Antique Japanese Pottery

There are plenty of people around the world interested in collecting antique Japanese pottery.  One of these pieces of pottery will look lovely in your hallway or living room on display.  Collecting this pottery isn’t for everyone though, since many of the pieces are quite expensive.

Things You Need to Know Before Buying Antique Japanese Pottery

Collecting isn’t for the faint of heart either.  You will need to have plenty of experience under your belt before you go off on your own and start buying pieces of  antique Japanese pottery.  Here are a few simple tips to help get you started.

The whole point of buying antiques is to get pieces that are truly authentic.  You certainly don’t want to get tricked into paying a lot of money for a fake piece.  Some pieces of antique Japanese pottery look extremely original although they aren’t.

You definitely need to consider where you’re buying antique Japanese pottery from.  There are reputable dealers on the market who will serve as some of the most trustworthy sources.  However, many collectors go hunting at antique stores or even flea markets.

Buying antique Japanese pottery from antique stores can certainly be a good option.  At least you’ll know that most of the items to choose from will truly be antiques.  You will have to have a good eye when looking to purchase antique Japanese pottery from a flea market though.

As mentioned earlier, buying this type of pottery from a dealer will likely be your best option.  The main disadvantage of doing so though is that you will get charged the most money.  It’s never a good thing to walk into a dealer armed with only a little bit of knowledge regarding antique Japanese pottery though.

You can easily get tricked if you don’t have experience to fall back on.  At the very least, you should spend a fair amount of time researching pieces that you’re interested in.  This can give you a good gauge of its approximate value.

Whenever buying antique Japanese pottery, it is vital that you look it over thoroughly.  Items with defects are worth much less than their untarnished counterparts.  Ideally, you will also touch the piece to get a good feel for it.  Cheaply produced counterfeit pottery will have a smoother feel to it most likely.

If you’re looking to buy antique pottery that was produced after 1890 or 1891, then it will likely have a stamp marking its manufacturer and authenticity.  This will likely be found on the bottom of the piece.  Those made before this year though may not have a stamp on it.

It’s not always a simple task to find a mark on antique Japanese pottery.  This is especially the case if it happened to be made by an offbeat artist or manufacturer.  You may have to look closely in the design to find the mark.

If you have the budget, then buying truly antique Japanese pottery is something that you can spend your time and money on.  Just make sure that you’re buying authentic items whenever you make a purchase.