APPENDIX II - Price Guide to Alberta-Made Pottery

Description: This price guide is included to give you an idea as to what your pottery pieces may be worth (it is outdated as of 2021, we will work on updating it).

This is intended not for the collector but for the person with some pieces in their home. It is to help you in making a decision as to how much you should ask for an item or to know if the offer that has been made is a fair one. And should you decide to donate it to the Friends or some other museum, what amount the tax receipt may be for? It is impossible to list every item or every decoration as there were so many of them. And remember it is only a guide. Prices vary considerably from one area of Canada to another. For example, British Columbia, Alberta or Saskatchewan advertising pieces may bring a better price in their home province as that is where you are most likely to find collectors who have specialized.

Also, do not expect a dealer to offer you the price at the top of the given range. They, too, must make a living and need some room for a markup. The price ranges given here are for items in good shape, ones with no cracks, chips, staining or other damage. Such damage usually cuts the price in half, but can be more or less depending on how rare the piece is. Also, the item must be marked with the name of the company that made it. As a general rule, collectors only want pieces that have the factory name stamped somewhere on the item. The main exception to this rule is advertising, commemorative and souvenir pieces. It is desirable that they be stamped as well, but they are collected, not for the stamp but, rather, the story that they tell.

Finally, if you are unsure what something may be worth, keep it until you have a chance to check out several antique stores, shows or auction sales. Unless you want to sell it quickly, do not be afraid to ask what may seem to be a high price for it. The buyers will soon let you know if it is too high. They may make you a counteroffer, and you can of course always settle somewhere in between.