Collecting art pottery

Sarah, of The Misadventures of Mamma and Jack, asked about the art pottery prices at the estate sale I pictured. She's growing her pottery collection and learning to get a feel for good pottery prices. I don't remember the prices of the pottery, but have the feeling they were pretty good. I couldn't resell for much more with the prices they were asking, but if you saw that price in a shop or mall, you'd think it was reasonable so, I'm not much help. But......

My unofficial "rule", one I never realized I had until I started writing this, is not to pay more than about $20 for a piece of pottery. But I'm out in the wild all the time and have run across genuinely, old Roseville for 25¢ and 50¢. It's been awhile, but it does happen. You just have to keep at it.

50¢

Let me tell you a story. This has been several years ago, but a day I'm sure I'll never forget. There were two estate sales within 20 miles of my house. We rarely have one estate sale, much less two on the same day and starting at the same time! One sale was run by professionals and the classified listing took up 4" in the column. It sounded great. The other ad simply said, "Estate sale" and gave the address. I figured everyone would head for the sale that sounded so good first, so I'd go to the other. If all my decisions were that spot on, I'd...I'd.....I'd....well, I don't know what I'd be, but that was the best decision I'd made in awhile.

It was a small sale, held in the basement and I was the only shopper for about half an hour. There was a table full of homemade ceramics with several Occupied Japan pieces mixed in for dimes and quarters, a set of Hall's Jewel Tea for $5.00, other assorted odds and ends and the Roseville pictured above for 50¢! I don't remember everything I bought, but do remember I spent $12.00. The odd thing was, there were two, very common, oval prints of ladies - you see them everywhere - priced at $50 each. The sellers said an antique dealer had appraised them. Huh. Really? The sellers knew to take them to a dealer, but had no idea about Roseville? I have a little more knowledge now than I did then and wonder if I left anything I should have bought.

People were showing up by the time I was leaving. They were grumbling about going to the other sale first. That sale was my second stop. There was still a line waiting to get in. Seems they were only letting in 10 people at a time and I was number 143 or something. People were leaving empty handed, talking about how high the prices were and they were going to that other sale. I just smiled to myself, but at the same time I felt a little sorry, knowing there was nothing much left for them to buy -- cuz I had already bought it all!!! I think I bought a few, piddly things at the second sale, but nothing to get excited about.

The moral of the story is:
Given a choice, chose the sale with the least to say. That strategy has worked for me many times in the past and should continue to work in the future. It's not foolproof, but works more times than not.


The tallest piece in the above picture was, I think, $10.00 The smallest, Roseville Pinecone, was a quarter. The middle size piece was in a $5.00 box lot at an auction. But just so you're not too amazed, the tall piece was half the original price and has a hairline crack and the middle size piece is badly chipped on the back. The Roseville is perfect. Those prices are not typical, but do happen.

If you hit the sales every week, you'll be able to buy pottery reasonably. You may feel like you never find anything and often we have dry spells for weeks at a time, but always remember. Every crummy sale you go to just brings you closer to the hidden treasure.

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This is the Halloween wreath featured in the October/November issue of Home Companion. I want it! I am so untalented when it comes to things like that. Arranging flowers or making wreaths.