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How to Identify Roseville Pottery Reproductions

Don't be duped by fake Roseville Pottery

Roseville Reproduction Mark Example
Pamela Y. Wiggins

Authentic Roseville Pottery is highly sought after by collectors and rare pieces command thousands of dollars at auction. Unfortunately, this means there's opportunity for people to make a quick buck from selling fake Roseville Pottery. One of the first clues to discern whether your pottery is real or a reproduction is to examine the mark.

This is one of the many different types of reproduction marks found on fake Roseville Pottery imports. Notice the shape of the "R" in Roseville and the way the letters are straight rather than slanted slightly to the right in comparison to marks on genuine examples. While the absence of U.S.A. is a clue to reproduction marks in some cases, it's not always an indicator.

Another Style of Fake Roseville Marks

This was mistaken for a genuine mark, but it appears to be a fake mark after further investigation. If this were a genuine older mark, the absence of U.S.A. would not necessarily indicate that it is fake. However, the way the "s" is slanted, according to a collector who studies pottery voraciously, can be an indication that a Roseville mark is not genuine. Most older pieces will have a slanted "s" in Roseville, while almost all newer marks have an "s" that has little or no slant like the one shown here.

Remember, however, that determining fakes solely on the mark used can be a bit tricky, especially for the beginner. Many times, you have to look at the color, glaze, and the way the piece is decorated to determine whether or not a piece of Roseville is authentic.

Roseville Fake Mark Without U.S.A.
Roseville Fake Mark Without U.S.A. Pamela Y. Wiggins

Genuine Roseville U.S.A. Mark

This mark example was seen on a piece confirmed as genuine Roseville. Note how the "s" has a definite slant in this mark, unlike the one shown in the previous slide. While the way the "s" takes shape is not always an indicator of a mark being authentic, it is one important clue. 

Note that there are also genuine Roseville pieces that are not marked. The overall quality of the mold, decor, and glaze must be examined to determine authenticity in these pieces.

Mark Found on Genuine Roseville Pottery
Mark Found on Genuine Roseville Pottery Reader Contributed

Reproduction Roseville Wall Pocket

This wall pocket is not a genuine piece, although it was spotted at the big flea market in Warrenton, Texas simply tagged as "Roseville" with a marked price of $75.

Roseville Reproduction Wall Pocket
Roseville Reproduction Wall Pocket Pamela Y. Wiggins

Roseville Reproduction Wall Pocket Detail

This is a detailed view of the reproduction "Roseville" wall pocket. Notice the sloppy painting on the red flowers and green accents shown here. A genuine Roseville piece will be more finely decorated. The glaze also has more of a matte finish, which has a rougher feel in comparison to authentic Roseville pieces.

Roseville Reproduction Wall Pocket Detailing
Roseville Reproduction Wall Pocket Detailing Pamela Y. Wiggins

Authentic Roseville Clematis Lidded Jar

This beautiful Clematis vase by Roseville is the real deal. Observe the rich colors, slight shine to the glaze and the nicely detailed flowers and leaves.

Roseville Pottery Clematis Lidded Jar
Roseville Pottery Clematis Lidded Jar Morphy Auctions

Detail on Clematis Lidded Jar

Notice how nicely the flowers are painted here in comparison to the flowers on the reproduction wall pocket shown previously. Since Roseville was hand-decorated, the quality of the painting varies with the skill of the artist. However, it's safe to say that most all original Roseville pieces will outshine reproductions in terms of quality.

Roseville Clematis Lidded Jar Detailing
Roseville Clematis Lidded Jar Detailing Morphy Auctions

Genuine Roseville Zephyr Lilly Pattern

Notice the rich coloring, beautiful shading, and nicely detailed lilies on these genuine Roseville pieces.

Roseville Zephyr Lily Pattern
Roseville Zephyr Lily Pattern Morphy Auctions

Reproduction Roseville Pitcher

This reproduction does not have the beautiful shading in the colors and fine detail of authentic Roseville pieces shown. The flowers look garish in comparison, and the glaze does not have the soft sheen present when compared to a genuine piece of Roseville.

Some Roseville reproductions are not as obviously fake as those shown here. Handling as much genuine Roseville as possible and doing a side-by-side comparison with pieces you know to be authentic will help you to learn to identify the better fakes out there.

Roseville Reproduction Pitcher
Roseville Reproduction Pitcher User-Contributed Photo