Ceramics

Whenever we are asked about what to collect, we always stress that you should collect what you like and what you want to live with. Fortunately, with the incredible diversity of ceramics available, everyone should be able to find an area they will enjoy. No matter your passion, whether it is Fiesta or a prized […]

Highly Collectible Scheier Pottery  

Glazed pottery from American husband-and-wife studio pottery pioneers Edwin O. Scheier and Mary Goldsmith Scheier is considered groundbreaking for its decoration and technique. A selection of their stoneware pieces with sgraffito (Italian for “to scratch”) decoration was included in a recent Rago auction in New Jersey. Bidding soared as high as $20,000 for a 22-inch […]

Kovels On Antiques & Collectibles February 2021 Newsletter Available

Kovels On Antiques & Collectibles newsletter is available as a print subscription, or as a digital version that is included in the Kovels Knowledge and Kovels All Access memberships. Start your Kovels Knowledge Free Trial now or login. Kovels’ February 2021 newsletter features railroad collectibles, antique mechanical banks, Fausto Melotti ceramics, old and new glass paperweights, and […]

Antique Ceramics Fetching Good Prices

Online antiques shows are getting good prices for 18th and early 19th century ceramics. An English “agate” body teapot made of a mixture of colored clays was chipped but restored. The squat, bulbous, 4-inch-high body with a molded cover and foo dog knop plus a looped handle and restored spout sold for $7,000. It was […]

Be Careful Using Plastic Bubble Wrap

Plastic bubble wrap can ruin the glaze on old ceramics. If the wrap touches the piece for a long time in a hot storage area, it may discolor the glaze or adhere to the surface in an almost permanent glob.   

Gustavsberg Creamer

Q: I have a 1970s Gustavsberg Tahiti creamer designed by Stig Lindberg and would love to get it appraised or at least know its value. Apparently, this pattern is very sought after and I can’t find any that have sold singly. I did find the cups and saucers and some full sets. There is a […]

Lady Head Vases

Lady head vases, or head vases, are just what the name implies: vases shaped like a woman’s head. Most vases are the head of an attractive young woman, sometimes with added hands, a pearl necklace, or even a parasol. Others are heads of babies, clowns, animals, or religious figures. A few are heads of men. […]

Florence Ceramics Company (1942–1977)

Florence Ward (c.1898–1991) started making ceramics in Pasadena, California, in 1939. By 1942 she was making figurines, busts, wall plaques, smoking sets, lamps, boxes, candleholders, and other gift-shop items in a kiln next to her garage. The “garage” period ended in 1944, when Florence Ceramics moved to a plant that eventually employed 54 people. The […]

Majolica

The general term “majolica” means any pottery with an opaque tin enamel glaze that conceals the color of the clay body. This would include delft, faience, and the more familiar majolica of England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and the United States. Although majolica was made during the fourteenth century, the average collector is interested in the […]

Place Names in Marks in European Ceramics

Wars, elections, and laws can change the country name used on dishes. If you have tableware or any item marked with a country name, these are the earliest years or the span of years the name was used on ceramics. Sometimes the mark was written with symbols or letters used by the country that made […]