Collector's Guide to Buying Antique Pottery & Porcelain

The field of antique pottery and porcelain is a favourite hunting ground for collectors, but English ceramics is a complicated subject, and the division into pottery and porcelain is almost arbitrary with few clear-cut distinctions. Many shapes have been made in different kinds of paste and body, and similar patterns have been used on a great variety of products. So how does a dealer assess the quality and value of a piece? What are the most desirable and collectable pieces? The rarest? The most sought-after at today's market prices? And when is it worth buying a piece that is chipped or cracked? This guide aims to provide the answers and is designed to show quickly and clearly the difference between pottery and porcelain and to give all the essential information on the key pieces made over the centuries.