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My Polish Pottery

I did not know much about Polish pottery until we started to sell it as a retailer. My wife has had pieces for years, but I guess I never really paid attention to it. I know I'm a guy, and I should probably be looking at sports equipment or tools; but this pottery is really nice. The artistry and colors are beautiful and many of the pieces are great to display in your home, and make a beautiful collectible which can be passed down as an heirloom for generations! The pottery is lead and cadmium free, and safe to use in the microwave, oven, dishwasher and freezer. Best of all, it's affordable and functional! Cooking in it is excellent and with its nonstick surface its better than using a Teflon coated pan (ok, I now sound like I really know what I am talking about!).

This pottery has been around for centuries. In the 19th century the pottery became popular in Europe. Potters in Boleslawiec, Poland started using more colors, stamp ornaments (hand decorating the pottery with stamps) and a white background making the pottery much more vibrant. What makes this pottery very attractive and appealing are the bright colors used such as cobalt and peacock blues, browns, greens, yellows and reds.

Polish Pottery is beautiful and durable glazed stoneware that is hand-crafted in Boleslawiec which is located in the south-west region of Poland. The stoneware is a clay (unique to the region) which is kiln fired at extremely high temperatures exceeding 2200 degrees Fahrenheit. It is a man-made stone that will not easily crack or chip and hard enough to resist scratching by a steel point.

There are a number of factories in Boleslawiec, Poland that manufacture Polish pottery. I understand the highest quality pottery is made by Ceramika Artystyczna, with their craftsmanship being internationally recognized. They employ the most talented artists who hand-paint each piece of pottery using brushes and sponges from the Baltic Sea. Another large manufacturer is Zaklady Ceramiczne. There are both "designers" and "artists" in the pottery process, and "potters" who have been involved in the business for generations.

How do I know the polish pottery I am buying is a "good deal" and at the same time high quality? Generally, pottery wholesalers are purchasing polish pottery from the same factories in Poland. However, not all wholesalers are selecting the best quality and buying from top quality factories. The pottery may have flaws or imperfections in the painting or even the piece itself. Make sure your polish pottery is manufactured at a high quality factory in Poland. A good way to determine the level of quality is to look at where the polish pottery is manufactured in Poland (the actual factory) and determine if it is Quality #1, or GAT #1 (GAT short for gatunek - meaning "type" or "kind" in Polish), both mean the polish pottery is of the highest quality.

Some pottery pieces are very intricate in design, made with six and eight colors, and signed by the artist. These pieces are called signature patterns or Unikat, which is a Polish word meaning "unique". Does this mean that all other polish pottery that is not Unikat is not high quality? Of course not, many, many pieces of polish pottery, which are not signed by the artists, are beautifully designed and very high quality.
How do I know the polish pottery I am buying is a Unikat piece? These pieces although called signature patterns, they are not actually signed by the artist. The artists who paint signature patterns have extensive training in polish pottery art. It is important to note that there could be the same design number on a piece, but painted several different ways by different artists. The signature is located on the bottom of the piece and generally will indicate the following:

The word "UNIKAT" with a number next to it, which is the Pattern Number. The artists name with an impressed signature, or stamped signature of the artist, who designed the pattern. Sometimes there is an indication of "Ltd Ed" for Limited Edition. Not all Unikat pieces are limited editions. The factory stamp or insignia stamped mark. Impressed mark indicating Hand Made in Poland. At the bottom of the pottery is an alpha-numeric code which is the initials of the person who painted the piece of polish pottery. Next to the initials are a number. Each artist has a unique number assigned, to differentiate between artists names who may have the same initials. Examples of these codes are: M.O. 50 or T.L. 78.

When you are selecting this pottery, sort by manufacturer at the retail website. Most websites have a Shop by Manufacturer function on the left or right side of the website. There are thousands of pottery designs. Shopping for Polish Pottery can be fun. Look for a retail website that allows for shopping by Pattern ID Number, so you can view all the products in the same pattern. An example of this type of Polish Pottery sorting can be found at Elizabeth Michaels Home.

Guys, now that you are educated in how to purchase polish pottery, get out there and buy some for yourself or your significant other! Really, you will love it!

