Maid O'Mud Pottery on sun 12 mar 00
James L Bowen wrote:
> . I will not pay more than say ten dollars for a coffee cup, regardless of how
> beautiful I may think it to be. They get used daily and broken frequently.
So then, how much do you sell your mugs for? If a mug is retailing for $10, the
the potter only receives $5 wholesale. If a lot of time is spent to make the mu
"beautiful", shouldn't the potter be paid for their time and effort? Perhaps yo
should take better care of your mugs and not break them as often so that they wi
have more "value" to you, and the person you purchase from can make a decent pro
from the mug they sell you.
--
sam - alias the cat lady
SW Ontario CANADA
http://www.geocities.com/paris/3110 scuttell@odyssey.on.ca
"First, the clay told me what to do
Then, I told the clay what to do
Now; we co-operate"
sam, 1994
Charles G Hughes on mon 13 mar 00
OK so out of curiosity, what is the going rate for a coffee mug? I sell mine
for $12.00
----- Original Message -----
From: Maid O'Mud Pottery
To:
Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2000 8:38 PM
Subject: WAS: Less than perfect pots: Now mug price
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> James L Bowen wrote:
>
>
> > . I will not pay more than say ten dollars for a coffee cup, regardless
of how
> > beautiful I may think it to be. They get used daily and broken
frequently.
>
> So then, how much do you sell your mugs for? If a mug is retailing for
$10, the
> the potter only receives $5 wholesale. If a lot of time is spent to make
the mu
> "beautiful", shouldn't the potter be paid for their time and effort?
Perhaps yo
> should take better care of your mugs and not break them as often so that
they wi
> have more "value" to you, and the person you purchase from can make a
decent pro
> from the mug they sell you.
>
>
> --
> sam - alias the cat lady
> SW Ontario CANADA
> http://www.geocities.com/paris/3110 scuttell@odyssey.on.ca
>
> "First, the clay told me what to do
> Then, I told the clay what to do
> Now; we co-operate"
> sam, 1994
Teres Whitney on mon 13 mar 00
Hear, Hear! Potters should sell their mugs for $20.00 or higher. These are
NOT from Korea or China and being mass produced. If the piece is not
important to this $10.00 person, they don't need any of it! Potters hold
tight for a descent profit margin!
Teres-Dallas-Potter
-----Original Message-----
From: Maid O'Mud Pottery
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Sunday, March 12, 2000 7:39 PM
Subject: WAS: Less than perfect pots: Now mug price
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>James L Bowen wrote:
>
>
>> . I will not pay more than say ten dollars for a coffee cup, regardless
of how
>> beautiful I may think it to be. They get used daily and broken
frequently.
>
>So then, how much do you sell your mugs for? If a mug is retailing for
$10, the
>the potter only receives $5 wholesale. If a lot of time is spent to make
the mu
>"beautiful", shouldn't the potter be paid for their time and effort?
Perhaps yo
>should take better care of your mugs and not break them as often so that
they wi
>have more "value" to you, and the person you purchase from can make a
decent pro
>from the mug they sell you.
>
>
>--
>sam - alias the cat lady
>SW Ontario CANADA
>http://www.geocities.com/paris/3110 scuttell@odyssey.on.ca
>
>"First, the clay told me what to do
> Then, I told the clay what to do
> Now; we co-operate"
>sam, 1994
>
Anita Rickenberg on tue 14 mar 00
How about the idea of calculating material costs, labor costs, overhead, and
profit per piece? Based on this, some items (no matter how much we may like
them personally) will never be saleable at a profit, while others become the
"workhorses" of our line. I don't believe in loosing money on anything I
make, but neither will I charge more than what I have established to be a
fair profit.
Anita
----- Original Message -----
From: Teres Whitney
To:
Sent: Monday, March 13, 2000 3:03 PM
Subject: Re: WAS: Less than perfect pots: Now mug price
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Hear, Hear! Potters should sell their mugs for $20.00 or higher. These
are
> NOT from Korea or China and being mass produced. If the piece is not
> important to this $10.00 person, they don't need any of it! Potters hold
> tight for a descent profit margin!
> Teres-Dallas-Potter
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Maid O'Mud Pottery
> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
> Date: Sunday, March 12, 2000 7:39 PM
> Subject: WAS: Less than perfect pots: Now mug price
>
>
> >----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> >James L Bowen wrote:
> >
> >
> >> . I will not pay more than say ten dollars for a coffee cup, regardless
> of how
> >> beautiful I may think it to be. They get used daily and broken
> frequently.
