Corn Still King at Shawnee
EBay prices are still strong for Shawnee Pottery favorites
Prices are down and sales are weak for the marginal, but Shawnee collectors are still buying Shawnee Cookie Jars, Smiley Pig, and the royal couple,Corn King and Queen.
There is no denying the impact eBay has had on the collectibles market. The flood of vintage (not antique) manufactured goods drives the market, and has affected pricing in all purchasing venues from yard sales to galleries. Like all production pottery collectibles, Shawnee pottery has followed the trend, having cooled somewhat since its highs in the mid 1990's. Scrolling down the list of eBay auctions completed in the last month shows planter after planter that went unsold, but strong sales for Shawnee collector favorites like cookie jars, Smiley Pig, Corn King and Queen, and Shawnee Pie Birds.
Shawnee Pottery is yet another of the Ohio Potteries that flourished in the late 1900's to mid 20th century. Located in Zanesville, Ohio in the factory that had previously housed the American Encaustic Tiling Company, the Shawnee Pottery Company was founded in 1937 by Malcolm A. Schweiker. While walking the grounds of his newly purchased property, Schweiker found an arrowhead. History books told him that this area had been home to the Shawnee Tribe, and a name and trademark were born.
In the earliest years, Shawnee lines were designed by the buyers, that is, Kresgie, Woolworth and Sears designed the lines that were manufactured exclusively for them. In time, however, Shawnee saw the need for in-house design. Their staff reads like a list of Who's Who in Ohio Pottery, as the artists and decorators had a way of migrating from company to company. Shawnee also produced a line for George RumRill, whose pottery had previously been manufactured by Red Wing.
Shawnee found their product niche by 1942. Their products were simple, easy to produce and retailed for between ten and thirty cents. Procter and Gamble was a big customer, including a special line of cereal bowls that were given away as premiums in boxes of Oxydol. Their best selling line of all time was also originally produced as a Procter & Gamble premium. Corn Ware was produced in seven different pieces and given away as premiums in 1941. The ovenproof ware was white and dark green. The line was redesigned in 1946, when the pieces were made larger with bright yellow kernels and darker green leaves, and was renamed Corn King. It proved to be the most successful dinnerware line in the history of the company. In 1954. due to waning sales the line was again redesigned. The bright yellow became pale yellow, new pieces were added, and the line was renamed Corn Queen. This line remained popular and was in production until the Shawnee Company closed its doors in 1961. Corn King and Queen remain popular with Shawnee collectors today.
Sources: "Shawnee Pottery the Full Encyclopedia" Curran, Pamela Duvall Schiffer Books 1995
"Shawnee Pottery" Mangus, Jim & Bev Schroeder Publishing Co. 1994