Japanese Pottery Styles

Japanese pottery can be divided in to 4 main categories - earthenware, porcelain, glazed and un-glazed stoneware. These 4 kinds of pottery have been made in Japan since prehistoric times, but it is more recently that it has become so widespread. Most pottery that has been made in Japan is used for practical purposes, such as bowls, vases or plates. Although this fact is true, the decoration of the pottery pieces has always been of the highest quality. As with many other Japanese customs and rituals, the art of making pottery and porcelain has been refined and mastered over hundreds of years.

Satsuma Pottery

One of the most popular kinds is called Satsuma and was made around 400 years ago from a brown clay found in the Satsuma region. Some say that it is a cross between pottery and porcelain, due to the fact that it is fired at a very low temperature. The tell-tale markings of a piece of Satsuma is the creamy color and the crackled glaze.

Arita Pottery

Around the same time that Satsuma pottery was created, the blue and white porcelain called Arita was also being made. These pieces are white in color with an ink like blue under glaze. They are also often decorated with figures of Japanese gods or important people. This became a very popular style in Japan, so much so that it could not be produced quickly enough to satisfy demand. Skilled workers in China were used to create Arita and ship it over for sale.

Imari Pottery

The word Imari, which is actually the name of a port near the town of Arita, is often given as a term to describe all pottery coming from Japan from 1600 onwards. The name was given due to the fact that the port was used to export pottery all over the world and therefore the term Imari pottery was born. The real names for the different types or styles of Imari pottery relate to either the places they were made in, the potter who made them or the family name.

Made In Occupied Japan

In 1945, Japan was occupied by the Allied forces as part of World War 2. During the 7 year occupation, any porcelain or pottery that was being exported out of the country had to be marked as being from Occupied Japan. Most of the pieces that were sold abroad were cheaper kitchenware or pottery pieces such as vases. Any of the good and fine pieces stayed in the country. The idea was that the mass export of these kinds of goods would help build Japan's economy and stabilize the country after the war.

Read more about Satsuma Pottery at the authors website:

http://www.satsuma-pottery.com

Variety in Pottery is the Key to Increasing Sales and Interest

In this day and age the economy is seemingly all doom and gloom. It is certainly more difficult to sell items of luxury like pottery pieces than it was during better financial times. But the key to any business is typically variety. People enjoy having choices and enjoy when things are suited to their exact needs or requests. Pottery artists should apply this to their business practice to increase sales and interest in their pottery and pottery shops. There are a number different ways to achieve this goal and not one way is ever the right way, but change and variety can certainly be good for business. Variety does not always mean there are a multitude of different pieces to choose from. Variety can also mean that the client or customer has a large number of options to choose from to customize their chosen piece. This concept of customer choice can have a profound impact on a pottery shop.

One way a pottery shop can add variety to their pottery is by letting the customer's choose the liquid glazes that they want on their pottery piece. There are so many different glazes available. A pottery shop may want to consider carrying lead free glazes. Other glaze selections a pottery shop should consider stocking are high fire glazes, low fire glazes, underglazes, overglazes, and other glazing accessories. The lead free glaze is typically very attractive to those customers with children or who are shopping for children.

Another option for pottery makers is the type of clay used for their pottery making. A pottery maker has a huge selection of clay to choose and to make pottery from. The clay difference in color and texture and can lead to different types of pottery. Mexican clay pottery is one such option that makes beautiful pottery creations. Mexican clay pottery could be a real asset to your pottery shop, especially if your local competitors do not carry this same pottery. A simple display in your shop to showcase the product that no other store has can do wonders for your sales. This can also generate interest in your shop and hopefully results in return customers.

On another note, a pottery artist cannot take advantage of all the different options and variety available in the shop without the right potters wheel. The potters wheel can really make a difference in how enjoyable the pottery making process is and how well the pottery piece turns out. Any potter should invest in a good potters wheel.

Why Not Make Your Own Pottery?

You may have seen all of the beautiful pottery that is available to you and your family. Maybe you have some in your home. That's great, but you can make your own studio pottery as well.

So, you have purchased some pottery of your own for your house. You notice how attractive it has made certain areas of your home. If you use pottery in the right places, it can truly brighten up the feel of the home. Rather than spend a great deal more money on other pieces, why not try to create your own pottery? You may even what to sell it online and make some extra money.

