Be aware that Chinese pottery and Japanese pottery has long been popular and get familiar with the forms popular in asian ceramics that differ from their American counterparts. Many contemporary potters do not sign their work – they expect the viewer to know their visual signature. Don’t be surprised if the base has no marks at all, though. Reference books can help you identify unfamiliar marks. A form number and identification of the clay type may also be included.

Some common marks include the studio where the piece was made, the potter who crafted the piece, and the signature of the artist who decorated it. If you’re new to looking at pottery, any marks you find may seem cryptic and random. It’s important to turn a piece of pottery over and inspect the base. The base tells us a lot, the pottery mark, the artists cipher, the clay color, and the glaze thickness. This male-female collaboration was common during the Arts and Crafts Movement. The Grueby vessels form (size and shape) is attributed to George Prentiss Kendrick with the artist mark for Julia Bradley. VALUE MY STUDIO POTTERY 3. Is anything marked on the base of the piece? The form, along with the glaze and decoration, is also an important aspect of the visual signature. Small vessels used to test a new glaze or firing technique are rare and fun to find. Angular forms became more prevalent starting with Art Deco Glass and continuing through contemporary times. Arts & Crafts and Art Nouveau pieces tend to have a classical form. The basic form of a piece of pottery can reveal the period when it was made. 2. What is the size and shape of the piece? Note: the Grueby vase pictured has a thick glaze in a unique green color, characteristic of that specific pottery. Books and websites are helpful as well, but seeing the piece in person always leaves a more lasting impression. You can train your eye to recognize nuances of glaze, decoration, and form by viewing pieces at galleries, studios, museums, and auction previews. Once you’ve seen enough examples of an artist’s work, you start to recognize similar pieces. Many people easily recognize the style of a Van Gogh or a Jackson Pollock painting – and the same type of familiarity is possible when it comes to pottery. What is the glaze, finish, or decoration?Įvery potter and studio has a “visual signature,” meaning a style unique to that artist. This visual checklist can help you begin to develop an expert’s eye when it comes to looking at and identifying antique pottery from Art Nouveau to present day studio pottery. The short answer is lots and lots of experience!īut how does one go about obtaining that experience? That’s the longer answer. I appraise valuable objects almost every single day, and I’m often asked how I identify a piece so quickly. This pottery vessel was made in Boston, Massachusetts in the early 20th century by Grueby Pottery.

Pottery mark as farm silo