This Little Red Riding Hood does indeed have a strange bottom. Why Because on her bottom in raised lettering is McCoy (see Fig. 3). The problem is that Nelson McCoy Pottery, which traces its roots to 1899, never made a Red Riding Hood cookie jar.

There are reproductions of real photo postcards in the market. The stamp boxes on the new cards include the word Kodak as shown in the illustration below. Kodak representatives have confirmed that this mark was first used in 1941. It is the same mark Kodak continues to use on its postcard photographic paper. No postcard paper before 1941 included the word Kodak.

The New York State Historical Association (NYSHA) has issued reproductions of ten pieces of 19th century New England stoneware. Pieces were available for sale beginning November 1993 on a televised shopping channel and in a museum gift shop. All items are made by Rockdale Union Stoneware of Wisconsin. Rockdale claims it uses the same salt glaze and handmade techniques used to make the originals. Each piece is thrown by hand on a potters wheel and decorated with hand painted designs in deep blue. The items reproduced include several rare shapes and designs such as a water cooler decorated with a cobalt blue dog and stag. Some items are also dated the same as the originals such as a 2 quart crock (above center) dated 1833. Names of original makers such as Clark and Fox , Athens and others also appear on the pieces. When sold, pieces carry the stamp of NYSHA and Rockdale. Prices range from $159 for the water cooler to $16.50 for a small jug; a group package of 7 pieces is $459.

Dirk Van Erp was the premier metalsmith of the Arts and Crafts Period. Van Erp, who worked mostly in copper, is best known for his holloware and lighting which he made from about 1908 until about 1930. His San Francisco, California workshop set the standard not only for quality work but for bold Arts and Craft period design as well.

New ceramic shakers in the image of late 1950s vintage Holt Howard Pixieware. Each shaker about 4 inches tall.

Forgeries of a hard to find Dr. Pepper token originally introduced around 1910 are being offered in online auctions. Originals are valued at $200; forgeries have been offered in fixed price auctions for $50.

The authenticity of a carousel figure appraised at $30,000 to $45,000 on a recent Antiques Roadshow program is being debated by carousel dealers and collectors. Gustav and William Dentze well-known makers of vintage carousels.

You won't find this piece in most books on Coca-Cola collectibles is because it was never made by or authorized by Coca-Cola. It is what collectors call a "fantasy item," a new piece created solely by reproduction wholesalers. Despite the prominent 1901 and earlier dates, no old counterpart to this piece ever existed in the 19th century or any other time.

A $24 kitchen tool from India is being widely represented as an early American herb crusher priced at $350 to $950. A Michigan dealer of 37 years experience told ACRN she saw these new pieces at five separate shows in one week in Vermont. One dealer told her he turned down $400 for his example.