crackpot

i have bought so many broken or imperfect pieces over the years for my collection simply because I just wanted/NEEDED it for my collection. Even the really bad ones have a place because i know that i as a collector of a particularly factory i simply HAVE TO have it in my collection, no matter what. I'm a complete-ist type of collector, wanting an example of everything the factory produced. If a better condition example of something comes up for sale, then sure, i'll buy that and get rid of the damaged example. Like you Potty, i don't understand people's mindsets when they think a piece of ceramic is near worthless because of minor faults. I think the difference in my thinking is that I tend to forgive bigger faults, the older a piece is because everyone/thing gets more and more knocks over time! If i never bought ceramics without faults, my collection would be miniscule. If you buy slightly damaged goods, at least you'll build a collection quite quickly and can then swap pieces as and when better ones become available.

I know what you mean bistoboy. There's no way I'd call myself a completist as my tastes are too varied to specialise in any particular maker (OK, I do collect Pear Tree Pottery but even then I have to like the piece to buy it), so I have a very eclectic collection, and I will buy a damaged piece if I like it as long as the damage is reflected in the price. Perfection is always going to be preferable and more valuable, but I don't think that a little nick or hairline completely devalues a nice piece as long as it isn't prominent.

Obviously condition wasn't important in this case, the mind boggles, crack-pots indeed

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/23-Leach-Pottery-Tile-Wasters-/120759675736

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18-Interesting-Leach-Pottery-Kiln-Wasters-/120759671820

Maybe they have a sort of naive archeological appeal to the buyer or they could make up some sort of mosaic / stoneware montage but seriously nothing is absoloutely perfect , I have a Robin Welch pot with the RW upside down , Robins Response - It happens , also it is unrealistic to expect perfection after many years , I remember as a kid a neighbour had a sofa , still covered in the plastic cover about 6 months after they bought it , now that's a Crackpot .

I agree with Ed,if someone wants 100% perfection then studio pottery is not for them,better they buy slip moulded factory ware

Some pots are perfection through well planned imperfection in my opinion

but if the glaze get slightly stuck to the shelf of the kiln then it just tells the story of it's birth, it doesn't make it any less attractive imo.
We strive to achieve perfection in the modern Western society but who's perfection? One that looks great to you or one that you are told to judge aprovingly...

dantheman wrote:I agree with Ed,if someone wants 100% perfection then studio pottery is not for them,better they buy slip moulded factory ware

slip molded factory ware often has imperfection particularly sheurich who's quality control was notoriously laxist

To be fair a lot of Moulded stuff was a bit rough in the 60's and 70's hand applied glazes etc., scheurich moulded planters of today are probably a bit more scrutinised.

dantheman wrote:but if the glaze get slightly stuck to the shelf of the kiln then it just tells the story of it's birth, it doesn't make it any less attractive imo.
We strive to achieve perfection in the modern Western society but who's perfection? One that looks great to you or one that you are told to judge aprovingly...

and even the shelf can tell a story this one has since a few sought after pots

exactly what I was getting at Paul,that shelf has a story to tell and so do studio pots that have faults giving clues to the manufacturing process that lead to their existance