Lili Krakowski on mon 8 sep 08
I have read that Leach had his apprentices and assistants make
bunches of pots which were sold under some collective signature
such as "St Ives Pottery" (I have no idea) and that the pots he
made himself all by his lonesome he signed. (I also have read
there were pots that someone else threw and he decorated.)
Anyway. The workshop pots were sold for less than The Master's
Own. Which makes a lot of sense, kinda.
Furthermore: I know that I cannot sell my pots for what they
would bring if I were famous, if I were sociable (participating
in fairs, attending stuff, or a professor) and/or if I lived in a
different neighborhood. That is the force of circumstance.
My cost of living no doubt is less than in a city, and my fuel
costs are different from those elsewhere--maybe higher, maybe
lower.
I think pricing is a blend of different factors--but I ALSO see
no reason not to charge differently for different "lines." In
some cases items are part of a production line that one could
make in one's sleep. In other cases each item--although it may
look like other pots--is different. When I make a large bowl and
glaze it one-two-three that is one thing. If I make the same
bowl but give it a more complex surface treatment (as using slip
under a colored glaze) or decorate it with slip under clear
glaze) I cannot really
charge differently because the customer does not see a
difference--yet I will lose more of the more complex pots than
plain ones.
Why would it be invalid to have two lines, and two pricing
schemes if one feels one is making two different "products"?
Bakeries certainly charge more for this cake rather than that,
yet every baker knows that beyond cost of ingredients--nuts DO
cost more than chocolate-- people are willing to pay more for
something they feel is worth more!
It seems to me that if one has two lines and sells directly, some
sort of explanation for the price difference is advisable. It
does not have to make sense to potters, it does have to make
sense to the buying public. That is just part of salesmanship.
Lili Krakowski
Be of good courage
John Rodgers on mon 8 sep 08
Lili,
I think you are on target here. I too sell more than one line. I have a
very simple line - mostly very plain, single glaze pottery, virtually no
ornamentation, and I sell them essentially by the pound. I can whip out
scores of these in very short order. Price range is up to but not above
$50. This stuff moves right along. I have to push to keep up. Then there
is my art line,. Pottery that is very unique, very ornate, requires a
lot of hand work. I ask a price for that kind of pottery - starts around
$75 for very small pieces and goes up to $375 for the larger pieces. .
They are functional, and at the same time very decorative with lots of
eye appeal, and I get all kinds of kudo's on them. The amount of work to
make these pieces justifies the asking price. And they sell, though not
at the same rate as the $50 and less things. The higher end things
satisfiy my artistic bent, and satisfies my ego, the less expensive
items satisfy my wallet. Between the two, I do OK.
Regards,
John Rodgers
Chelsea, AL
Lili Krakowski wrote:
> I have read that Leach had his apprentices and assistants make
> bunches of pots which were sold under some collective signature
> such as "St Ives Pottery" (I have no idea) and that the pots he
> made himself all by his lonesome he signed. (I also have read
> there were pots that someone else threw and he decorated.)
> Anyway. The workshop pots were sold for less than The Master's
> Own. Which makes a lot of sense, kinda.
>
> Furthermore: I know that I cannot sell my pots for what they
> would bring if I were famous, if I were sociable (participating
> in fairs, attending stuff, or a professor) and/or if I lived in a
> different neighborhood. That is the force of circumstance.
>
> My cost of living no doubt is less than in a city, and my fuel
> costs are different from those elsewhere--maybe higher, maybe
> lower.
>
> I think pricing is a blend of different factors--but I ALSO see
> no reason not to charge differently for different "lines." In
> some cases items are part of a production line that one could
> make in one's sleep. In other cases each item--although it may
> look like other pots--is different. When I make a large bowl and
> glaze it one-two-three that is one thing. If I make the same
> bowl but give it a more complex surface treatment (as using slip
> under a colored glaze) or decorate it with slip under clear
> glaze) I cannot really
> charge differently because the customer does not see a
> difference--yet I will lose more of the more complex pots than
> plain ones.
>
> Why would it be invalid to have two lines, and two pricing
> schemes if one feels one is making two different "products"?
> Bakeries certainly charge more for this cake rather than that,
> yet every baker knows that beyond cost of ingredients--nuts DO
> cost more than chocolate-- people are willing to pay more for
> something they feel is worth more!
>
> It seems to me that if one has two lines and sells directly, some
> sort of explanation for the price difference is advisable. It
> does not have to make sense to potters, it does have to make
> sense to the buying public. That is just part of salesmanship.
>
>
> Lili Krakowski
>
> Be of good courage
>
>
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