1904 Weller Rhead Faience Vase
Appraised Value:
$2,000
IMAGE: 1 of 1
Appraisal Video: (2:51)
Appraisal Transcript:
GUEST: This was left to me by my mother, and it belonged to her mother. And when I was growing up, it was around the house all the time, and my mother always called it "Willow Ware," which I know it's not. And she said it was a wedding present. And the best I can figure is that it was a wedding present to my grandmother.
APPRAISER: And do you know when that wedding was?
GUEST: I'm not sure, but I had researched the vase a little bit and thought it was made around 1902 or 1903, so it would be right in that era.
APPRAISER: Okay. Well, your mother may have said "willow" because it's actually "Weller." And I don't know if you're familiar with the Weller Company. It was a large pottery in Zanesville, Ohio, kind of side-by-side with the Roseville Pottery, which is a little better known.
GUEST: I'm familiar with them.
APPRAISER: And Weller was in business for quite a long time and, just like Roseville, they went through a great many different lines. But this is really one of their very finest.
GUEST: Really?
APPRAISER: Yes. This is called Rhead faience. And the reason it's called Rhead faience is because it was designed by the English potter and designer Frederick Rhead,
GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: who came from England to America in 1902,
GUEST: Oh...
APPRAISER: worked with another pottery, Avon, before he went to Weller in Ohio in about 1904.
GUEST: Okay.
APPRAISER: And from Weller, he would go on to Roseville.
GUEST: Oh.
APPRAISER: The pieces he designed have a very strong Arts and Crafts quality to them. And because of that, this particular line is collected by both Weller collectors and Arts and Crafts collectors. You don't have to be a Weller collector to like this. This is a very strong Arts and Crafts statement. It's a high-quality piece. It has painted and incised decoration. These lovely stylized geese. It's really sweet. This one came in different colors. The blue one is the most valuable of them all.
GUEST: Really?
APPRAISER: And you have a nice signature down here, which is "Weller Rhead Faience." And there's also an artist's signature... right over here. "CMM." Now, this particular piece, because of its crossover, has the value of at least $2,500--
GUEST: Hmm, that's very good.
APPRAISER: --in perfect condition. I did notice it has a tight hairline at the rim, which is not very large, but that may take away some of the value-- down to perhaps $2,000. But still, this is a gorgeous example of Arts and Crafts.
GUEST: Thank you.
