"Art In Clay" – The Best of North Carolina Colonial Ceramics

St. Asaph's (Alamance County)  Sugar Bowls

If you like ceramics, have an interest in North Carolina history, or are interested in Moravian and Quaker ceramics, the “Art in Clay” exhibit at MESDA (Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts) is a must see exhibit. Even if you haven’t previously had an interest in North Carolina redware, this exhibit may pleasantly surprise you.

Moravian Owl Bottle

As the culmination of four years of work, research and study, the “Art in Clay” exhibit showcases early North Carolina pottery by presenting examples from some of the premier collections in the country. Ok, so you’ve seen North Carolina early pottery before, so, what’s the big deal about “Art in Clay”? It’s just mud, correct? Redware? Think again. What makes this project and exhibit unique is that the work and research culminating with the exhibit has literally re-written history. And then there’s the fact that this slip decorated redware North Carolina pottery is some of the most beautiful pottery every made! Plain redware it is not.

Due to the combined efforts between ceramic experts, potters, historians, archeologists, and chemists, this pottery from the Piedmont area has unquestionably been identified, dated and attributed, even reattributed in some instances. Moravian pottery has been appreciated for many years due to its originality, beauty and form, but now we know that some of this previously attributed Moravian pottery was actually made by German immigrants who lived and worked in other areas of North Carolina, particularly in the St. Asaph’s area of Alamance County. That’s what has changed history!

Moravian Aust Shop Sign

And now the WOW factor kicks in; we are talking about highly decorated slip pottery, dating to the 1770’s into the early 1800’s. And this is not plain, glazed pottery, but beautifully decorated and brightly colored pottery. There are not only plates and mugs, but these really cool lidded storage containers that we now know are sugar bowls, animal forms and flasks. Very little of this pottery is signed, and attributions have been made by researching potters’ kiln sites, inventory records and other early documented sources. By comparing signed or known pieces and using pottery sherds from the archeological digs, dating and geographic attribution of the pottery can be determined. And the Moravian Aust shop sign, a cornerstone piece of the exhibit, is a fabulous one of a kind ceramic bowl style sign that will dazzle you when you walk into the exhibit room.

Work by the early Moravian Potters of Aust and Christ are included in the exhibit…no surprise there. But, works by the German potters from the Loy family living and working in the St. Asaph’s area of Alamance County, and works by Quaker Potters, have also been identified and are included in the exhibit. And these Quaker made pieces are also highly decorated and beautiful. There are about 120 items included, many borrowed from private collectors (some being heirs of the original potters), the Henry Ford Museum, MESDA, Colonial Williamsburg and others. And the items from private collections will be returned to their owners at the end of the exhibit; this two year travelling exhibition is the only way to ever see these privately owned pieces.

Punch Bowl

I was fortunate to attend a symposium dedicated to this exhibit, and heard from some of the researchers who worked on this project. There were seminars by ceramics experts, potters, archeologists and historians, all of whom contributed to the research. I participated in special curator led tours of the exhibit, including a tour by Joanna Brown and one by Luke Beckerdite. According to Luke Beckerdite, this collection includes “the best slip decorated colonial ceramics in America.” And coming from a nationally renowned ceramics expert, that’s a pretty good endorsement for North Carolina redware!

And since I am an appraiser, people always ask me about value. Is this old North Carolina pottery valuable? You bet. In 2001, Sotheby’s sold a female figural flask, modeled as a girl standing with a small flower spray clasped before her with her long dress covered in a rich green glaze, and dated 1800 for $31,800 including the buyer’s premium. Now, this is really a one of a kind, very rare item; the other more common pieces are less expensive. In 2010, Brunk Auction sold a simple 7” brown squirrel bottle for $700.00 plus buyer’s premium. And the squirrel had some chips and cracks, and the date was not authenticated! But still, very impressive values!

But this is something you need to see for yourself! We are fortunate that this exhibit is currently at MESDA (Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts in Winston Salem) and will be there until August 14, 2011. This is a fabulous opportunity to see our North Carolina redware at its best, and to educate yourself about Moravian, St. Asaphs, and Quaker North Carolina pottery. More information on the exhibit can be found at http://www.oldsalem.org/artinclay.html. In a future blog post, we’ll talk a little more about how the slipware pottery was made, but don’t miss the opportunity to see the real stuff. As you walk through the exhibit cases, see if you can tell how the Moravian, St. Asaphs, and Quaker pottery differ from each other. And enjoy them for their beauty; they are truly works of art!

Vicky Nash Shaw,

ISA CAPP Certified Antique and Art Appraiser

919 475-6930

http://www.theauthenticappraisal.com/

Shaw featured at the Regent Relics Roadshow

For the second year, the Durham Regent Community will host a Roadshow style appraisal fair for antiques and collectibles. The Regent Relics Roadshow (Appraisal Fair) will be held on Saturday, August 14th 2010 from 2:00 to 5:00 pm at 3007 Pickett Road, Durham, NC. I (Vicky Nash Shaw) will be one of the featured appraisers.

