and Westerns websites and “Co.” was used in the name before and after 1906 !! Whoever did the research on that did not fact check or may have read it incorrectly !!
The merger began in 1905 but was not completed until 1906 when operations started as Western Stoneware Co !! Both Monmouth and Western used the maple leaf logo and that may be why the confusion !! !! But they were two individual companies with no relation to each other before the merger !! So the Kovels site is incorrect in that statement !!
That is assuming that Monmouths and Westerns historians know their own company !!
Sorry but I guess you gotta bite the bullet and say your information was wrong !!