chips

Dear Forum members -what is your view about chipped pots, please?  I have a few pieces that, to my sorrow, have sustained damage over the years - just the other day I caught something a clip with the edge of a wine bottle et voila - a chip.  Do I try to sell,  or just say to myself it is part of the life journey of the pot?  It spoils my enjoyment of the pot -sometimes it makes me so sad to see the damage that I will break the pot just to have the worry over with.  I'd like to know what expert collectors think!  many thanks

chipped pots don't sell so turn the chip to the back and forget about it

Chips knock 50-90% off the value of most pots - the exception being something like Bitossi which is almost impossible to find without some sort of damage to the raised edges of the decoration.
So if your pots have resale values of £20-£200 then they’re down to just a few quid to, say £50. So it may be worth selling the higher valued items but for the rest either use them or pack them off to the charity shop. Cracks are even worse.

You could always teach yourself restoration, though it won't add to the value.

Thank you, Forum members!

I echo what the others have said. Chips, cracks, hairlines and damage of nearly any type kills the resale value of 99% of ceramics. If your item is before the 1800 then you stand a half chance of selling with some discount as damage is expected. Some 19th century ceramics will still sell but at between 50-80% lower than an undamaged example. Early 20th are tough to sell but some tiny bit of value still exists. Mid to late 20th century, forget it as almost all are unsaleable unless perfect.

As for restoration. It makes unsaleable items saleable. For honest dealers it adds no value but you stand half a chance of selling. For dishonest dealers it means you can lie about the items condition and sell as perfect. Auctions are full of the them.

thankyou Mordeep, I would not try fakery even if I knew how to restore pots ( I don't!), and I am not a dealer, just a person who likes to see studio pottery. It has helped a lot getting people's views - it also helps to know that when I have broken a pot, I have not destroyed something of monetary value! The pots I have are from 70s and 80s , and a few from an old lady acqaintance that are chipped. Many thanks.