The cost per item valued is $15.00 for the first three items, and additional items are $10.00 each. Discount certificates for three items may be purchased in advance at the same location during normal business hours. Proceeds for this event will benefit the Shriners' Circus for children and will be also be used for children's school supplies. For more information, contact Becky Vollers @ 919-490-6224.

During the 2009 appraisal fair, the local community brought a wide range of items for valuation. Treasures included furniture, paintings, prints, clocks, WWI collectibles, porcelain, pottery, books, silver and dolls. What's hot in the market right now? Silver flatware and hollowware, gold items, Asian ceramics, and Chinese export silver and porcelain typically command strong values right now.

So, if a quick valuation meets your requirements, this Roadshow style appraisal fair is a good way to receive a general valuation. Time with the appraiser is limited, and no research will be done; however, if you just need general information and a value range, it’s a great way to receive a ballpark valuation for a reasonable donation. It is always a fun afternoon, as the residents of the Durham Regent Community are delightful. I hope to see you there!

(2009 Regent Relics Event.)


Vicky Nash Shaw, ISA CAPP
Certified Antique and Art Appraiser

A FABulous Affair

In early November, I worked as a featured appraiser in Melbourne's Brevard Cultural A lliance's second annual Fabulous Affair, which is an Antique Roadshow style appraisal fair. The event, sponsored by the Brevard Cultural Alliance of Brevard County, Florida, featured six celebrity appraisers from across the United States. I was fortunate to be one of those appraisers and to participate in this well organized event. Proceeds went to the Cultural Alliance’s Art Fund. The attendance at the event was more than anticipated, and everyone seemed to enjoy learning more about articles from their collections.

The diversity of items for which I provided verbal approximations of value was incredible; there were lots of fabulous treasures belonging to local residents. Many of the items were accompanied by great stories, some had documented historical provenance, and some have been in families for generations.

I valued items in my specialty area and, as I am also a generalist appraiser, I also valued a wide variety of decorative items and collectibles. Overall, I saw around 140 items during the 7 ½ hour appraisal fair. Asian art and ceramics were very prevalent; I saw some of the best Asian paintings that I have seen in my appraisal career, including one with provenance from an early US ambassador. There was also a variety of quality Chinese ceramics, including a Sung dynasty bowl, Chinese export porcelain, and Chinese blue and white porcelain.

I valued a number of Japanese items, including Satsuma pottery, woodblock prints, scrolls, and even an early 19th century Japanese matchlock rifle. And then there were the two fabulous Turkish bracelets with hand painted miniature tiles which were absolutely gorgeous. There was a large assortment of family silver items, including American sterling silver bowls, English sterling flatware and German 800 silver….all items for which their owners should have written appraisals for insurance purposes. One piece of English sterling flatware was a John William Blake hallmarked piece, complete with an 1824 datemark. Also with family provenance were porcelain sets of china and dishes, including some manufactured by some of the best 19th century English and French manufacturers, including Coalport, Worcester and Limoge. One collector had a two Egyptian tomb figurines, including an Ushabti, and while another collector brought two pre-Columbian figurines.

Barbie made her appearance, complete with a dated 1961 vinyl case. There were also German dolls, some quite collectible. Musical instruments were abundant, with the most impressive ones I saw included a 1938 Martin Guitar and a late 18th century signed Holt violin.

As in any appraisal fair, there were lines, but the seating which was provided made the time pass quickly. Organizers from the Brevard Cultural Alliance provided shuttle transportation, had well marked item drop off points, and insured that everyone was directed to the right appraisers, making the day a “FABulous Affair.” Attendees seemed to enjoy seeing items brought to the event by other attendees, and everyone seemed to enjoy the event. The day was long, but was lots of fun for appraisers and collectors alike.

If you want to have some of your collectibles valued at an appraisal fair, watch for local press releases which advertise these types of event. And, be sure you choose an event which features credentialed appraisers by ISA, ASA, or AAA. And never take your collectibles to an event where organizers or appraisers are purchasing items; appraisers at appraisal fairs should always be unbiased, and never have a personal interest in the item they are valuing. If you can not find an appraisal fair, you can always hire an appraiser for a verbal approximation of value; if you have several items, hiring an appraisal for an hour or so can provide you with a wealth of information.

Authentic Appraisal & Estate Services, LLC (c) 2009
Vicky Nash Shaw, ISA CAPP
Certified Appraiser of Personal Property

919 475-6930 email: vicky.shaw@verizon.net

Art, Antiques and Hurriances!

