search  current discussion  categories  business - pricing 

pricing3

updated wed 27 mar 02

 

mel jacobson on tue 26 mar 02


another factor that i sure take into consideration
when selling a 65 buck tea pot.

how long did it take me to make that sucker?

5 minutes to throw
5 minutes to finish.
dip in glaze...japo slappo design 2 minutes.
(that is what kurt calls my design painting.)

it takes kurt three days to decorate a pot.
25 hours.

he gets 300-500 bucks for a pot.
i can make 20 teapots in an afternoon.
if i sell them all, and i do.
that is 1700 bucks.

who had a good payday?
mel
when warren mac sets out 300 pots and sells
them for 20 bucks each...that is simple...6,000 bucks.
nice little wheel thrown bowl, plates, cups...simple, one
dip glaze. a swipe pattern. 5 minutes each.
i take my selling technique from him. he is the master teacher
of selling pots and i admire him a great deal. but, he has a market
for his stuff. they line up days ahead.
he sells all of his pots.
to me, that is how you make profit. it is a bottom line thing.
plus it is my business how i sell. no one else's.
rush can sell his own, or not, that is his business.
he can charge 10,000 dollars each for his bowls. that is his business.

but, i like the old story of the guy that just acquired a 2,000 buck
dog....well, he traded two of his 1,000 buck cats for it.
it is all perception.



From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots

artimater on tue 26 mar 02


mel wrote:
rush can sell his own, or not, that is his business.
he can charge 10,000 dollars each for his bowls.

WOW....In one morning my price for "Blues Bowls" went from $60....to =
$200.....to $10000....I guess I better get busy and make some more...
I'm fired up now!!!SELLSELLSELL!!!!SELLSELLSELL!!!!...One, Two. =
Three, Four, What Are We Gonna Sell Em For?...BIG BUCKS BIG =
BUCKS!!!!!...Anyone wanna buy a couple kids?
PAX,
Rush
"I only indulge when I've seen a snake, so I keep a supply of =
indulgences and snakes handy"
http://artimator.com
rush@artimator.com
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/texasceramics

Artimator Galleries
2420 Briarwood Ln.
Carrollton, TX 75006
972-841-1857

Dave Eickholt on tue 26 mar 02


Rush kids are like cats they always come back, have finally priced my bowls
so they are not a bargain, and sell a lot less of them but refuse to give
them away>gave daughter away at wedding she still comes home to eat! and
vacation !lucky me Dave

george koller on tue 26 mar 02


mel,

just want to say that the last word ain't writ yet
on what ol' kurt is going to get on those images
that he builds for his tiles and pots. some guy is
working to reproduce those images, maybe 100
or 200 at a time. will be paying a royalty, as
he down right should.

...and that person is feeling might uppity
as he just this morning unloaded his first ever good
kiln test load. not "perfect", but not shoddy at
all. enough control and more coming. just
about right. with enough room for improvement
that that person will not be out of r&d work soon.

looks like the bigger nozzle was the trick what
finally done it for him. he is not sure of life on
the nozzles yet, but the ferro colorants he is testing
are based on metal citrates. and a real nice
mother-in-law blue included.....


george


from northport, mi. where i hope to "shoot" 6 more of
these 6 tile sets to show around. everything is just worked
yesterday for first time. don't know what to think.... the
nozzle gods are probably just playing with me. have been
whispering with the kiln spirits. i'm being set up, i know
it.

Ned Ludd on tue 26 mar 02


Hizzoner the Mayor wrote:

>another factor that i sure take into consideration
>when selling a 65 buck tea pot.
>
>how long did it take me to make that sucker?
>
>5 minutes to throw
>5 minutes to finish.
>dip in glaze...japo slappo design 2 minutes.
>
>i can make 20 teapots in an afternoon.
>
>Mel


AHEM!

Mel, Mel ... ... you're saying that you do all this
in ten minutes:
...

Wedge and weigh the clay (say 2 pounds)
Throw the pot, with a gallery
Measure the gallery for the lid
Remove the pot from the wheel and set aside
Throw the lid, sizing to fit using callipers
Set aside the lid,
(Later, trim the lid as necessary.)
Trim teapot, if that is required.
Meanwhile, prepare more clay ...
Throw the spout,
(Let firm a bit, then)
Cut or trim base to shape and prepare to attach to pot,
Mark area on pot to which spout is to be joined
Cut the strainer holes in the pot
Later, inside the pot, clean up rough projecting strainer hole edges
and make them smooth

Score surfaces to be joined on spout base and pot,
Slip and join spout to pot.
Later, trim spout end so spout length and flare is just right
Get and wedge clay for handle,
Pull handle (I pull mine from a stub on the pot)
Join to the pot.
Stamp or sign pot when safe-to-handle, leatherhard
Set aside with other teapots for careful drying prior to bisque firing.

*And this doesn't include waxing, glazing etc.

My time, from laying hands on the bag of clay to the last touch as I
place the raw teapot on the shelf for drying, including my general
prep and cleanup time, and making a few spare lids and spouts: 1.5
hours per teapot. Sometimes more. I was paid by the hour to make
teapots for well satisfied potters so I assure you this is accurate,
given a run of from ten to thirty teapots.

One and a half hours, minimum, and this _doesn't_ include the extra
time for kiln loading and unloading or waxing and glazing. Teapots
are demanding!

Teapots running the gamut between highly finished porcelain and plain
and robust stoneware, I'm sure some potters form their teapots in
less time (think Ruthann Tudball) and some do it in more.
But, Mel... ten minutes?!!!

What a whopper! Pull the other one!!



Ned

claybair on tue 26 mar 02


Ah, ha!
Thanks Mel!
That was precisely the information I needed to put my pricing into
perspective!

Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
http://claybair.com

-----Original Message-----
From: mel jacobson

another factor that i sure take into consideration
when selling a 65 buck tea pot.

how long did it take me to make that sucker?

5 minutes to throw
5 minutes to finish.
dip in glaze...japo slappo design 2 minutes.
(that is what kurt calls my design painting.)

it takes kurt three days to decorate a pot.
25 hours.

he gets 300-500 bucks for a pot.
i can make 20 teapots in an afternoon.
if i sell them all, and i do.
that is 1700 bucks.

who had a good payday?
mel
when warren mac sets out 300 pots and sells
them for 20 bucks each...that is simple...6,000 bucks.
nice little wheel thrown bowl, plates, cups...simple, one
dip glaze. a swipe pattern. 5 minutes each.
i take my selling technique from him. he is the master teacher
of selling pots and i admire him a great deal. but, he has a market
for his stuff. they line up days ahead.
he sells all of his pots.
to me, that is how you make profit. it is a bottom line thing.
plus it is my business how i sell. no one else's.
rush can sell his own, or not, that is his business.
he can charge 10,000 dollars each for his bowls. that is his business.

but, i like the old story of the guy that just acquired a 2,000 buck
dog....well, he traded two of his 1,000 buck cats for it.
it is all perception.



From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: http://www.pclink.com/melpots