How to Collect Brown Drip Hull Pottery
The Hull Pottery Company, which operated from 1905 to 1986 in Crooksville, Ohio, manufactured a popular dinnerware line known as the House 'n Garden Brown Drip line. Original production of Brown Drip dinnerware started in the 1960s and continued into the 1980s. Brown Drip dinnerware is highly collectible because of the wide variety and quantity of pieces that were manufactured. While practical pieces, such as plates and coffee cups, are the most common, more fanciful and rarer pieces such as pig banks and fish platters are highly prized by collectors.
- Difficulty:
- Easy
Instructions
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1
Learn more about the line in order to decide which pieces you would like to collect and what you should pay for each one. The "Collector's Guide to Hull Pottery: The Dinnerware Lines" by Barbara Loveless Gick-Burke, "Warman's Hull Pottery: Identification and Price Guide" by David Doyle, and the "The Collector's Ultimate Encyclopedia of Hull Pottery" by Brenda Roberts offer instructions on identifying and pricing for individual pieces.
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2
Join a collector's club. The Hull Pottery Association offers valuable information on how to collect pottery, where to find antique shows and dealers who specialize in Hull pieces; and how to link up with others who share your interest in Hull Pottery. They also have a bulletin board that allows people to post questions and give advice to other collectors.
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3
Go out and hunt for Hull Brown Drip pottery. Antique stores will have the highest quality pieces, but they will also have the highest prices. If you let store owners know you are interested in collecting this line, they will often offer to contact you when new pieces arrive. Thrift stores and garage sales are also good resources, but be careful to check the condition of the piece before you buy it since these places tend to have no returns options.
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4
Get online at auction sites such as eBay. This is a good place to see many pieces offered at a wide range of prices. Often, you can get amazing deals by bidding at online auctions. Another great online source for this line of pottery is Replacements Limited, which has a good selection of the dinnerware.
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5
Look for quality. Whether you plan to use or just display the pottery, look for pieces that have no chips, cracks or crazing.
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Tips & Warnings
* Educate yourself so you can recognize fakes. Collectible pottery is often copied, and these copies are represented as being original pieces.
* Be cautious when buying through online sites such as eBay. Check the history of the seller to see if others have been satisfied with their purchases. Look for a returns policy in case the item turns out to be less than satisfactory.
* Know what you want to pay for a piece. Especially in an auction, it is easy to get caught up in the excitement of bidding, and you can end up paying more than you want and more than the piece is worth.