> >
> >So then, how much do you sell your mugs for? If a mug is retailing for
> $10, the
> >the potter only receives $5 wholesale. If a lot of time is spent to make
> the mu
> >"beautiful", shouldn't the potter be paid for their time and effort?
> Perhaps yo
> >should take better care of your mugs and not break them as often so that
> they wi
> >have more "value" to you, and the person you purchase from can make a
> decent pro
> >from the mug they sell you.
> >
> >
> >--
> >sam - alias the cat lady
> >SW Ontario CANADA
> >http://www.geocities.com/paris/3110 scuttell@odyssey.on.ca
> >
> >"First, the clay told me what to do
> > Then, I told the clay what to do
> > Now; we co-operate"
> >sam, 1994
> >
beardiepaw on tue 14 mar 00
Hi, I have been selling my mugs for 12 dollars, 6 wholesale. We just upped
the price to 15 not too long ago. They've been selling pretty good. Hope
the new price does as well.
Sherry in Michigan with a kiln full of mugs firing now and more ready to
bisque. PS. Boy, I wish I had the nerve to do an art fair. No guts,
though! .
Maid O'Mud Pottery on tue 14 mar 00
I sell "simple" mugs for $15, and leaf decorated mugs for $18. That's the 1 lb
size. 1.5 lb size sells at $20 and $23.
Charles G Hughes wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> OK so out of curiosity, what is the going rate for a coffee mug? I sell mine
> for $12.00
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Maid O'Mud Pottery
> To:
> Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2000 8:38 PM
> Subject: WAS: Less than perfect pots: Now mug price
>
> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > James L Bowen wrote:
> >
> >
> > > . I will not pay more than say ten dollars for a coffee cup, regardless
> of how
> > > beautiful I may think it to be. They get used daily and broken
> frequently.
> >
> > So then, how much do you sell your mugs for? If a mug is retailing for
> $10, the
> > the potter only receives $5 wholesale. If a lot of time is spent to make
> the mu
> > "beautiful", shouldn't the potter be paid for their time and effort?
> Perhaps yo
> > should take better care of your mugs and not break them as often so that
> they wi
> > have more "value" to you, and the person you purchase from can make a
> decent pro
> > from the mug they sell you.
> >
> >
> > --
> > sam - alias the cat lady
> > SW Ontario CANADA
> > http://www.geocities.com/paris/3110 scuttell@odyssey.on.ca
> >
> > "First, the clay told me what to do
> > Then, I told the clay what to do
> > Now; we co-operate"
> > sam, 1994
--
sam - alias the cat lady
SW Ontario CANADA
http://www.geocities.com/paris/3110 scuttell@odyssey.on.ca
"First, the clay told me what to do
Then, I told the clay what to do
Now; we co-operate"
sam, 1994
Jean Cochran on tue 14 mar 00
Dear Charles:
I sell my mugs for: 1# pedestal cup is $20.00 retail. 1-1/2# "Monks
Mug" a huge coffee/hot chocolate/soup/chili mug for $25.00 retail.
Wholesale is discounted 40%. They are very well made. I sell A LOT of
them. If someone doesn't want to buy them, I just plain don't care.
The most important thing in the world to me is to make a very high
quality pot, whether it is a spoon rest or a 2' vase. I refuse to
accept less from myself, or for myself; and I constantly strive for more
perfection.
Yours for fine crafts,
Jean Wadsworth Cochran
Fox Hollow Pottery
New Haven, Kentucky
Jean Cochran on wed 15 mar 00
Dear Sherry:
What are you waiting for? Get out there and do some fairs. Time's
awastin'!
While a potter is "growing" in the making of pottery experience, they
can also "grow" in the show arena. Besides, we need to be exposed to
our fellow artists. There's no telling what educational tools you may
be letting pass by you. Have fun and learn at the same time.
Yours for fine crafts,
Jean Wadsworth Cochran
Fox Hollow Pottery
Earl Brunner on wed 15 mar 00
I have recently returned to pottery after about a 15 year
hiatus, and I
must admit that this idea of what to charge for my work is
one of my
biggest problems. It is much easier with production pottery
like mugs
that are pretty straight forward. It's the "art" type
pieces that are
giving me fits. I just don't have a clue what to ask for
them sometimes
(most of the time). Carved porcelain for example takes a
lot of time.
