Tips For Buying Antique Pottery

Buying vintage or antique pottery is actually easier than you may think and being able to determine dates, companies and value can be achieved just by using some simple research tips.

Many people all over the world spend their weekends at local antique fairs or digging through yard sale boxes, thrift stores and second hand sales, looking for antique pottery that people might be getting rid of by accident. Being able to identify older pieces compared to more contemporary designs will help you know which ones to look at and which are not worth further investigation. Many people have no idea about how to identify the different types of pottery. Once you are able to do this, shopping at these kinds of places becomes much easier and you will be able to spot a bargain almost immediately. The following tips will help you get knowledgable about pottery and will therefore help you in the buying process too.

This is a pretty obvious tip really, but the best way to get experience and knowledge about the different types of pottery is to use a book. A good pottery book will help you be able to tell the difference between stoneware, porcelain and the different styles that have come from different timeframes and countries. Japanese pottery is totally different to Polish pottery and you should be able to tell the difference. There are so many different styles and forms of pottery that a book will be your most invaluable friend and will teach you lots. If you can spend a small amount on a book but save on accidental or uninformed purchases, then it will have been a worthwhile purchase.There are many books available on websites like Amazon that have pictures and descriptions of the pottery pieces.

The next tip is to use the Internet to research pottery types and styles.There is a place on the internet where thousands of pieces are listed and sold each day - eBay! You will find almost every single kind of pottery on eBay, ranging from commonplace everyday types to real antiques worth lots of money. eBay is no longer just the place to buy cheap batteries and DVDs, the antiques market on there is huge! eBay can also tell you how much items have sold for too. Simply select the "Completed Items" option from the "Advanced Search" and you will be able to see the final sale value for each kind of pottery being sold. Its a great research tool. Also, eBay is a good place to bag a bargain. Most things sell for less money on there, so it is an excellent place to start your collection.

Comparing prices with similar items will also help you understand which items are worth money and which are not. Being able to compare is also a great way to judge the value of pottery items you find.