So, what are the differences between the Catalina or Blue Moon Pottery and what you can make? Not much really. It just kind of depends on what you are looking to get out of what you are using. If you decide to look for the store bought pottery, you will want to check in many different places, but the first should be the Internet. This is because there are so many different items that are for sale on the Internet. There are many people that are looking for studio pottery that you should be able to find a buyer for your wares pretty easily.

What if you are interested in other types of pottery, like Catalina? You can even find this kind of pottery on the Internet or you can get it from a pottery dealer. That way you will be getting the best deal on all of your pottery items and could make you money with them in the end. You will also be able to get these pieces from the Internet. Again, there are a ton of places that sell pottery pieces and you will be able to get a good deal if you are willing to look for the right place.

The bottom line is that whether you choose to get Blue Mountain Pottery or to try and make your own studio pottery, you will love the way that your house feels once you have it. You will also be happy that you took a little time to look around at the different places that you would need to go to get the pottery that you desire. So, what are you waiting for? Get your ideas together and go look at the great options that you and your pottery needs. That way you will be able to make or to buy the one that is just right for you.

Pricing of Roseville Pottery

"Roseville Pottery" is a large company which produced this type of pottery throughout the 19th and the 20th century. Some of these potteries still remain nowadays but most of them are very expensive. There are many Roseville pottery collectors who approximately estimate the value of some of these potteries so that the pottery can be sold to an interested costumer. If you are one of these costumers who is struggling to purchase a Roseville pottery but you don't know what prices they range from, let me tell you some details and statistics.

Firstly, if you are looking forward to purchase a pottery of this kind, you must be the type of person who really loves purchasing antiques and doesn't really care about the price because they can be quite high sometimes. Since I mentioned high prices of the Roseville pottery, a vase belonging to this kind of pottery was sold for around forty thousand dollars, to be more precise, for $38,850 in 1999. Of course this doesn't have to be the price you are offering to pay for this pottery but I mentioned this just as a fact. On the other hand, in 2001 a professional collector of Roseville pottery purchased a thirty year old collection for $700,000.

If you are still looking forward to purchase your own pottery, let's get serious. A typical vase which belongs to this type of pottery may vary from a few hundred dollars to one thousand or more. Other potteries have similar prices and exact prices can be found on online auction sites too including eBay, and if you are good enough you will be able to purchase a pottery for a low price. There is another online auction site called Pottery Auction which is especially dedicated to selling pottery so you might be interested to look there too. But you must know that if you don't have a few hundreds on your pocket, you will not be able to buy real antiques. Have a good luck, because you will need it!

What is Art Pottery?

We all know what pottery is, so the phrase "Art Pottery" refers to any pottery that is decorative, stylish, attractive or even beautiful... a work of art... Art Pottery!

Obviously "art" is open to interpretation, but since there is so much to choose from, anyone can fall in love with some form of art pottery. A favorite of many is Roseville, also others such as McCoy and Weller are very desirable and quite popular. There are over fifty categories of pottery on eBay alone with thousands of pieces to view at any given time. With so much diversity there is enough Art Pottery for everyone.

Art pottery is designed not only for beauty but also functionality. This makes art pottery a welcomed addition to any home. You can get matching pieces with the same design so as to emphasize a specific theme or color throughout your home. For example, Roseville is renown for its floral themes and since everyone likes flowers it can be an impressive addition to your home.

Many pottery manufacturers are no longer in business and so their pieces are valuable to collect. Some are considered antiques and should be displayed only. Some pottery companies are still manufacturing after over a century of business. Some relatively new pottery companies are producing interesting work of great quality with a more modern look. Whatever your taste you will be able to find something to fit your fancy.

It used to be that the only way you could expose yourself to Art Pottery, so as to learn about what is out there and its value, was by visiting antique shops, yard sales and purchasing books on the the subject of Art Pottery or going to retailers who stock one brand or another. Now learning and acquiring is made easy with the Internet and sites like eBay. Just the thousands of images of Art Pottery alone, found on the Internet, add up to quite an education. By researching Internet dealers and auction sites you can get a good idea of what various pieces of Art Pottery are worth. You are also able to view Art Pottery from all over the world and even acquire some if you like.

Collecting and displaying Art Pottery can be a very satisfying hobby and can really beautify your home. There is quite a bit of history behind some of the companies who used to manufacture Art Pottery, their techniques and the artist they hired to design their lines. When this is researched it gives more value to the Art Pottery you display.

