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A veritable
master class in appraising art pottery, this
authoritative guide includes an introduction
to the subject, covering such topics as buying
and selling, care and security, materials, decorations,
periods, and styles. All the key studios of
American art pottery are featured including
Tiffany, Rookwood, Grueby, Newcomb, Weller,
Dedham, Volkmar, Teco, and more. Insights and
opinions are provided by authors David Rago
and Suzanne Perrault, formed from their handling
and viewing more than 100,000 pots and tiles
over some 30 years. Using a reader-friendly
format, they present, for each pottery, a Good
and Better example on facing pages, together
with a value range for each -- 60 such combinations
in all. Then, for each piece, they highlight
and analyze the key features that distinguish
it from its neighbor and tell us why they value
one more highly than the other. The comparison
section alone is worth the price of admission,
but the sections on Understanding the Market
and An American Art Potteries Primer are equally
helpful as a learning experience for newer collectors
and a thoughtful refresher for more advanced
collectors. There's a section on the market
where, from 1975 to 2000, an 8" Rookwood Standard
glaze, floral decorated vase increased in value
by 450% while a similarly sized and decorated
Iris glaze vase soared by more than 1600%. The
authors provide a thoughtful analysis (though
not without bias) of the essential elements
which serve to distinguish the producers and
the products of the Ohio Valley, New England,
the South and California. A directory of specialists,
galleries, and museums, and a glossary of useful
terms make this an invaluable resource for collectors.
Miller's: American Art Pottery : How to Compare
& Value is the one book to own if you love
art pottery.
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