Short and Sweet what is it worth and why so much?

So you wish to know why something can be worth more than something else that may look identical?

Before I answer that question just a few facts about the few pieces in this short video and a little why I took so much interest in learning about Meissen. I used to trawl museums and auction rooms in my quest to handle as many different types of antiques and I settled on wanting to learn as much as I could about the maker responsible for bring what would be called ‘true porcelain'(hard paste) into Europe. It is for this reason  I can never get enough knowledge about Meissen Porcelain as I am in awe to the manufactories ingenuities to producing so many different designs that at the time of their making were very prized objects and depending on the quality of the item only the rich and famous of the period would have the luxury of owning a piece. In some respects this is the case today when only the wealthy can afford the best and rarest.

Beginning with the items in this video and which would end up in the homes of either aristocracy royalty or merchants who were valued by either. Of these items the hexagonal bowl decorated with figures in the manner of Kakiemon is amongst the rarest as is the rectangular Bottger vase at the beginning of the video. I hope that by you watching my videos you will be able to share my experiences but also add to your learning.

Real learning is only made via hands on experience and building up knowledge by making extensive research that takes time and courage. When I first tried to learn  about any antique I would wonder why it was that I couldn’t tell the difference between old and older or why one piece was better painted than others. It was only through constant handling repetitively that I began to under stand. When one learns to appreciate the financial value, an example is the hexagonal bowl, what is it worth. On a good day at auction it might make £20,000. However for it to demand such a high price it would require two or more bidders. Then it would be the case of the piece being in pristine condition.

What does pristine condition mean? Pristine means as close to perfection as is possible. This means no faults, chips or hairline or firing cracks to the glaze. The bowl sits well without any uneven surfaces that allow the bowl to move on a horizontal surface. In regard to the painting; no blemishes and the design generally looks perfect.

Other factors could be its provenance, the date it was made, be it an earlier model, the rarity of the pattern, the brightness of the enamels. Many attributes will make up the decisive reason as to why this bowl may make an astounding amount or be priced high in a specialists shop.