The Variety of Collectible Pottery Brands

Do you or someone you know collect pottery? Do you know anything about the history of collectible brands of pottery? If not, you might find some of these facts interesting. If you don't collect pottery, consider that it is not only a fun hobby, but it can also be profitable. Unique pieces can grow in value over time, and you can earn a profit from your collection, eventually. If you decide to hang on to your pottery collection, you can use it to decorate your room, home, front yard, or back yard.

There are a number of quality historical pottery brands out there. These include Hull, Roseville, McCoy, Frankoma, and Bennington Potters. Here is a little information on each of these successful pottery business owners.

The story of Hull Pottery, from its early stoneware items to a full-scale business, is a rich history. The company is most famous for its Little Red Riding Hood cookie jar, a piece surrounded by a great deal of controversy.

Frankoma began in 1933 and continued production through to 2004, when it was sold. Best known for its green glaze, Frankoma pieces have only recently gained a great deal of popularity with collectors.

McCoy Pottery produced a vast list of pieces throughout its eighty-year history. Despite many corporate and structural changes, McCoy prevailed as a successful American pottery company.

The success of Roseville pottery, an American company that began in 1890, is another interesting story. Roseville pieces remain one of the most popular lines in collectible history.

Bennington Potters began in the mid-1960s and currently offers a variety of stoneware products. The pieces range from basic to stylish to contemporary, yet maintain the integrity of creator, David Gil.

As you can tell from these stories, pottery has been an old, traditional family business for some. You might not be able to make your own pottery, or start your own pottery business, per se, but you can certainly collect pottery. You can also pass it down through generation after generation. Think of the value it may have for your great-grandchildren.

Whether you decide to keep your pottery collection and pass it down to family, or sell it online or at an auction for profit, collecting pottery is a fulfilling hobby. The more you know about its history, the more intrinsic value it can have for you. Learn about pottery, and maybe you will decide to collect it on your own.

Throwing Pottery is Great Fun

The act of throwing pottery, which is essentially to create pottery through the use of a device known as a potter's wheel is one that many people go into their first pottery class expecting to enjoy immediately. While it is an essential pottery skill for some of the many pottery techniques, it is not something that is generally taught in the first class of an introduction to pottery sort of environment. Unless you are taking a class that is particular focused on learning to throw pottery it is typically a skill that you will get around to eventually rather than jumping into feet first.

If you are not a dip your toe in the water sort of person you can always find classes and courses (many of these are taught by art shops and museums in your local area or the nearest metro area). If you cannot find an acceptable course in your area you can always search your local library for information as well as purchase various videos and books that will teach you the essentials from book stores or online. The one thing to keep in mind when it comes to throwing ceramics or pottery is that it is often best to have some sort of fundamental understanding of working with clay before you begin. It just makes the process go a little more smoothly.

If you are going to be throwing pottery or dealing with any sort of pottery on a regular basis you should familiarize yourself with the proper safety procedures for doing so. This is information that most people will receive when taking classes offered by qualified instructors and is vitally important as there are some dangerous materials that are often handled when working with ceramics. If not you can find a great list of safety measures for working with pottery by doing a simple search online. I do recommend you study them well as I am sure you do not wish to risk your health for the sake of a hobby, even one as enjoyable as making pottery.

Even after you've managed to take a course or two on throwing pottery you may be interested in taking a course that deals with a specific design style of throwing pottery. One popular style is Raku pottery. You can often purchase videos for various styles that will be rather simple to follow once you have general throwing basics down and you can move on to more stylized methods of throwing pottery that are a bit more challenging and more fun in the long run. Increasing skills and expanding them is always a great pursuit and there are simply so many things that can be accomplished with pottery.

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Staffordshire Pottery Marks

The Staffordshire Potteries refers to the area known in the 17th century for ceramic production. It consisted of six towns that make up Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, England: Tunstall, Burslem, Hanley, Stoke, Fenton and Longton. Over 1500 pottery companies have operated in Stoke-on-Trent since the early 1700's. The reason for the concentration of potteries was the local availability of clay, salt, coal and lead, which are all needed in the production of quality pottery. Some companies only stayed in business for a few years while some have been operational for over 200 years. The distinction in the pottery is found in the Staffordshire pottery marks; they clearly identify the manufacturer and the time period when the ceramic or porcelain was produced and the pottery marks could be letters, crests or symbols on the bottom of the piece.

