At a garage sale, you discovered a small pottery vase not only signed “Rookwood,” but with an artist's signature. You paid $90 for it — a lot for a garage sale, but couldn't it be worth thousands?

        Once home you excitedly grab your Handy-Dandy Price Guide. Sure enough, the artist and a similar piece are listed for $200. Closer examination shows the piece is a rather dull, brown matte glaze. You paid for the name and a signature, not quality.

        The Rookwood Pottery, established in Cincinnati in 1879 by Maria Longworth Nicholas Storer, was at the forefront of a growing American Art pottery movement. Initially, art pottery was an attempt to fight against mass-produced ceramics. By banding together in studios, the artists-potters created objects of art that could be priced for the masses.

Q & A

Question: We would like to know the value and something about a piece we have that is painted on the backside of glass. It is of Heidelberg Castle, inlaid with mother of pearl. There is no signature. — J.A.G., Alexandria.   Answer: Your commercially made reverse painting dates to the late 19th century. They often were decorated with mother-of-pearl. In the 1970s, reproductions were made of scenes, often with clock towers. Your painting could have a shop price around $200.

        Rookwood used an assembly-line technique for standard shapes of inexpensive mass-produced lines. Nevertheless, museum-quality pieces were created by individual designers early on. It is these pieces that command thousands of dollars today.

        Names and designs are important. Among Rookwood artists to look for are Kataro Shiraymadani (1865-1948), who contributed Japanese art to American pottery. Also considered one of Rookwood's finest decorators was Albert Valentien, who specialized in floral motifs. Another artist, Elizabeth Lingenfelter, working in 1910, began using the newly popular lighter colors.

        Quality earlier pieces of Rookwood are always higher priced.Although Shiraymadani worked into the 1940s, prices for those pieces are lower than his pieces from the 1920s.

        Art pottery has been faked since the 1970s, when there was a revival of interest among collectors. For instance, trained potters from Japan and Italy have been faking the early Rookwood tiger eye glazes. While the clay is soft, they stamp in the proper marks,including artists initials.

        Since it was the fine glazes that were partially responsible for the success of Rookwood, the loss of the company's best technicians in the late 1940s speeded the decline in quality. The decorative pieces made to sell inexpensively in gift shops weren't successful.

        Among the items you may come across are glazed ashtrays and unglazed bisque for amateur hobbyists in the form of vases, paperweights and bookends. Since they have a Rookwood name, people will pay $200 or more for these pieces.

        Also know that over the years there were many Rookwood marks. One of the most informative guides to marks and glazes for Rookwood and other American art pottery is Kovel's American Art Pottery (Crown Publishers; 1993) by Ralph and Terry Kovel.

        Serious collectors can view examples of Rookwood at museums around the country.

        An auction including some important Rookwood pieces will be 10 a.m. Dec. 2 at the John Toomey Gallery, 818 North Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60301, (708) 383-5234. A major Rookwood source is Treadway Gallery, 2029 Madison Road, Cincinnati 45208, 321-6742. Catalog, auction and other information is available at www.treadwaygallery.com.

        Contact Anne Gilbert by mail: c/o Cincinnati Enquirer, 312 Elm St., Cincinnati 45202. Photos cannot be returned.

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