Weller Hudson Blue & Decorated Vase, ca. 1925

Appraised on: July 11, 2009

Appraised in: Madison, Wisconsin

Appraised by: Riley Humler

Category: Pottery & Porcelain

Episode Info: Madison, Hour 1 (#1407)

Originally Aired: February 15, 2010

IMAGE: 1 of 2  

Appraisal Video: (2:17)

GUEST: It was given to me by my mother. Mother ran a greenhouse and flower shop, and this customer brought the vase in filled with cuttings to be potted. And, of course, Mother, seeing the vase, she just loved it. And the lady said, "Oh, you really like that? Well, when you're finished, you can have it." And Mother was just absolutely thrilled. It was in the mid-'60s when the lady gave it to her.

APPRAISER: You and your sister have tried to research it and...?

GUEST: Yeah, I looked through books and that, and I haven't seen anything quite like this, but some of the artwork on it looks very similar to someone that worked for Weller. I believe her last name was Pillsbury.

APPRAISER: Okay. This is not signed other than on the bottom, Weller. We'll show the mark on the bottom, which is "WELLER" in large block letters here, but no artist signature on this one. Weller made a line of slip-decorated pottery in the '20s and '30s called "Hudson." And this is one of the Hudson varieties. There are several variations of Hudson, but this is a blue and decorated piece.

GUEST: Mm-hmm.

APPRAISER: And what makes it nice are the very crisp decoration with the berries and the flowers and this wonderful little bird. It's what makes the vase.

GUEST: Yes, it does. The bird is what makes the vase.

APPRAISER: You alluded to Hester Pillsbury. There were a few people at Weller, most of the women decorators there, who would do pieces, but rarely do you find a blue and decorated piece signed by anybody. Once in a great while. So it could be Hester Pillsbury. Regardless of who did it, it's a nice piece. It's beautiful. Any thoughts about value? Or your sister, either one?

GUEST: Well, she saw a piece very similar to it, if not exactly like it, in Chicago, and it was about $800. And that was maybe ten years ago.

APPRAISER: Well, as you know, the economy's a little soft right now, so there are issues with that. But, nonetheless, because this is such a nice example-- and I've conferred with some of my colleagues about it-- we think this would sell at auction probably for $1,000 to $1,500.

GUEST: Oh! Well, that's good.