Featured Art Pottery Collectors: What Is Worse?

a). A piece of art pottery that has a crack

b). A piece of art pottery that has a chip

Also do the placement of those cracks or chips matter to you?

 

They're both bad. It doesn't seem to be quite as bad if the chip or crack is on the inside, out of site of regular viewing. Also, if the crack is a hairline that does not catch your fingernail then that's a little better yet.

 

Chip is worse than most cracks IMHO. Hairlines can be overlooked somewhat but I have seen some pretty back cracks at times. Placement does matter a bit. A chip on the rim is worse than one on the base. I rarely buy anything with damage unless a quite valuable piece for just very little money.

I might add that when pottery was bringing good money, condition was extremely important. Pottery needed to be mint to sell. Now that prices are in the dumpster, people seem to be more willing to overlook some damage. The overall look is more important than the condition. Most people are buying for use rather than to collect. Consequently, they won't pay much for most pottery, mint or less than perfect.

 

I only have a couple of old crocks, but my FAVORITE one is this.....it's burned and warped, and has a goodly "slump" (?) in front by the design, but no chips or cracks and I LOVE it.....don't care what it's worth either!!! If you know anything about it, would love to hear, but it "ain't goin' nowhere"!!!!! Sometimes I just love the imperfect!!!!!!





Of course, YOU WERE talking about ART pottery, and I don't think this is considered ART pottery???????

 

For me as a collector, I try to stay away from damaged pieces as much as possible but occasionally I miss a hairline, especially when it blends into the design.

I'd say that chips are marginally worse then cracks but that it is dependent on the size of the imperfection. A small pin-head sized chip the bottom of a piece is better than a large, noticeable crack extending down the length of the piece. Still I only buy damaged pieces if they are rare and are priced at less than 10-20% of a undamaged piece.

As many of the great art pottery pieces age (many pieces of Rookwood, Weller, & Roseville are nearing the century mark) are we going to see a softening on the hard line many collectors take on wanting items in mint condition?

 

The flip-side of this is that, as collectors age/pass away, more mint pottery will be sprung from collections. Will there be enough collectors left to care? As a once avid collector, I am now in my 60s and no longer collect as I once did. I still pick up an occasional piece to hang on to but only if unusual and dirt cheap. My days of spending hundreds of dollars on a single piece of pottery are over. Since I don't pay much for anything, the occasional hairline or small base chip is less important than whether or not the example is unusual enough for me be interested in it at all. As a dealer, I no longer focus on art pottery and struggle to get more than $20.00 for any piece of pottery regardless of type or condition.

 

Just anecdotal evidence but I've been seeing a lot more damage than I saw ten years ago when started collecting art pottery. Now I'd say 50-60% of what I see at auction is damaged.

 

Probably because so few people care anymore. People don't pack anymore, just stuff it in a pladtic container. Personally I find it very depessing.

 

I have collected large pieces of Roseville for over 35 years. I do not purchase pieces with chips or cracks. It is still important to me. I also wonder what will become of collections as we age. Deciding who gets all of my Roseville is a big decision. I really can't think of a younger family member that even knows what Roseville is. It is sad.

 

Not really.....unless you are collecting for someone else.
I love what surrounds me.....& I've chosen carefully the items I desire to see and live with on a daily basis.
After I've turned to dust.....I'm sure there will be others who put their hands on these things, because they feel the same way I felt.

Family items....are another matter..!