When homeowners prepare for hurricanes, often their art and antiques get overlooked. The Miami CBS4 Affiliate ran an informative and public service article last week; the article was authored by their reporter Jorges Estavez. Here’s a portion of his report:

“When you are preparing for a hurricane, most of us have the basics, like boarding up the house, putting up shutters and stockpiling items like water, batteries, and canned food, down to a science. But there's still the issue of protecting your valuables, the ones you can't lock up like expensive furniture or antiques? Porcelain figurines, ornate chairs, priceless decorations, these are the items on a new kind of hurricane check list.

One woman, who asked to remain anonymous, told CBS4's Jorge Estevez she doesn't want you to make the same mistake she did with her stuff which got ruined after Hurricane Andrew. "My feeling was I really wanted to make sure that I knew what the appraisal value was, God forbid something should happen again," she said. Ever since, she has had everything appraised and thinks everyone else should too.

So make sure and ask yourself before a storm actually begins to head for South Florida, are my antiques checked? An appraisal can cost a couple of hundred dollars, but it could help you save thousands in the future.”To see the entire article, see: www.cbs4.com/local.valuables.antiques.appraisal.2.1109336.html.

Here in North Carolina, we are exposed to potential hurricane and wind damage, even in the areas of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. It is important to remember that although your homeowners’ insurance may be adequate, it is the responsibility of the homeowner to provide proof of existence and valuation of all art, antiques and collectibles. Insurance companies’ claim policies have different provisions. Without an insurance appraisal, many homeowners have limited options after their loss, and some insurance companies only allow for decorative replacement valuation for art and antiques unless adequate proof of real valuation exists prior to the damage or loss. Investment in an insurance appraisal for your original art, high end collectibles, and period furniture is always a wise choice, especially after you spend a lifetime acquiring your collection.

I provide my clients with two signed original copies of their appraisal: one to retain in their home and one to be retained either by an insurance agent or to be stored outside the home in a secure location. In addition, I retain copies of the appraisal and my notes for five years. So, if a loss occurs, clients will always have access to copies of their appraisal document which not only provides value, but also has detailed item descriptions and photographs. If items have significant historical provenance, I include that information within the appraisal, as provenance can greatly impact value. And, because I have viewed the items included in the appraisal, I am a valuable resource for homeowners who need to prove that items actually existed within their home! For more information on insurance appraisals, see the insurance appraisal section of my website: www.TheAuthenticAppraisal.com/appraisals.php#insurance.

Another good altnernative to insurance appraisals are home inventories, especially when prepared by a professional. Again, you not only have the inventory in a formal document, but your appraiser is your best advocate in the event of a loss.

Vicky Nash Shaw, ISA AM
Accredited Antique and Art Appraiser

Raleigh Antiques Roadshow

The arrival of Antiques Roadshow to any city is always exciting and Raleigh was no exception. Not only was the show a resounding success, but records were set! The highest valuation ever presented during an Antiques Roadshow session occurred last weekend in Raleigh, NC. A four piece set of Chinese jade, from the 18th century, was valued between $700k and $1.07 million. The previous highest record was a 2008 valuation of $500,000 for a Clyfford Still abstract painting.

The carved celadon jade collection included a large bowl crafted for the Chinese emperor. The bowl was identified by markings which translated as "By Imperial Order." The owner of the jade inherited them from her father, who purchased them in China during the 1930's and 40's.

The Raleigh event also shattered another record.According to an Associated Press report, Antiques Roadshow received over 34000 ticket requests, setting another record as the highest level previously requested had been 29,000 requests. Over 5,000 people actually attended the event, bringing everything from furniture to art to arrowheads to jewelery. According to Antiques Roadshow, three segments will be developed from the filming of the Raleigh event, and they will air in 2010.

So, what does this mean for the Triangle area? From my perspective, it indicates that there is not only a huge interest in art, antiques and collectibles in central North Carolina, but it also highlighted the quality of the collections which exist in North Carolina. Other states are often cited as havens for collectors, but we now know that there are a large number of quality collections and serious collectors in North Carolina. Many residents across the state, not only in Raleigh, Chapel Hill and Durham, collect "stuff" and I believe the upcoming episodes will illustrate just how good these collections are. When you watch the show, I think you will see a varied assortment of fabulous items...most from homes across North Carolina. So, whether you collect Chinese export porcelain, silver, art glass, pottery or postcards, you are in the company of other serious collectors across North Carolina!

If you missed Antiques Roadshow, there are other ways to have your items valued. So, check back for my next blog which will talk about having YOUR items appraised. Also, see my website at http://www.theauthenticappraisal.com/ for appriasal information.


(c)2009 Vicky Nash Shaw
Authentic Appraisal & Estate Services, LLC
http://www.theauthenticappraisal.com/