The Unique Type Of Vintage Decor Find That Is Becoming More & More Valuable

If you've ever admired unique pieces of pottery at thrift stores and estate sales, falling in love with all their quirks and charismatic flaws, you may have been looking at prized studio pottery. This type of pottery refers to pieces independently made by arts-and-crafts-driven potters, primarily in the 20th century, as a response to the hegemony of mass-produced ceramics. They prioritized craftsmanship, creativity, and singularity, and relished in testing the limits of pottery as an art form and clay as a material susceptible to manipulation and experimentation. Its groundbreaking history and growing value make studio pottery an antique decor piece that should be on your thrifting wishlist.

The fun of thrifting studio pottery is that any ceramics that look handmade and perfectly imperfect could technically fit the bill. In fact, these pieces are inherently valuable because, to this day, they are made by dedicated artists – whether the price tag reflects it or not. However, when it comes to vintage, time-honored secondhand vases, bowls, and pots, that artistic association may have been lost to time and successive family heirlooms. As a result, you might end up stumbling upon a valuable piece that was not correctly identified and evaluated, making it not only a great conversation starter at dinner parties but also a potentially profitable addition to your collection. Interest in studio pottery is on the rise, so knowing what to look for is key. 

A successful studio pottery haul is defined solely by how much you love your new pieces — especially if you're just thinking about using vintage ceramics as decor. Of course, if you're interested in collecting, aesthetics is just one of the several factors to consider. Authorship is arguably the main tenet of studio pottery, so familiarizing yourself with some of the movement's biggest names (or even with famous potters who have worked or still work in your area) is always a step in the right direction. 

Famous American artists include Peter Voulkos, Peter Callas, David Gilhooly, and Estelle Halper. But while some of their pieces may miraculously pop up at a thrift store or estate sale here and there, this would be a huge stroke of luck given their notoriety. Nevertheless, if you want to be prepared, take some time to research their signatures and the styles of pottery they most commonly produced. 

Each artist tends to have a preferred type of pottery — such as earthenware, stoneware, or porcelain — as well as specific glazing and decorative techniques they like to employ. Their oeuvre may also reveal recurring themes, shapes, or color palettes. And even if you never chance upon the work of a famous ceramicist in the wild, you'll still be a richer person for learning all about it anyway. If, on the other hand, you're the kind of thrifter who enjoys picking pieces that simply speak to you or look interesting (without much additional knowledge backing up your search), websites like Vasefinder and The Marks Project are amazing resources to authenticate your latest thrifting find.