Connoisseurship and Artful Deceptions: Understanding 18th-Century English Ceramics

A One-Day Decorative Arts Forum in association with 
The Decorative Arts Trust

Collecting English ceramics is an enjoyable and rewarding pastime. Building your collection by bidding at auction or purchasing from dealers takes patience and a careful eye. Time spent examining and (when possible) handling examples from public and private collections helps develop your powers of observation and memory of characteristics that are critical to collecting. Mistakes, however, are bound to happen! The English ceramics marketplace has pitfalls such as outright forgeries, enhanced or faked objects, newer reproductions passed off as period originals, and deceptive restoration practices. Adding to the confusion, many 18th-century English ceramics were originally conceived to be close copies of Asian export porcelains and Continental European ceramics.

This program' s goal is to enhance knowledge and understanding of several types of English ceramics (delftwares, early Staffordshire earthenwares and stonewares, transfer-printed creamware and pearlware, and porcelains) and increase awareness of potential deceptions and frauds in the market. It is intended for a wide audience, from the general public interested in historic objects to the advanced collector.

For a complete schedule of the day's events, view the flyer (PDF).  Click on the link below to register online.