Anyway, I have a dillema. I have to pick out five pots to go on initial display in the exhibition - not all the pots go out at any one time. But I don't know what to pick. I haven't really even narrowed it down to two choices, but here are two that I am thinking might be suitable, and I need some help in making the decision.
First choice is five shino pots, but they are different styles and heights. The two that perhaps stand out less here are the two tankards. They are heavily ashed and, to my mind, just lovely. If I wasn't desperate for the money, I'd probably keep one if not both of them. But I'm not entirely sure they're going to appeal to everyone. The others are a jar with flat rim, a jar with pinched lugs and a bottle.
The second choice gets rid of the bottle and the jar with the lugs, and replaces them with the two oval/flat vases with the hyplas slip. They are quite dramatic, but quite different from the other pots. So, they perhaps contrast with the shino pots to show a range of pots. The first choice represents a body of work, perhaps - they act as a whole. This choice is five pots all about the same size.
So, choice 1 or choice 2? Or some other mix?
Now... prices. What do you think. Bearing in mind the this firing cost me a lot in wood, and that there's a commission charge of 30%. I was thinking, 25 pounds for the tankards, 35 for the two jars, 25 for the two flat slipped vases and 40 for the bottle. Too much? Or too little? I guess the jar is about 6-7 inches tall, the jar with the lugs about six inches, the two flat vases about 5 inches, the bottle about 8 inches.
I'm hopeless at this. I want to sell the pots - I don't want to bring them home - but I don't want to undersell them either. Nor do I want to appear greedy (even though I almost certainly am.)
Thoughts?
11 comments:
Hey Andrew,
I like the first group of pots. As far as prices, I'm not familiar with the exchange rates...
Pricing the pottery is one of my least favorite tasks!
I like the two ovally ones, they go well colour wise as a contrast but I'd put the bottle in for a bit more height with the two tankards.
How about that to throw a spanner in the works, neither of your options.
Prices, I hate that too but they sound ok, not too scary and not too cheap.
I like the first group,but I'd consider leaving out the tankards and putting in one oval vase and another pot. I think the heights need to vary. You get to put more out later, the tankards could go out then possibly. Depends on what kind of buyers you expect, collectors and decorators or people who would use a tankard. No bowls? Prices. Well I was surprised at how much pots sell for there. It's more than here. Of course I was looking at Hatfield and the big names were all there. If Hannah says okay then go with that. I certainly wouldn't over price them even though you know how much work you've put out. I think as a potter in his early stages you need to get your work in peoples hands, but not be too cheap, and then gradually raise your prices. In my experience it's years before you really get to have any return on all your hard work, if ever. Of course I sold my pots for too cheap for a long time. Good luck.
You still do Ron!
Ha! Okay don't listen to me Andy. My UK agent says I need to up my prices. I have the feeling she's saying that so she'll get a bigger cut. ;-)
Thanks all - I think group one got more votes, so I'll go with something like that. I think this bit is my least favourite part too.
Ron, I have a load of bowls, but they're of varying but similar sizes and are a bit messy. I am thinking of doing some local events and thought they'd be better for those. We'll see.
I might leave the tankards out - I like them too much :)
A lot to do tomorrow - off to bed...
I like the first group too, but I would have a very difficult time parting with those tankards, I love those! Pricing :( I'm the worst at it, not the one to ask, I give more away than I sell, it seems!
Your UK agent gets a pretty rubbish cut but she doesn't mind.
I hate pricing, mine are probably all wrong too so what do I know!
Just having an early morning procrastinate while i see if teh temperature will climb about minus 3 again, nippy fingrs on the handle bars again today.
Ok this is far to late you have already made your decision and set of for Cambridge.
I liked group One.
I think your prices were OK.
Strikeing the balance between to cheap and to expensive. is all about how you are percieved in the art world.
Keep some mystery and up your prices.
and Good Luck !!!!
Thanks all. Paul - yes you were too late I'm afraid, but I went with a modified group one - just one tankard and replaced the other with a tall-ish waisted vase which was not the best piece in the firing but quite tall.
I also modified the prices slightly, as the two ash-laden tankards were too good to give away, so I made them 30 quid - that's still cheaper than a dartington hand blown glass tankard. I almost didn't send them at all. I don't want to appear greedy, as I said, but I have to start considering the cost of firing and making, and, as Doug pointed out, the cost of the pots I don't sell.
Glad to hear you went with Group 1: consistent surface, plus variation in size and form seems more interesting somehow than variation in surface with same size and form.
As for pricing, maybe around £15 ($25) per 450g (1 lb) of clay... I think this is in the ball park (cricket pitch?) of what John Leach charges for woodfired "standard ware"...
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