I might have 4-5 hours into a little 5x5 lidded pot by the
time I'm done.
I sort of went with a rule of thumb that I needed to price
my work out at
a minimum of $20.00 per hour which would pot one of these
things in the $80.00 to $100.00 range. I've already figured
out that I shouldn't quit my
day job. Most consumers that I have poled, like them, they
just look at
me like I'm nuts when I tell them how much they cost, The
same with some
of my larger sculpted work. My gut feeling is that some of
my larger
sculpted pots should go in the $200.00 to $500.00 range. I
know that
these are higher end pieces and that to sell them I'm going
to have to
find the right market. I would be curious as to what some
of you would
price some of my things at. If you feel like taking the
time, my web page
is below. I would appreciate some feedback. I would be
curious what other potters would market these things at.
Jean Cochran wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Dear Charles:
>
> I sell my mugs for: 1# pedestal cup is $20.00 retail. 1-1/2# "Monks
> Mug" a huge coffee/hot chocolate/soup/chili mug for $25.00 retail.
> Wholesale is discounted 40%. They are very well made. I sell A LOT of
> them. If someone doesn't want to buy them, I just plain don't care.
> The most important thing in the world to me is to make a very high
> quality pot, whether it is a spoon rest or a 2' vase. I refuse to
> accept less from myself, or for myself; and I constantly strive for more
> perfection.
>
> Yours for fine crafts,
>
> Jean Wadsworth Cochran
> Fox Hollow Pottery
> New Haven, Kentucky
--
Earl Brunner
http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
mailto:bruec@anv.net
Terrance Lazaroff on wed 15 mar 00
I retail my mugs for 18.00 Canadian or approx $12.00 US.
Terrance Frank Lazaroff
St Hubert, Quebec
Zalt's Web Page
Terrance Lazaroff on wed 15 mar 00
Anita;
It is not a question of profit. Some sell mugs as a lost leader. The main
importantance is knowing what the mugs cost you so that you can make up for
any loss by charging more for more attractive and more popular forms.
Terrance Frank Lazaroff
St Hubert, Quebec
Zalt's Web Page
Stephen Mills on wed 15 mar 00
THE most important item in any production Potter's armoury is a
consistent and accurate pricing procedure. This, combined with a
simplified cost effective technique, can make the difference between
struggling along, making a consistent loss, or a consistent profit. I
found, as we all have, that certain items like mugs and casseroles, jugs
and goblets (for example) were very profitable, teapots, coffee pots and
plates were not, but the humble mugs etc. paid for them and allowed me
the luxury of making them the way I liked to. The big key in all of this
is UN-WASTED TIME, in other words production efficiency, (otherwise
known as cutting corners WITHOUT loosing quality).
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
P.S. See also Elizabeth Priddy's excellent posts on this subject.
In message , Anita Rickenberg writes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>How about the idea of calculating material costs, labor costs, overhead, and
>profit per piece? Based on this, some items (no matter how much we may like
>them personally) will never be saleable at a profit, while others become the
>"workhorses" of our line. I don't believe in loosing money on anything I
>make, but neither will I charge more than what I have established to be a
>fair profit.
>
>Anita
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Teres Whitney
>To:
>Sent: Monday, March 13, 2000 3:03 PM
>Subject: Re: WAS: Less than perfect pots: Now mug price
>
>
>> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> Hear, Hear! Potters should sell their mugs for $20.00 or higher. These
>are
>> NOT from Korea or China and being mass produced. If the piece is not
>> important to this $10.00 person, they don't need any of it! Potters hold
>> tight for a descent profit margin!
>> Teres-Dallas-Potter
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Maid O'Mud Pottery
>> To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>> Date: Sunday, March 12, 2000 7:39 PM
>> Subject: WAS: Less than perfect pots: Now mug price
>>
>>
>> >----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> >James L Bowen wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> >> . I will not pay more than say ten dollars for a coffee cup, regardless
>> of how
>> >> beautiful I may think it to be. They get used daily and broken
>> frequently.
>> >
>> >So then, how much do you sell your mugs for? If a mug is retailing for
>> $10, the
>> >the potter only receives $5 wholesale. If a lot of time is spent to make
>> the mu
>> >"beautiful", shouldn't the potter be paid for their time and effort?
>> Perhaps yo
>> >should take better care of your mugs and not break them as often so that
>> they wi
>> >have more "value" to you, and the person you purchase from can make a
>> decent pro
>> >from the mug they sell you.
