Topic: Sylvac Face Pots

[Elaine]

Does anyone know anything about Sylvac face pots?  I recently bought some at what I think was a good price, but a quick look on ebay tells me prices vary greatly, and I have also seen reference to 'early', 'later' and 'reproductions'! 

How can I tell if my 'bargains' are genuine or not, and whether they are early or later versions? Any tips or clues?

Thank you 

[josordoni]

can you put pics, including bases on please?

[Elaine]

OK Lynne, here they are. 

They were bought as birthday presents for one of my daughters-in-law who collects face pots.  I bought the Piccalilli and the Cole Slaw pots for ?15 each and then haggled and got the Tartare Sauce thrown in for a fiver because it has a crack and I'm pretty sure the lid is not original - or at least not made to go with the pot!  Although I think it's been used and therefore the pot could have become stained    I really don't know.  I think my feeling is that the lid is a repro, but for ?5 I guess I don't mind too much!   

But I've since seen some very high prices for the others    Which sort of scared me into thinking mine might be repros ..... or could I (or rather my d-i-l  ) have just got lucky? 

[Tigerchips]

The Tartar sauce was originally used for dentures. Not sure about the lid, I wonder if this was produced in different colours? I'm not aware of any reproductions of any of them but I don't get around that much.

[Elaine]

The Tartar sauce was originally used for dentures.

   

How on earth do you know that, Tony?    Do YOU have one that you use for dentures? 

Ooops!   Sorry!     

Not sure about the lid, I wonder if this was produced in different colours? I'm not aware of any reproductions of any of them but I don't get around that much.

Well, you certainly get around more than me, since you discovered the 'dentures' story!   

The Tartare sauce pot, as well as having a large crack down one side (which is centre front in my pic) is very 'crazed' and discoloured.  It actually looks as if it has been soaked in tea!  (Maybe this one was used for used teabags rather than dentures?  ) So I did at one point wonder if the top and bottom had originally matched, but on consideration, I think the colour of the glaze is too different. 

I did a little searching for SylvaC (discovering that it should actually be spelled with the capital C at the end!) and read something about the moulds being sold when the company went bust in 1982, and someone else producing some versions from them after that date.  However, I wasn't able to discover which items were reproduced! 

[Tigerchips]

Its says in the book (The SylvaC Story) that they were originally used as dentures holders. 

The moulds and the business were sold in 1989 to Crown Winsor. It doesn't mention in my book that they were reproduced (it usually does mention something if they are).

If they have crazing (glaze cracks) I would say they are probably genuine.

[Tigerchips]

Does the crack appear on the inside in the same place? Try running a fingernail across it and if you can't feel it much it may just be crazed badly.

Crazing

[Elaine]

Thanks for that, TC.  Sadly, I think it's a definite crack. But that's why I was able to get it for only 5 quid! 

Why on earth would someone use a Tartare Sauce pot for their dentures?  Ewwww!   (But then I have an obsessional hatred of dentures anyway!  I used to be really scared of my grandmother's when I was little!)     

[Tigerchips]

Do denture holders have lids?

[Elaine]

Do denture holders have lids?

Yep.  So as not to scare small children! 

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