| The sum and substance of a reputable antiques trade is authenticity and transparent business practices. All antiques (including art pottery) have the Grasmere guarantee of being true to their classification and description. All items can be expected to be in Very Good Condition or better unless clearly stated otherwise. An appropriate patina can be expected with metal and wooden objects. Uncommon aberrations in manufacture will be noted. The assigning of items to artists, manufacturers and style periods follows fixed definitions of attribution. We hold our antiques and art pottery pursuits to the definitions as listed on this page. |
Definition Of Physical Condition
Mint Condition Not in any way distinguishable from new except for, where normal for the piece, clear uniform crazing either because of a deliberate artist's slip choice or from expected maturation crazing. The piece may be considered mint and have manufacturing variations that are not inordinate and usually less than average for the piece, and only if such variations are a common characteristic of all such products from the manufacturer or artist. Mint Condition is a rare constitution and only a very few pieces ever deserve this classification. Mint Minor Condition (also called Near Mint Condition) Essentially in Mint Condition, except for signs of significant shelf wear in use on the foot of the piece. The piece may also, if typical of such examples from the genre or like manufacturers, have a small number of (usually not more than 2-3) small evidences of wear; the wear may be so small as to be not immediately apparent, and the wear may be hard to find with the unaided eye, and may sometimes be visible with a magnifying glass, or by touch. This category may also include items that are mint, but have an average amount or greater number of manufacturing flaws. Excellent Condition Distinguishable from new because the item shows some wear or deposit or dirt accumulation on any surface of the item and/or on the base that shows that is has rested on a display surface over time. If it is normal for the class of ceramic, it may have clean clear crazing. If it is normal for the class of ceramic, slip choice, genre, manufacturer, or artist it may have an average amount or less of manufacturing defects such as glaze burrs, skipped glaze or pinhole bubbles, etc. There will be no damage or repairs such as chips, cracks, hairline cracks or scratches. However, where it is typical for the piece, and /or extremely rare to find like or similar items without such wear, or when wear is virtually always found on like items, for example on applied or cold painted gold leaf, gold detail or cold painted (unfired) paint, then the piece may have such commonly found and minor wear. Very Good Condition These items will be free of damage or repairs such as chips or cracks to the body of the piece. The item may be surface scratched to an average degree, or it may have some wear to applied glaze, gold leaf, applied or fired gold detail or cold painted (unfired) paint. The item may also have surface deposits ( for example from water or soil ). If it is normal for the class of ceramic, slip choice, genre, manufacturer or artist, the item may have an average amount or more than average amount of manufacturing defects such as glaze burrs, skipped glaze or pinholes, glaze bubbles, "popped" glaze bubbles, etc. Good Condition We usually do not offer items in merely Good Condition unless they are so rare and desirable that, we feel the collector may be interested in the piece. Items in Good Condition may have repairs or one or more hairline cracks which do not constitute a vital structural impairment, small chips to base (not visible on display), or apparent wear noticeable during normal display. The repairs, damage or wear will be listed and described. Manufacturing Flaw (also Factory Flaw) These flaws can take so many forms that we can't list them all or fully describe them here. This definition is meant only to give you a sampling of some of the types of manufacturing variations that can be found. Glaze Burr: A small, usually from 1/32" to about 1/4" glazed over protrusion caused by foreign matter or a piece of clay that stuck to the unglazed ceramic prior to painting and/or glazing, and adhered. Almost always glazed over, unless it was subject to a glaze miss. Glaze Miss: An area of the ceramic or pottery that was not glazed but would have been glazed if the glaze was applied perfectly. Glaze Bubble: A small, usually from 1/32" to about 1/4", glazed over protrusion caused by an air bubble under the glaze. Often found glazed over, but my be a ring shaped protrusion with a raised lip that is usually smooth. Glaze or Paint Miss or Skip: An area that missed being glazed; sometimes this is where a painted glaze that was brushed on suffered a skip of the brush that resulted in not depositing glaze. Pinhole: An extremely small hole in the glaze, and sometimes through to the ceramic. Roughness: A rough area in an otherwise smooth to touch surface that is painted or glazed over when manufactured. May also describe unusual roughness in unglazed ceramic or clay. Damage Damage and wear can take many forms, and therefore these definition are not exact or exhaustive, but are meant to give a general idea of what we usually mean by damage versus wear. Damage includes chips, cracks, glaze flakes, glaze scratches, hairline cracks, etc., that were not caused during the manufacturing process. If a defect was caused during the manufacturing process, we instead consider it a Manufacturing Flaw or Defect. When we say that a piece has damage, we are always speaking of damage that happened after the piece left the factory, and not of damage that occurred in the factory, as best as we can determine by examination. . Wear might be considered a form of damage by some, however we will distinguish wear from damage where damage implies some sort of breakage. Wear of glaze or ceramic includes light surface scratching, evidence of rubbing, paint or applied gold that as worn off or flaked, corrosion, stains, mineral or other deposits.
