Guide to Collecting Ceramic Vases

Time Period or Place of Origin

• A good place to start narrowing the collecting field is to pick a time period and/or a place of manufacture. You might be interested in the colorful pottery of the 1950s and 1960s, the clean lines of Finnish ceramics, or the nature-inspired motifs used during the American and British Arts and Crafts movement. Browse pottery collectors' guidebooks to view examples of ceramic vases from different countries and eras. Visit pottery stores or shows to see and handle both contemporary and antique pieces. Doing this will give you an idea of many of the styles of collectibles.

Makers

• Many collectors focus on acquiring vases from a specific maker. For example, if you have decided you would like to collect American art pottery, a few of the most famous and collectible names would include Roseville, Rookwood and Weller. Whether you decide to collect one maker or several, it is important to recognize the different manufacturer's marks. Many ceramic makers used more than one mark over the history of the company. Online guides for ceramic marks and backstamps, such as the International Ceramics Directory, show you how to recognize various signatures from different time periods.

Condition

• In ceramic-vase collecting, condition is very important. For all but the rarest vases, a small chip will cause the value to plummet. No matter what criteria you use to create a collection, buy the very best you can afford. Avoid vases that have chips, cracks or crazing, where tiny cracks have formed in the glaze. It is better to get one piece in perfect condition than to buy four that have condition problems. Vases with defects will be harder to resell if you decide to liquidate some of your collection.

Price

• Having an idea of prices before making a purchase will help you recognize bargains when you see them and avoid the rip-offs. Before you go shopping, do some research. Look through price guides that focus on the maker, style or time period of the pottery you have decided to collect. Because prices change quickly, find the most current edition available. Since new editions come out often and render the old ones obsolete, save yourself some money and borrow these guides from a library if you can.