Antiques & Potteries Specialisms

Antiques & Potteries Specialisms

Antiques and potteries are our specialist subject matter at auction and we always know which items will fetch a good price at auction.  You can also find out more on our specialist potteries page for examples of interesting lots sold at auction.

Get in touch if you have similar or unusual items that need a valuation.

What’s my Minton Pottery Worth?  

Minton Pate-sur-Pate Demitasse Cup & Saucer, Pattern H5103: Sold for £240  Minton Pottery, established in 1793 in Stoke-on-Trent, is a name that echoes through the world of ceramics. Though the company is no longer in production, its wares continue to make appearances at auctions and in antiques shops across the country. If you’ve come across …

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What are my Swarovski crystal pieces worth?

Swarovski crystals are well beloved by collectors. While Swarovski is widely known for its jewellery, they also create a vast range of decorative collectibles. These pieces combine beauty, craftsmanship and collectability, making them desirable items to collect and display. If you’re considering selling a piece, or even an entire collection, you may be wondering, “What …

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Isabella Pope Studio Pottery: Her Life’s Work 

Isabella Pope: an English studio potter and teacher about whom little is known, but whose unusual and technically proficient Planet Pots have intrigued and enthralled buyers every time they have appeared at auction. This dazzling assortment of Isabella Pope’s Planet Pots, bowls, figures and more will be featured across our November 2024 and March 2025 …

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Why You Should Buy Mid-Century Furniture at Auction

Mid-century furniture is very on trend nowadays, with a resurgence in appreciation for retro aesthetics and interior design. And with everybody looking to hop on the mid-century furniture bandwagon, finding good pieces for an affordable price can be a challenge. This is where Potteries Auctions comes in! We regularly see many fabulous mid-century pieces pass …

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What’s My Wade Pottery Worth at Auction?

Wade Ceramics Ltd, a company whose roots can be traced back over 200 years, was the latest major name in the world of pottery to fall into administration. If you think your Wade pottery is worth nothing now though, you would be mistaken! The Wade factory premises at Festival Park, Etruria, in 2011. (Credit: thepotteries.org) …

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Selling Clarice Cliff Pottery at Auction: What’s it Worth?

Clarice Cliff was a pioneer in the world of early 20th-century ceramics, blending bold colours, innovative shapes and Art Deco designs to create pieces that remain both popular and influential today. Her pottery not only reflects the artistic trends of the time, but also showcases her unique vision and creativity. Whether you’re an avid Clarice …

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Selling Your Single-Owner Collection with an Exclusive Timed Auction

Selling a single-owner collection at auction offers many advantages for both the seller and for potential buyers. These benefits stem from the unique nature of single-owner collections, which often tell a story, reflect a particular taste or passion, and offer a level of rarity and history that can enhance the appeal of the items being …

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Rare Royal Doulton Under the Hammer

Rare Royal Doulton figures continue to hold a genuine allure for buyers, with a diverse range of collectible pieces that regularly achieve high prices at auction. Examples from the 1920s and 30s in particular attract significant interest; their quality, rarity and age being significant factors. There’s also the association with royal endorsement to be considered, …

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What’s My Mouseman Furniture Worth? Mid-Century Furniture at Auction

Robert “Mouseman” Thompson furniture is well-known for its traditional styling, excellent build quality and, of course, his ubiquitous carved mouse trademark. Robert ‘Mouseman’ Thompson’s trademark carved mouse. (Credit: easyliveauction.com) Rejecting modern techniques, Thompson championed traditional construction methods, favouring the adze as his tool of choice. Carrying these ideals forward, he built a business that continues …

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How to Spot Fake Moorcroft Pottery

Highly prized by collectors since the 1800’s and still exceptionally collectible today, Moorcroft pottery is a favourite among our buyers, and you’ll find items with varying degrees of rarity, age, pattern, shape and form featured in the vast majority of our auctions. With this popularity, however, means that unfortunately there’s also plenty of fake Moorcroft …

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What are the Most Valuable Tea Sets? And the Least Valuable?

As auctioneers, immersed in the world of tea sets, we’re eager to show you the valuable tea sets currently captivating the market, alongside those quietly awaiting their moment in the spotlight. For every teapot and cup, there lies a story, and within these tales, fortunes may await.  Royal Crown Derby Imari pattern 6299 Miniature Tea …

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How to Spot Fake Royal Worcester Pottery

Good quality porcelain is often copied, and unfortunately the beautiful work of Royal Worcester is no exception, with plenty of convincing fake pottery pieces on the market. Need help deciding whether you have a fake Royal Worcester piece on your hands? Read on for some handy tips and tricks for how to spot fake Royal …

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Why are Enamel Boxes so Popular?

