Antiques fairs can seem like a mystery to amateur collectors. In her new book Antiques Investigator, expert Judith Miller plays detective, answering the questions you've always had about what's worth buying. Here Home & Country gives you a sneak peek.
You asked: All ceramic pieces look the same to me-how do I know if the one I want is an antique?
Judith's clues to the age of ceramics
Base Investigate the paste (the unglazed “body”-the mixture of clay and flux ingredients), found on the base. If the base is completely smooth, this could hint at a later date, but evidence of dirt or frit marks could be a clue for an early date. Blemishes over the whole base could point at early Oriental ceramics.
Decoration This could be the proverbial red herring. The form of decoration or the style of dress worn by figures is no clue to the origin or date of the piece. (See next page for more information on ceramic decoration.)
Rim Tap the rim-a dull thud could indicate restoration. A perfect piece will give a pleasing ring.
Marks Many ceramics have fake marks that copy those of the most successful companies. So always satisfy yourself about the factory, quality of body, age and decoration before you look at the mark. Meissen is the most copied mark, as many minor European factories copied their crossed swords. Check if the mark shows its country of origin, such as France or Germany, as this probably denotes a date after 1891. Also check for any recognizable factory marks. If the mark shows “Made in” a country, this probably denotes a date after 1921, but could be much later. Look for telltale clues like decoration style. The designer or artist may also add to the value considerably.
Glossary of pottery and porcelain
Earthenware and stoneware are pottery, while hard- and soft-paste are porcelain: the body reveals the characteristics.
- Earthenware: Fired at relatively low temperature; won't hold water unless has protective glaze. Opaque fired body.
- Stoneware: Fired at higher temperature; doesn't need glaze to be watertight. Usually opaque and hard wearing.
- Hard-paste: May be translucent after second glaze firing; white body with a hard glaze that tends to feel cold.
- Soft-paste: Layer of glaze sits on surface, prone to pooling and crazing; body feels slightly warm. Body more brittle and grainy; colour ranges from pure white to gray.
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