Bidding on Stoneware or Yelloware

Guide to Buying ANTIQUE/VINTAGE STONEWARE/YELLOWARE
MIXING BOWLS and OTHER YELLOWARE or STONEWARE KITCHEN PIECES
When Deciding to Purchase or Bid on an Antique Stoneware or Yelloware Piece...MIXING BOWLS...the First Consideration is to AUTHENTICATE the AGE of the Piece.
This can usually be done by RESEARCH~(which should really be done, when deciding on BIDDING or PURCHASING ANY Antique or Collectible of VALUE)
YELLOWARE IS a Form of Stoneware, Distinctive by the Use of a CLAY that is CREAMY BUTTER YELLOW, Even 100 Years Later.
The GLAZE that you see on a piece of Yelloware, is CLEAR, the Glaze is NOT Yellow, even though the piece APPEARS to be VERY YELLOW. The Glaze is CLEAR...and it IS the YELLOW CLAY Showing through the Glaze.
The Base of the Bowl Should Have an Area (like a Rim) that is NOT Glazed at ALL.
On a VERY Old Piece, this Area WILL have DARKENED with Age....LOOK almost Brown/Yellow and Show WEAR from the Years.
Any Piece that the Unglazed Area of the Base is BRIGHT...or Very Light, Should DEFINATELY be Avoided, as it is More than Likely a Reproduction. AGE Brings Darkness....Sometimes even Scuffs and Black Mars....and THIS IS GOOD and OK.
After Establishing that the Piece IS INDEED a VINTAGE or ANTIQUE Mixing Bowl or Other Form of YELLOWARE, You Will LOOK For CHIPS.....HAIRLINE CRACKS.....and CRAZING.NONE of these are Good...and the Value of the Piece IS Reflected by it's Condition.
SOME SELLERS will Try to GLAMORIZE the piece by Saying it Has ALOT of CRAZING....Crazing IS Crackling in the Glaze...Some Crazing is Expected IF the Piece IS Very Old....But the Crazing is NOTSomething YOU WANT and Should NOT be Considerable Enough, that Your Eye is Drawn to ALL the CRACKLES.
PERFECTION...is ALWAYS the KEY....But Alas...Perfection is Hard to Find.IF You are REALLY Attracted to a Piece, and it is Crazed Heavily...or has a Dark Hairline Crack...or Even a Chip....Things Can Be Done, By YOU, At Home...to Make this piece More Attractive to the Eye, and of Course, NONE of the Above Affect the Piece, IF it is for Use.
To Remove DARKNESS from a Hairline Crack....or Darkness from Crazing....the Piece CAN Be Soaked Overnite, in Hot Water with Dishwasher Soap...and a Capful of Household Bleach. This Will Take the Dirt of the Ages that has settled into the Crazing or Crack...Lift and Remove it. You may have to do it TWICE.
A Hairline Crack CAN be Sealed...to Make it Stronger...without Taking it to a Restorer for High Dollar...by Applying a Layer of Thick CLEAR Nailpolish to Both Sides of the Hairline (after the dirt has been lifted, using the Above Manner) I find that Nailpolish TOPCOAT works Best..as it is the THICKEST.
Any CHIP....Can Also Be Repaired at Home, Really Quite Easily.
A Small Chip, can be Colored or Painted with the Small Bottles of CRAFT Paint or Markerfrom any Craft Store...Match it up..as Closely as you can...Paint it...and again Cover it with Nail Polish Top Coat.
A Large Chip is a Bit More of a Challenge...and Must First Be Filled with EPOXY...the Hardest Glue known to Man. Mix your epoxy, according to directions on the package...FILL the Chip and Smooth it with a Popcicle stick or Toothpick...Wax Paper over your finger....or Whatever works Best For you...Try to Be Neat, with as Little Excess or Bumps left on, as possible. ALLOW the Piece to DRY OVERNIGHT. Then You just take some sandpaper, Just a Small Square is usually sufficient, and Sand the Epoxy til Smooth...AGAIN...You use your Craft Paint to Match up your Color, Paint it....and then Apply a Layer of Clear Top Coat Nailpolish.
OF COURSE...IF YOU ARE BUYING A PIECE THAT NEEDS REPAIR...IT SHOULD DEFINATELY BE REFLECTED IN THE FINAL PRICE OF THE ITEM......as a PERFECT Piece will surely go Higher than one in need of repair.
ALWAYS REMEMBER...No Matter HOW The SELLER Tries to Sugar Coat it...by Saying a Slight Crack...of Slight Chip.
A CHIP, NO MATTER THE SIZE...IS A CHIP
A CRACK...NO MATTER HOW SLIGHT...IS A CRACK.
The Piece is NOT PERFECT....The VALUE Not the Same as in the Collectors Books.....in Fact, GREATLY DEPRICIATED...and Your Final Price, Should REFLECT this.
For USE itself....Pieces with Flaws are FINE....but for those that COLLECT...and DISPLAY their Pieces....PERFECTION IS THE KEY.
I hope this Guide Helps those that LOVE Old Stoneware, Yelloware....Primitive Pottery....as the pieces are DEVINE...and Easily Taken Care of....Even After Years of Dirt Accumulation...IF One Knows How .