Question:
We have a Bob White cookie jar, we didn’t notice this when we bought it but the lid has "REPLACEMENT" stamped on the inside of lid. Does this take away from the value of the cook jar? Thank you for your time John

Answer:
For a collector, a cookie jar with a replacement cover is certainly worth less than the same jar with an original cover. Collectors seek authentic vintage pieces, not reproductions. To a collector your Bob White cookie jar with replacement cover would be worth little more than one without a cover.

Over the years covers tend to get lost or damaged far more frequently than the base. This is true for a wide range of items such as pitchers, teapots, casseroles sugar bowls and cookie jars. While a collector will insist on an original cover, others may be perfectly happy with a reproduction cover for a family heirloom, for decorative purposes, or for everyday use. An enterprising entrepreneur apparently recognized this market and made replacement cookie jar covers. As a collector I appreciate this person’s honesty and integrity in clearly marking his/her wares with the "REPLACEMENT" mark. Marking the piece with a production date or year is another way a modern potter can differentiate reproductions from vintage pieces. Not all makers of reproduction pieces are so honest, although this tends to be a more significant issue with stoneware than with dinnerware.

Larry