If you have old pottery, you may want to know if it has any value. You might be curious as to what it is worth, you might need a price for insurance, or you may want to sell it. There are different ways to determine if your pottery is valuable, and you can read on to find out what they are.
Do an Online Pottery Appraisal
You can go online to have an online pottery appraisal done. The first thing to know is that you want to make sure that you go to a website that has people who are experts in pottery. Your appraiser should be up-to-date with the current markets, and he or she should have a thorough understanding of different types of pottery.
Often you will need to upload photographs of your pottery from different angles, as well as any documentation you have. The expert will take a look and let you know what your pottery is worth.
Research Your Pottery Online
You can research your pottery online. The best place to start is at past pottery auctions. You can use eBay to get an idea. You will want to locate an item that is similar to yours. You can check what they have listed for sale, but the better way to determine the current value is to look at items that have sold recently. The price a buyer is willing to pay is a better idea of the value than the price a seller is asking.
You can also look up your pottery to find out certain details about it. You will want to know how rare it is. This includes how many pieces were made. If only a few were made or it has a rare color or design, it will be more valuable. You will also want to determine whether it is an authentic piece from a particular era.
Look for a Signature
Sometimes artists will leave their mark on a piece of pottery they make. You can look for a signature or symbol, and look up the artist. Take note of when they lived and what they made. You can research the artist to see if his or her works are valuable. If you know the type of material, that may help you determine the value as well. Finally, you will want to make a note of the condition of the piece. If it is in mint condition with no imperfections, it will be more valuable than if it has marks or scratches on it.
It is important to pay attention to details when looking over your pottery to see if it is valuable. The artist’s signature, the date it was made, and its condition are all critical. If it is rare, it will have more value than if many were made. If it is handmade, it will also be more valuable.
Although you can try to research all of this on your own, it is easiest to have an appraisal done. You can do it online with a reputable pottery expert, as long as you find someone who is known for his or her expertise in pottery. These experts know how to examine your pieces from top to bottom to determine whether they are valuable or not.
If you want to research it yourself you can find many different websites that have all kinds of information. You can look at other pieces that are similar and see what they have sold for recently. This is a great way to find out if your piece is valuable. There are different online auction sites, and you should search for items that are similar to yours. You should be able to find a few different pieces and determine what yours is worth. These are all great ways to determine the value of your pottery.