A resource thread for pricing your items.

[philpot]

We do not give valuations on this site. Mainly because its next to nigh impossible! Condition, Damage, fluctuating demand, fashion...a myriad of things can effect value. Often most auctioneers do not include any damage in auction descriptions. So proceed with caution. Research can tell you if your item MIGHT be of value. But as to exact value, that is only ever really found when it is put on the open market. So never get your hopes up too much. But this thread is an attempt as a guide for you to do your own research. Please note, this is a UK based site, so most resources I quote are UK based ones. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD YOUR OWN. The Saleroom is one of the largest Online terrestrial auction sites. with a predominance of UK auctioneers. Putting a search in will give you details and estimates of all items that are currently on sale at terrestrial auctioneers. Clicking in Prices will give you hammer prices achieved in the past week. The other option on 'prices' will give you long historical prices, but you need a subscription to use that.
https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb

[philpot]

INVALUABLE is very similar to the Saleroom, as search will give you all items for sale currently at Terrestrial auctioneers. For historical prices you need a subscription. It has a much more International coverage than The Saleroom, especially in the USA.
https://www.invaluable.com/

[philpot]

Then of course there are the Big International auction houses. Sothebys, Christies, Bonhams, and Phillips. Easily found by Googling. Basically they are only really worth bothering with if you think you item has substantial value. Mid you, they are fascinating to see what the Really Rich Buy!
They all have long historical records. Tick past search after you have the main search. For pottery Bonhams is not bad and for high end studio pottery Rie et all they all reasonable representation.

[philpot]

Ebay. UK,Com, or whichever of their site takes your fancy Yes its a jungle, and its drowning in product, but its very ubiquity and vastness makes it a useful source. On a smartphone tick on the filter options, scroll down to the bottom and tick SOLD, this will give you prices sold on Ebay over the past 3 to six months. Do not just use the completed option as this will drown you in unsold garbage. A further refinement is the 'Highest price' option in the Menu. On a PC or notebook scroll down, and the sold option box will be near  the bottom of options on the left hand side.
          If you click on an individual piece to actually look at it, to see the complete piece you will have to click on 'see  original listing' which is generally in small print somewhere around the header description.

[philpot]

Wooley and Wallis based in Salisbury England is one of the leading provincial British auction houses. They have had a long history of specialist sales, and are specifically excellent in Studio and Art Pottery, and Clarice Cliff and suchlike. A useful resource, as there price acceptance level are more pedestrian than the International auction houses.
https://www.woolleyandwallis.co.uk/

[philpot]

MAAK are an Internet only studio ceramics/studio pottery auction house based in London. They hold 2 sales a year with circa 350 items in each. MainlY British studio pottery. If your British studio pottery item is not here, then it is probably worth less than £100.
https://maaklondon.irostrum.com/PastAuctions

[philpot]

Now it becomes more time consuming! Other auction houses in Britain list their historical back catalogues, but do not offer an historical search option. Those who do specialist studio pottery sales are Mallams Oxford, and Adam Partridge Macclesfield. Generally two or three times a year.
If you are interested in 20th century items, then most auctioneers group these loosely in 'Design' auctions, which you can Google. Those with historical records of useful Design auctions are Cheffins Cambridge, T W GAZE Diss, Sworders Bishops Stortford. If I think of any other, I will add them!

[ppcollectables]

That's all good but there are always many unknowns i.e. condition. A low price or no sale may be due to damage not in the description. A valuation over a year old may out of fashion or in fashion etc. etc. E.g Wooolley and wallis are good at including damage/resto but one lot of Moorcroft had obvious restoration ( even I could spot it ) but hadn't been mentioned.

[philpot]

Very true pp. I have edited the opening description to hopefully emphasise the pitfalls and vagueness of valuations. Could you suggest any further editing to what I have said?

[NaomiM]

I always say Check Sold prices on eBay as that’ll give you an idea of its value, as can unsold prices as that’ll show you what collectors are Not prepared to pay.
Ignore sites like 1stdibs which are set up by dealers to overinflate retail prices; knock at least a nought off their prices.

[ppcollectables]

I think it depends a lot on why one wants a value. If its something picked up cheap in the hope of making a profit then it has to be a combination of antique fairs, auctions and ebay. It also depends on how you are going to sell something, you can sell higher at an antique fair than carboot but you need tables, shelves, lighting, etc. Looking at prices on ebay highlights how prices there depend often on sellers greed or ignorance. its all about knowledge - what something should be priced at and what something should be bought for.

[NaomiM]

There seems to be a sticking point of £10-£15 on ebay for studio (far less if it's not IDed) unless it's by a good name, but pieces rarely make more than half retail value.

[22 Crawford St.]

So what do you mean by price? What your piece may sell for at ebay, auction, etc? No, as that is not what you get in you hand. So estimate at auction £200 to £300 - sell for £220 you end up with what, £175ish? After Sellers Premium, VAT, Insurance. Mostly people tend to fix to the highest price you mention so they are thinking £300+ and they end up with £175.

Then try explaining the Ebay process to the neophyte.

It's a nightmare trying to explain it all.

[NaomiM]

Value is always what a collector is prepared to pay, and that is often less than a collector is prepared to sell, especially when in all likelihood they’ll make a loss.
If I find something for £5 then I’m happy if I get £15 for it on eBay. But if I’ve bought it for £15 then I’m going to want to sell it for more than £20, even though £15 is probably all it’s money.
And theres the very real risk that if someone asks for a valuation on something that you want to buy you’ll be tempted to low ball them to get a bargain. Or give a valuation and then expect ‘mates rates’.
I prefer to list it on eBay and let it find its own level.

[NaomiM]

And some eBay sellers don’t seem to bother checking sold/completed auctions when they price an item, so you see their pieces going round and round for months if not years at twice their real value.

[philpot]

Selling really needs thread a thread all of its own. The starting point is of course, knowing what exactly your item is. Then doing the value searching.
A lot of people just expect too much for their item. Collectors often hold on to their items for a long time, and then when they come to sell or change  their collecting patterns, tastes have gone in a different direction.
     

[dantheman]

when I started collecting I bought pottery that was not in vogue, they must be well on their way to being red hot property after all these years

[Sponsored content]