The item shown is a vintage McCoy Pottery "Village Smithy" planter, commonly known by the inscription "Under the Spreading Chestnut Tree". Produced starting in 1953, this piece (Mold #746) depicts a nostalgic blacksmith scene inspired by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem. [1, 2]
Key Features * Design: Features a blacksmith working near a stone cottage and a horse in a hitching stall. * Glaze: This specific version has a grey/green glaze, which some collectors consider a rarer variation compared to the standard brown and white. * Dual-Use: The reverse side has two spacious potting pockets, and it includes holes that allow it to be hung as a wall pocket. * Markings: Typically stamped with a raised "McCoy USA" hallmark on the base. [1, 2, 3]
