Here are two plates that showed up at Escalon. The one on the left is original, the one of the right is a copy. I was told that there is an additional copy of the original out there that is a little different, so don't get fooled.
The original is thicker metal, the porcelain is heaver. On the original, you can feel the "shelving" when you run you fingers across the face of the plate. Shelving is the different thickness' of the baked on porcelain. On the reproduction, when you run your finger across the face, it is absolutly smooth, no higher or lower areas. The Original has Brass gromets, the reproduction has alumn. gromets.
Notice the difference in the colors of the back side of the plates. The originals are a whiteish color, the reproductions are a dark color, and they are smooth. The Original plate back side has little spots in the porcelain.
Check out the "O" in Mellowed. The reproduction is a thinner letter than the original. (why do you suppose they did that?)
Original on left.
Original on left.
Original brass grommets
Reproduction grommets. Notice the "O" in mellowed?
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Don "oltoydoc" Sherwood
Vintage Gas