>> >
>> >
>> >--
>> >sam - alias the cat lady
>> >SW Ontario CANADA
>> >http://www.geocities.com/paris/3110 scuttell@odyssey.on.ca
>> >
>> >"First, the clay told me what to do
>> > Then, I told the clay what to do
>> > Now; we co-operate"
>> >sam, 1994
>> >
>
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk
Tel: **44 (0)1225 311699
Fax: **44 (0)870 0526466
Herb Moses on thu 16 mar 00
Mugs are one of my least favorite items to make. It is difficult to command
a high price for them, and in the time it takes me to make one mug and
attach a handle (let dry slowly, etc), I could make at least two bowls. The
mugs sell for $13, the bowls for $40.
I quote one of my teachers, Renee Altman, on the subject of mugs:
"I lose a little but on each one, but I make it up in volume."
Herb, in Palm Springs, where it only rains when company comes
http://www.usapottery.com
Palm Springs Pottery
198 S. Indian Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
----- Original Message -----
From: Earl Brunner
To:
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2000 11:41 AM
Subject: Re: WAS: Less than perfect pots: Now mug price
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I have recently returned to pottery after about a 15 year
> hiatus, and I
> must admit that this idea of what to charge for my work is
> one of my
> biggest problems. It is much easier with production pottery
> like mugs
> that are pretty straight forward. It's the "art" type
> pieces that are
> giving me fits. I just don't have a clue what to ask for
> them sometimes
> (most of the time). Carved porcelain for example takes a
> lot of time.
> I might have 4-5 hours into a little 5x5 lidded pot by the
> time I'm done.
> I sort of went with a rule of thumb that I needed to price
> my work out at
> a minimum of $20.00 per hour which would pot one of these
> things in the $80.00 to $100.00 range. I've already figured
> out that I shouldn't quit my
> day job. Most consumers that I have poled, like them, they
> just look at
> me like I'm nuts when I tell them how much they cost, The
> same with some
> of my larger sculpted work. My gut feeling is that some of
> my larger
> sculpted pots should go in the $200.00 to $500.00 range. I
> know that
> these are higher end pieces and that to sell them I'm going
> to have to
> find the right market. I would be curious as to what some
> of you would
> price some of my things at. If you feel like taking the
> time, my web page
> is below. I would appreciate some feedback. I would be
> curious what other potters would market these things at.
>
> Jean Cochran wrote:
> >
> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > Dear Charles:
> >
> > I sell my mugs for: 1# pedestal cup is $20.00 retail. 1-1/2# "Monks
> > Mug" a huge coffee/hot chocolate/soup/chili mug for $25.00 retail.
> > Wholesale is discounted 40%. They are very well made. I sell A LOT of
> > them. If someone doesn't want to buy them, I just plain don't care.
> > The most important thing in the world to me is to make a very high
> > quality pot, whether it is a spoon rest or a 2' vase. I refuse to
> > accept less from myself, or for myself; and I constantly strive for more
> > perfection.
> >
> > Yours for fine crafts,
> >
> > Jean Wadsworth Cochran
> > Fox Hollow Pottery
> > New Haven, Kentucky
>
> --
> Earl Brunner
> http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
> mailto:bruec@anv.net
>
Cantello Studios on thu 16 mar 00
The real problem with the 5 dollar mug is that it leads to the 5 dollar toe
ring and so on. Its killing the shows and making the promoters more and more
nuts. Soon it will be 1 dollars mugs and 1000 or 2000 people trying to sale
something or anything. Its turn into a flee Market.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ceramic Arts Discussion List [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU]On Behalf
Of Terrance Lazaroff
Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2000 11:47 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Subject: Re: WAS: Less than perfect pots: Now mug price
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Anita;
It is not a question of profit. Some sell mugs as a lost leader. The main
importantance is knowing what the mugs cost you so that you can make up for
any loss by charging more for more attractive and more popular forms.
Terrance Frank Lazaroff
St Hubert, Quebec
Zalt's Web Page
Jeff Campana on fri 17 mar 00
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Mugs are one of my least favorite items to make. It is difficult to command
a high price for them, and in the time it takes me to make one mug and
attach a handle (let dry slowly, etc), I could make at least two bowls. The
mugs sell for $13, the bowls for $40.
