Our Photo Advice

When we request that you send us photos of your pieces for possible sale or consignment we would appreciate it if you would follow our “Photo Advice.”

We need the best, largest and highest resolution photos you can send us:

  • If a pot: photos of all 4 sides plus the bottom of the pot and a view down into the top that includes the entire rim.
  • If a plate: large clear photos of the top and bottom.
  • Large clear photos of anything else of note on the piece: chips, scratches, cracks, broken bits, rubs, etc.

Use the “automatic color correction” functionality of your camera or phone if it has it, don’t do any color correction yourself. And the less busy your background, the better.

Photos should be like this (except as large and high-resolution as you can make them – click on these and they get much larger):

First photo of the side of a pot before starting to take photos
Side 1, with a soda can for perspective

Measure your pot height in inches. Lay a piece of stiff paper or cardboard on top of the pot and measure the height of the cardboard.

Then measure the diameter – never the circumference (around the pot). Take two pieces of stiff paper or cardboard and stand them up in parallel on each side of the pot. Measure the distance between them.

A photo of the pot with a ruler is not acceptable. If you are uncertain, take a photo of your piece with a soda can.

Photo of the second side of the pot used for this photo demo, still with the soda can in place
Side 2 of the piece, rotated 90 degrees and still with the soda can
Third photo of the side of the pot used for this photo demo
Side 3, rotated 90 degrees and with the soda can still in place
Fourth shot of the sides of the piece used for this photo demo
Side 4, rotated 90 degrees from side 3
Photo of the rim of the pot used for this photo demo
A clear shot of the rim
A photo of the signature on the bottom of a pot
A clear photo of the signature

Turn the piece over and get a good, high-resolution photo of the signature area (most signatures are on the bottom of a piece, some are just above the bottom on the side, a few are hidden somewhere on the body of the piece and a very few are inscribed just below the rim).

Anyway, take a good shot of the bottom of the piece. If the signature is located somewhere else on the piece, take a good shot of that, too. If you see any other items like scratches, chips, rubs, water damage, etc., please send us good photos of those, too.