How to Collect Wedgwood Pottery
Wedgwood has been in production since founder Josiah Wedgwood introduced the first line of ceramics in the 1760s. With many shapes and styles of wares produced by Wedgwood through its history, collecting can be a very engaging and educational hobby. Personal tastes and budget will guide collectors in making choices about purchasing pieces to add to their collection. Knowing how to identify Wedgwood pieces is also important. Many imitators have profited on the success of Wedgwood pottery.
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Instructions
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Collecting Wedgwood
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Wedgwood found inspiration in Classical Greek vases. Familiarize yourself with the different styles of Wedgwood to help choose which pieces to acquire for your beginning collection. Josiah Wedgwood first introduced a line of cream-colored earthenware commonly called "Queen's Ware" in 1765.The dinnerware was mass produced and Neoclassical in style. In 1768, Wedgwood introduced a black unglazed stoneware that was able to imitate antique Renaissance and Greek pieces. Vases, plaques, busts, and jewelry were produced in this material.
The popular Jasperware also fell into the Neoclassical style and was introduced in 1775. Jasperware is an unglazed stoneware that resembles bisque pottery. It was often stained a light blue, but was available in many other colors. Decoration on Jasperware often consisted of white medallion cameos that were applied onto the surface, creating contrast.
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Public libraries are a great resource for finding information on Wedgwood pottery. Become knowledgeable about pottery marks when starting to collect genuine examples of Wedgwood pottery. Many imitators would mark their wares in a way that the uninformed would be fooled into thinking they were purchasing authentic Wedgwood pieces. Use a library card to check out books or purchase collector's guides that show examples of real Wedgwood pottery marks. Many of these publications will also show examples of knock-offs. Identifying Wedgwood can be easier than other potteries with standard potters' marks because Josiah Wedgwood used his own name on the pieces.
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Regularly setting aside money will allow for the occasional purchase of a more expensive piece. Manage acquisitions by establishing a budget. The value of Wedgwood pieces range greatly, with auction estimates from $20 to $40 for a Jasperware dish to $8,000 to $12,000 for a pair of Fairyland Lustreware vases. Checking online auctions can lead to good deals, but other resources such as online stores and local antique shops can produce favorable results, as well as provide specifically desired pieces. Many store owners may reduce their prices if an item has been in their inventory for a lengthy period of time.
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Displaying a collection is as important as acquiring the pieces. Be sure to keep pieces away from household pets and children that may accidentally knock pieces over. Be aware of lighting and how natural and artificial light interact with the pieces. Collections can be displayed in groups or individually, and placed on fireplace mantels, in china cabinets, sideboards or on built-in book shelves.
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Tips & Warnings
Check for condition. Chips and cracks will devalue a piece of pottery.
Be aware of false Wedgwood marks. If a piece of pottery is marked with "Wedgwood & Co.," it was made by a company called Knottingley Pottery or by Enoch Wedgwood.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit ancient greek ornamented vessel image by Denis Topal from Fotolia.com shelves of library books image by nextrecord from Fotolia.com budget, payment allocation image by Kalani from Fotolia.com
