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Step 1
Learn about the company's history. Not all Rookwood Pottery pieces were created equal and understanding why this is will make you a better collector. Pay special attention to events before the turn of the century as those pieces are the most desirable.
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Step 2
Get to know the individual artists who worked for Rookwood. The styles of Kataro Shiriyamadani, Artus Van Briggle, Albert and Anne Valentien and Matt Daly should become familiar to you.
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Step 3
Visit museums and examine their Rookwood Pottery pieces. One of the biggest collections is housed at the Cincinnati Art Museum. The manager of Rookwood established a relationship with the museum before the turn of the century and supplied it with pieces for its collection.
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Step 4
Tap into art dealers who specialize in antique American art pottery. Cincinnati-based dealers may know more about Rookwood pieces than those in other locations.
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Step 5
Attend auctions where they're selling Rookwood Pottery pieces. Cincinnati is a good place to look for these, but auctions featuring American art pottery, decorative art pieces or nineteenth century works are also good choices.
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Step 6
Look for online auctions or antique stores selling Rookwood Pottery. There's no reason why you can't build your collection from these sources, but call in an expert to assess the piece's authenticity before keeping it.