Definition Of Attribution
All major auction houses and galleries observe glossaries of attribution terminology. This is to ensure that the provenance of each artifact has been properly stated. Grasmere abides by the terminology as stated below. It is - with minor variations - in accordance with common terminology employed in the field.
A work listed with the name(s) or recognized designation of an artist without any qualification, is, in our opinion, a work by the artist ("artist" stands here collectively for artist/maker/manufacturer/company)
“By ..." in our opinion a work by the artist
In other cases, the following expressions with the following meaning are used:
“Cast from a model by " in our opinion a work from the artist’s model, originating in his circle and cast during his lifetime or shortly thereafter.
“Attributed to " in our opinion probably (but not with utmost certainty) a work by the artist in whole or in part.
“In the style of. ” in our opinion a work of the period of the artist and closely related to his style. “In the manner of “ in our opinion a work executed in the artists style but of a later date “After “ in our opinion a copy (of any date) of a work of the artist. "From the studio of " in opinion a work executed under direct or indirect supervision of the artist "From the school of " in our opinion a work executed under the direct supervision of the artist. "From the circle of " in our opinion a work of the period of the artist and closely related to his style.
“Signed “ in our opinion the signature/date/inscription/stamp is by the artist “Dated " “Inscribed " “Stamped "
“Bearing the signature " in our opinion the signature/date/inscription/stamp is not by the artist “Bearing the date " “Bearing the inscription" “Bearing the stamp"
"Period reproduction of "
in our opinion a work closely related to the original style /work but reproduced in a later period but at least not within the last 100 years
"Reproduction of "
in our opinion a work closely related to the original style /work but reproduced within the past 100 years
"Recent reproduction of "
in our opinion a work closely related to the original style /work but reproduced within the last 10 years
"Recent or Current production of " in our opinion an original work produced within the last 10 years (i.e Van Briggle pottery issuing the same mold in the 1940s as well as in the 1990s)
Glossary (endorsed terms)
|
|
Ab·er·ra·tion n. 1. A deviation from the proper or expected course. 2. A departure from the normal or typical. [edit.: i.e. glazed over separation lines in the clay body of a vase; glaze pops occurred during firing; "touching marks" of vases (vase bodies touching in the kiln); leaning of an object {more than 10 degrees}; experimental colors on standard molds]
An·tique n. An object having special value because of its age, especially a domestic item or piece of furniture or handicraft esteemed for its artistry, beauty, or period of origin. [edit. According to U.S. Customs regulations, items more than 100 years old and can be brought into the country duty free. For Grasmere, early Art Deco (1905-1930) is the last antique period]
Art Deco n. 1. A decorative and architectural style (1920-1930/1941 ; Encyclopedia Britannica) characterized by geometric and rectilinear designs, bold colors, and the use of plastic, steel and glass. Generally, the Art Deco period began around 1900 and, in Europe, weakened considerably in influence around 1930 with the onset of the Great Depression. In the United States, however, Art Deco managed to survive the depression and continued until the US's entering into the second World War in 1941. The 1939 New York World's fair was probably the last great event in the Art Deco style.
Art Nouveau n. A style of decoration and architecture (1890 - 1910 ; Encyclopedia Britannica) characterized particularly by the depiction of leaves and flowers in flowing, sinuous lines. [French : art, art + nouveau, new.]
Art And Crafts Movement n. Refers to the loosely-linked group of craftsmen, artists, designers and architects, in the late 19th century (1870 -1900 ; Encyclopedia Britannica), who aimed to raise the status of the applied arts to that of the fine arts, and committed to hand-crafting, as opposed to machine-production. This movement stressed unassuming, "humble" designs.
Attribution n. 1 : the act of attributing; especially : the ascribing of a work (as of literature or art) to a particular author or artist
n. . The systematic grouping of objects into categories on the basis of structural relationships between them.
Classification
Class n. Abbr. cl. 1. A set, collection, group, or configuration containing members regarded as having certain attributes or traits in common; a kind or category. {edit.: i.e. materials of manufacture: silver, porcelain, pewter; style periods: Art Nouveau, Victorian; dates of manufacture: 1900-1920 }
click here if you received
only a single page without the left-hand site menu