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How to Identify Antique Handmade Pottery

Pieces of antique, handmade pottery can be considered works of art, and sometimes they are difficult to identify. Using simple techniques, however, you can identify a piece of antique, handmade pottery to determine its history as well as its value. The process includes finding the maker̵7;s mark as well as using the item's other physical features.

Things You'll Need

Magnifying glass

Instructions

- 1
  Search for features that indicate the pottery was handmade and is old. The person who made it may have used a potter's wheel or molded the piece by hand, baked it in a kiln, glazed it and painted it by hand. Antique pottery has evidence of wear, slight imperfections in the pottery or paint, or even some damage, such as chipping.
- 2
  Look for the maker's mark on the bottom or underside of the pottery. Use a magnifying glass if necessary. Study the mark's design, which may include numbers. The maker's mark identifies the artist or company that made the piece of pottery. Maker's marks may vary from artist to artist and from country to country.
- 3
  Note the piece's physical characteristics, including its weight and shape. Even the type of clay that was used can identify who made the pottery. For instance, pottery with beige clay is traced to Southwest American Indians.
- 4
  Look for other identifying features on the pottery. For example, it may be earthenware or porcelain, and it may be hand-painted.
- 5
  Research the pottery's maker̵7;s mark and its other physical characteristics by using Internet resources and books about antique, handmade pottery. Compare designs on the pottery with those sources for a correlation, such as common themes or similar tool marks.

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