Here's a quick question:
If you don't like making mugs, and get nowhere near enough money for them, why
not just stop doing them. In my experience, the degree to which i enjoy
working is evedent in my work. I dislike making mugs, so I just don't do it
any more.
It would be a simple matter to, instead of compensating your mug loss with bowl
gains, enjoy yourself and make no Mugs, and then drop the bowl price a little,
driving up the sales of the bowls to compensate for the lack of mugs. I know
supply and demand does not really apply to art, but a potter i know, Ruth
Hanson, throws only what she loves to throw: Beautiful bowls and vases, and
started out selling cheap. As her name and work got out there, she could not
keep up with the demand, and therefore upped her prices slightly to cut the
demand. Well, this seemed to have little effect, and so she is continually
raising her prices, until she can keep up with the demand. A vase i bought of
hers in a gallery for 25 bucks a couple years ago, is now selling for more like
55 bucks now(still on the rise). I think it would be best to just do what you
love to do, and the work will sell itself.
There is the whole arguement that you need a complete line of things.....I
disagree. Instead of making artificially less expensive coffee mugs, make two
styles of bowls, or something else to add variety to your set of ware.
OR...put a price you would like to get for the mugs on them (like 30 bucks) and
they will not sell as many, so you don't have to waste your time throwing them,
but will still have them to make your line complete. Give the coffee mug
market to the potters who love making them, and make very nice ones, and stick
to what you like and are good at.
Jeff
Herb Moses wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Mugs are one of my least favorite items to make. It is difficult to command
> a high price for them, and in the time it takes me to make one mug and
> attach a handle (let dry slowly, etc), I could make at least two bowls. The
> mugs sell for $13, the bowls for $40.
>
> I quote one of my teachers, Renee Altman, on the subject of mugs:
>
> "I lose a little but on each one, but I make it up in volume."
>
> Herb, in Palm Springs, where it only rains when company comes
>
> http://www.usapottery.com
> Palm Springs Pottery
> 198 S. Indian Canyon Drive
> Palm Springs, CA 92262
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Earl Brunner
> To:
> Sent: Wednesday, March 15, 2000 11:41 AM
> Subject: Re: WAS: Less than perfect pots: Now mug price
>
> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > I have recently returned to pottery after about a 15 year
> > hiatus, and I
> > must admit that this idea of what to charge for my work is
> > one of my
> > biggest problems. It is much easier with production pottery
> > like mugs
> > that are pretty straight forward. It's the "art" type
> > pieces that are
> > giving me fits. I just don't have a clue what to ask for
> > them sometimes
> > (most of the time). Carved porcelain for example takes a
> > lot of time.
> > I might have 4-5 hours into a little 5x5 lidded pot by the
> > time I'm done.
> > I sort of went with a rule of thumb that I needed to price
> > my work out at
> > a minimum of $20.00 per hour which would pot one of these
> > things in the $80.00 to $100.00 range. I've already figured
> > out that I shouldn't quit my
> > day job. Most consumers that I have poled, like them, they
> > just look at
> > me like I'm nuts when I tell them how much they cost, The
> > same with some
> > of my larger sculpted work. My gut feeling is that some of
> > my larger
> > sculpted pots should go in the $200.00 to $500.00 range. I
> > know that
> > these are higher end pieces and that to sell them I'm going
> > to have to
> > find the right market. I would be curious as to what some
> > of you would
> > price some of my things at. If you feel like taking the
> > time, my web page
> > is below. I would appreciate some feedback. I would be
> > curious what other potters would market these things at.
> >
> > Jean Cochran wrote:
> > >
> > > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > > Dear Charles:
> > >
> > > I sell my mugs for: 1# pedestal cup is $20.00 retail. 1-1/2# "Monks
> > > Mug" a huge coffee/hot chocolate/soup/chili mug for $25.00 retail.
> > > Wholesale is discounted 40%. They are very well made. I sell A LOT of
> > > them. If someone doesn't want to buy them, I just plain don't care.
> > > The most important thing in the world to me is to make a very high
> > > quality pot, whether it is a spoon rest or a 2' vase. I refuse to
> > > accept less from myself, or for myself; and I constantly strive for more
> > > perfection.
> > >
> > > Yours for fine crafts,
> > >
> > > Jean Wadsworth Cochran
> > > Fox Hollow Pottery
> > > New Haven, Kentucky
> >
> > --
> > Earl Brunner
> > http://coyote.accessnv.com/bruec
> > mailto:bruec@anv.net
> >
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