A popular ceramic and porcelain manufacturer was Wedgwood. The first ceramic pieces circa 1860 - 1900 by Wedgwood used standard name-mark or impressed marks, "Wedgwood". The Wedgwood mark changed many times within that same time period. Another printed mark read "ROYAL STONE CHINA WEDGWOOD & Co." and incorporated a printed mark of Royal Arms. Another Wedgwood pottery mark circa 1890 - 1906 displayed a lion standing on a crown with banners circling above stating "SEMI ROYAL PORCELAIN" and the bottom banner reading, "WEDGEWOOD & CO. ENGLAND".

Another popular Staffordshire pottery was Spode. Spode was founded in 1767 by Joshua Spode who has been credited for the perfection of the formula of fine bone china. The first pottery marks circa 1780-1790 by Spode were early impressed or printed mark in upper and lower case letter of the company name. In 1805 - 1833 Spode used typical printed marks. One pottery mark was written in script , "Spode's Imperial". Another pottery mark read "Spode's New Fayence".

Staffordshire pottery marks reflect the craftsmanship of these potteries and these marks indicate who and when these pieces of art were created. Today they are used to help to date and value a piece of English pottery from the area.

Blake is the owner of a website that called AllEnglishpottery.com, which provides information on British based pottery makers as well as providing Pottery for Sale [http://www.allenglishpottery.com]. Of course one of the most popular of all pottery from England is Staffordshire Pottery [http://allenglishpottery.com/staffordshire-pottery], which can also be found at AllEnglishPottery.com.

Pottery Industry In Today's World

Pottery has offered many services to the human race from primordial times. It is amongst the oldest craft and plays an important role in the day to day life of many people. For archaeologists, pottery can be the gauge of a country's development.

Pottery is a very unique art of making artifacts from clay. The pottery industries today are not very large scale, but are working efficiently under small scale industrial groups .The artists in the small scale industries of pottery are generally from rural locations. However, the trend is changing. This change is caused by the increase in per capita income of many developing countries which leads the middle and higher class people to buy pottery handicrafts, thereby increasing the sale of pottery.

In the present day, Toshiba Ballotine Co. Ltd has a joint venture with Toshiba Corporation. The company deals in manufacturing and marketing of glass beads in pottery industries. There are many glass industries all over the world which are engaged in manufacturing reflecting mediums and pavement marking as a fine abrasive for cleaning and finishing metal parts in aerospace. Another company which deals in silica based derivative products is PQ Corporation. In India, pottery, glassware and kitchenware industries are fast developing industries. Some of the major companies in India are Hitkari potteries, Jaipur Glass Industries, Palam Potteries, Heritage Pottery, Pelican Pottery, etc. During Deepawali festival time, approximately 100 thousand rupees per month is spent on pottery. Village pottery is sold in smaller societies of India, and with the help of these markets, pottery has become very popular.

POTTERY INDUSTRY IN PRESENT DAY ASIA-

India, Pakistan, Nepal, Iran, China, UAE and Sri Lanka are the foremost Asian nations which produce and export ceramic wares. The pottery industries in Asian countries grant employment as well as standard of living benefits to both the rustic and metropolitan population. This industry plays a significant role in the total GDP of these Asian countries and plays a significant role in foreign exchange.

POTTERY INDUSTRY IN PRESENT DAY AFRICA

The pottery industry of Africa is very organized and well managed providing employment opportunities to a major part of the population. This economic activity is benefiting the country's national growth and brings employment to the poor and marginalized sections of society. The major manufacturers of pottery in Africa are: Western Cape, Morocco, Liberia, Eastern Cape, Cameroon, Gauteng, Kwa Zulu, and Natal.

EUROPE-

France, United Kingdom, Italy and Germany are the chief producers and exporters of pottery in Europe.

AUSTRALIA

Australia manufactures and exports ceramic glasses, porcelain home wares, dinnerware, and ceramic framed mirrors.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant for pottery, antiques, and figurines. When shopping for pottery, antiques and figurines, we recommend only the best online stores for international pottery, antiques, and figurines