Enamel boxes such as those made by Moorcroft Enamels, Halcyon Days and others are highly sought-after and collectible items, owed in no small part to the time and skill it takes to produce one. The Process Copper blanks, after pressing. (Credit: www.halcyondays.co.uk) To begin with, thin copper sheets are pressed into shape. They are then …

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Is Lorna Bailey Pottery Collectible?

In the realm of collectibles, few things hold the allure and charm of pottery. Each piece tells a story, weaving together craftsmanship, history and artistic expression. Among the many pottery brands that have left their mark on British pottery enthusiasts, one name that stands out is Lorna Bailey. Lorna Bailey’s journey into creating pottery started …

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How to Tell if Your Toby Jug is Valuable

Toby jugs are charming and characterful ceramic pitchers that have captured the hearts of collectors for centuries. Still proving incredibly popular to this day – especially the more rare and limited edition jugs – here at Potteries Auctions we regularly see toby character jugs pass through our salerooms to much interest from buyers. If you’ve …

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Antique Furniture: Refresh Your Home

It’s still early in the year, and spring is about to arrive, so why not give your antique furniture the refresh it needs with Potteries Auctions? This Edwardian glazed double fronted display cabinet sold for £420 in a recent Antique Furniture & Collectors sale Giving your interior a new lease of life can be a …

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9ct Gold Jewellery, British Pottery & More up for Auction in February 2024

This Lot of three Shelley Mode shape trios, together with an Eve shape trio, will be featured in our February Antique & Collectors auction. Lot 499A, estimate £100-£150 We have some fantastic items coming up in this month’s Antique & Collectors auction. Fancy treating yourself to a new watch? Feel like your home interior needs …

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Which Beswick Horses Sell Well at Auction?

In the collectable ceramics market, few figurines have captured the hearts of enthusiasts over the years quite like the Beswick horse. Selling Beswick figures has been a cornerstone of our auction house since the 90s, so we’ve seen huge numbers of Beswick horses of all shapes, sizes and colourways pass through our saleroom over the …

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What’s My Royal Albert China Worth? Tea Sets & Dinnerware at Auction

Royal Albert China had its origins in 1896 in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, when the Albert Works pottery was purchased by Thomas Clark Wild. The following year, under the brand name Albert Crown China, Thomas Wild & Co. produced bone china pieces to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The St Mary’s Works, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent which came into …

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Antique Furniture for Sale in January 2024

The New Year beckons, and with it comes an opportunity to spruce up your home with some quality furniture items. January 2024 at Potteries Auctions promises a wonderful collection of 19th Century, Victorian and Edwardian antique furniture for sale. Lot 479 in our January 12th Antique & Collectors auction is this lovely heavily carved glazed …

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What is My Wedgwood Jasperware Worth?

Wedgwood Jasperware is one of the most ubiquitous and recognisable ceramic wares. It is celebrated and sought-after by collectors the world over. Rare pieces, in particular, can be quite valuable – so, what is your Wedgwood Jasperware worth? This pair of modern Wedgwood Jasperware incense burners on Dolphin shaped tripods sold for £650 last year …

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A Guide to Coalport China Markings and Backstamps

Coalport is renowned for producing high quality tableware, figurines and commemorative pieces that has captured the hearts of both casual appreciators and hardcore collectors alike for over 200 years. If you’re a collector or simply curious about these exquisite pieces, it’s good to understand how to identify Coalport China markings and backstamps. In this guide, …

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De Lamerie Fine Bone China & Glassware

We sell De Lamerie China, Crystal and Silverware crafted in Stoke-on-Trent and loved by collectors worldwide. To be featured in our November Fine Art auction, Lot 1070 is a fine set of four Samarkand pattern dinner plates, with an estimate of £80-£160. De Lamerie Fine Bone China utilises designs and moulds by, or inspired by, …

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A Guide to Minton Pottery Markings and Backstamps

Established in 1793, Minton Pottery is an iconic British ceramics manufacturer with a storied legacy of producing fine bone china, earthenware, and porcelain items for over two centuries. Their wares have graced the tables of nobility and have been coveted by collectors worldwide. If you’ve come across a piece of Minton porcelain or are considering …

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Buy Rare Bunnykins Figurines

An example of the Bunnykins nursery ware range. Credit: royaldoulton.com First introduced in 1934 as a range of nursery tableware featuring anthropomorphised rabbits, Bunnykins was briefly expanded into a range of figurines in 1939, with six different figures produced, before the outbreak of WWII curtailed production. Eventually reintroduced in 1969, the variety of figurines increased …

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