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The Joy of Collecting Ceramics

The Joy of Collecting Ceramics

Published: 29th April 2024
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Ceramics have long been objects of fascination, desirability and variety. The breadth of styles, sizes, design, and use is boundless, and whilst tastes and ‘fashions’ may shift, the attention ceramics gets at auction has remained consistent. Sales attract collectors, dealers, designers and individuals looking for stand-out pieces for their homes and businesses.

But beyond choosing pieces that we just fall in love with, what should we be looking for when it comes to buying ceramics at auction?

It is accepted that there are 5 factors to look for that is known as RADAR, which stands for Rarity, Aesthetics, Desirability, Authenticity and Really good condition. 

Rarity - If there are only a few items created or remaining

Aesthetics - This is highly subjective and often down to personal tastes. However, certain designs and artists have a more universal appeal

Desirability - This is often dictated by trends at the time, and styles that may have fallen out of favour then later have a resurgence in popularity at a later date.

Authenticity - This is often depicted through specific markings and stamps on the design by the creators. With many replicas being created, it's important to speak to a specialist to understand if a piece is original and what the value could be.

Really good condition - This can be a difficult element to quantify as ceramics have often been used (such as a porcelain tea set, bowl or pot), so they may have some minor damage, or a figurine may have been damaged due to an accident or moving. In fact, the Japanese art of Kintsugi involves fixing pottery with gold and can add to the overall beauty and desirability of a piece. The rarity of an item can often influence its value, even if the item is not pristine. 

Our valuers will be able to advise you on the value of your pieces according to these factors, and if buying at auction without being able to see the item in person, always request a condition report and ask for details on anything specific that you require.

Producers of collectable ceramics

There are many ceramicists and producers who are deemed collectable, including the following, which are a few of our General Manager, Steve Bucknell’s, favourites.

Royal Doulton

guy fawkes

"Guy Fawkes" figurine bearing the signature "Charles Noke Sc" and the painted words "Potted by Doulton & Co" and also the Doulton stamp.

John Doulton started his ceramics journey by creating storage jars and pipes for sewer systems in London in 1815 with just a £100 investment. After employing newly graduated artists from the Lambeth School of Art and investing in ‘The Potteries’ in Stoke-on-Trent, the breadth of Doulton’s production expanded. This involved the creation of figurines and also fine tableware through the development and refinement of forward-thinking technologies for production. Eventually, all production was relocated to the factory in 1955.

Following the interest in Doulton's production and contributions to architectural establishments such as Harrods, in 1901, Doulton received a Royal Warrant, so the name was officially changed to ‘Royal Doulton’.

This particular figure of Guy Fawkes went under the hammer in our January auction. Larger and with a different glaze to that usually found on these figurines, the item came from a vendor whose family, which had owned the piece for well over 70 years, had connections within The Potteries and is believed to be one-of-a-kind. The date would also indicate an age of over 125 due to the lack of ‘Royal’ in the stamp on the base. The item had an estimate of £300-£500 but ended up with the gavel going down at £3,800.

Lady Anne Gordon

ladyannegordon cantaloupes ceram

A pair of ceramic Canteloupe Melons modelled by Lady Anne Gordon bearing her monogram and the dated 1980.

Lady Anne Gordon, who lived from 1924 to 2007,  had a lifelong love of natural beauty and gardening, in particular, which inspired her creations. Her sculptures are instantly recognisable and focus on nature, vegetation and wildlife predominantly, but it is her fruits and vegetables that she is best known for. Designed as table centrepieces, her works have an incredible lifelike-ness about them, with extraordinary attention to the finer details of each ‘edible’ she is recreating. What makes them stand out is her use of colour, making them exceptionally vibrant, almost like the fruits and vegetables themselves have had their colours amplified. Her cabbages are particularly recognisable and became (and continue to be) hugely collectable and desirable, and their familiarity is what earned her the nickname “The Cabbage Lady’. 

From her work with Mrs Monro and exhibitions in the 1960s onwards in New York, London and Sydney, Anne developed quite an extraordinary following, with commissions and collectors including Winston Churchill and the Royal Family, yet famously joked with friends that her works would only be taken seriously after she died. Despite the interest from those in power, she was very clear on the pricing of her items and had a strong ethos to keep prices reasonable. This was so that all of those who loved her pieces would be able to afford more than just one, facilitating the ability to curate their own collections.

Moorcroft

moorcroft ceramics vase

Moorcroft Hibiscus pattern vase with tube lined floral decoration on green ground bearing impressed Moorcroft mark and underglaze signature in blue.

William Moorcroft’s fine art pottery was first produced in 1897 while in the employ of James Macintyre and Co. His unique style of bold designs and simple silhouettes generated fast appeal from across the world, including the most elite establishments such as Harrods, Liberty’s of London and even Tiffany and Co. Liberty’s even went as far as to support the creation of Moorcroft’s dedicated factory in Stoke-on-Trent, which remains open to this day.

The quality of the pieces garnered recognition from Buckingham Palace, with Queen Elizabeth II acquiring multiple pieces for the Royal Collection. This led to Moorcroft being appointed ‘Potters to H. M. The Queen’, a highly coveted accolade for which he remained extremely proud to receive.

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