By Jessica Graybill

From time to time we’re asked if we can help determine the value of someone’s inherited or found Italian pottery. Because we’ve been in the business a long time, we have an extensive knowledge of Italian ceramics and we’re familiar with today’s major studios, of which there are hundreds. However, it is important to note that Italy’s contemporary ceramics production began during the Renaissance, so there are certainly a lot of makers who have been lost to the sands of time, and beyond the reputable studios with whom we currently work, there’s probably thousands of individual potters who make only limited collections and small batches. There’s no way for any one entity to be familiar with them all, try as we might!

Determining value of handmade ceramics is a tricky thing because there’s a lot of factors to consider. Age, condition, size, level of detail and artist all play a part, but personal value is often the biggest consideration. The best way to gauge the value of your particular piece is to look on eBay for items of similar style, size, and with similar amounts of decoration. eBay will tell you what those items are selling for in today’s market, and you can gauge the value of your own item from there.