Factors Affecting Ceramic Piece Values
Consider the cost of materials, time to produce the pieces, desired profit margin, and comparable prices for similar ceramic pieces. Some factors that determine ceramic piece values include age, maker marks, condition, rarity, aesthetics, and craftsmanship quality. Higher end ceramic tends to use higher quality clay and glazes. Handmade pieces also fetch higher prices than mass produced items.
Starting a Ceramics Business
To start a ceramics business, plan on an initial investment of $50,000 to $150,000 to secure a physical retail space and purchase necessary equipment like kilns, pottery wheels, clay, glazes, and tools. Operating costs vary depending on studio size, inventory levels, and local rents.
Identifying Vintage or Antique Ceramics
Signs of antique ceramics include a heavier weight piece often with some translucency, an uneven glaze, visible throwing lines, crazing, obvious tool marks or pontil scars on the bottom. Search pieces for any maker’s marks, stamps, or stickers that may indicate age. Condition factors greatly into ceramic piece values.
Determining Pottery Worth
Rarity is crucial when pricing pottery. If a piece is rare and hard to find, collectors may pay more. Remember, not all rare pieces are valuable; demand and desirability also determine worth.
Specific Pottery Examples
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1910 Pottery Worth: Pottery after 1910 sells for $500 – $4,000 at auction. NDSM made pottery for decades with varying desirability and values. Exceptional pieces bring thousands.
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College Pottery Worth: Made by Tulane University arts students. Newcomb College pottery is not rare but the best have brilliant decoration worth tens of thousands.
Evaluating Pottery’s Value
Putting pottery up for a well-advertised auction lets bidding determine the current market price. Damaged items bring 50-75% of perfect examples.
Identifying Pottery
Marks can indicate artist, studio, form number, and clay type. Reference books help with unfamiliar marks. Check sold eBay listings to compare real selling prices. Provenance increases value. Research online to establish value, checking similar auctioned items.
Porcelain Doll Values
Porcelain doll values range from $5-$10 to thousands. Marks indicate studio, artist, form, clay.
Identifying Antique Pottery
Factors identifying antique pottery include weight, translucency, resonance. Unglazed areas show clay color identifying the maker, like Frankoma’s red clay. Marks indicated companies, clays, lettering, and numbering.