Weller Dog Lawn Ornament, ca. 1925
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GUEST:
It was a gift to my parents about 20 years ago, and my folks gave it to me about two years ago.
APPRAISER:
You know a few things about the dog already. T, tell us what you know about it.
GUEST:
Just that it's made by Weller Pottery, and that it was originally supposed to be a lawn ornament. Beyond that, not much.
APPRAISER:
Well, that, that, as far as it goes, it's quite accurate information. Weller Pottery is from Zanesville, Ohio. We know it's Weller for a couple of reasons. Number one, on this foot over here, it is signed "Weller Pottery," which is a script mark, which not only signs the piece, but also dates it for us, sometime from the mid to late '20s to into the '30s. Also want to point out, this color of this clay...
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
...even without a mark, you would know this is an Ohio piece. We expected to see a lot of Ohio pottery, since we're in Cincinnati. But th, that clay is typical of, of the clay deposits that were left here, I'm told, by the glaciers as they receded...
GUEST:
Right. Okay.
APPRAISER:
...after the last ice age and allowed for Ohio to be one of the pottery centers of America. So because of, uh, the timing of the piece, the Depression...
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
...cutting into their production, and the function of the piece, a lawn ornament, they tend to be fairly rare. It's pottery. It's not metal. They get beaten up over the years.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
Can you imagine one of these on a lawn, which is what they were used for?
GUEST:
Sure.
APPRAISER:
And Weller made a lot of different lawn ornaments. With the lawn mowers and kids and what have you destroying them.
GUEST:
Right.
APPRAISER:
This is in remarkably good condition, even more so since I saw you carrying it in here without it being wrapped and setting it on the concrete floor.
GUEST:
Right. (laughs)
APPRAISER:
Which, I wouldn't do that again. And it's a terrier. I'm not a dog guy, so I don't know exactly which kind, but I've never seen this one before.
GUEST:
Okay.
APPRAISER:
Now, the market for Weller lawn ornaments has slipped somewhat. Uh, they were bringing more about ten years ago, eight years ago. Partially because the people that were collecting them have most of what they want or they're not buying anymore. So the, the market's come down a fair amount. This one, being so rare, may be among the few that would still be worth quite a bit of money. So what I would say in terms of the value of the piece, conservative estimate at auction would be $3,000 to $4,000.
GUEST:
Wow.
APPRAISER:
This could be one of those special dogs, because it's so rare...
GUEST:
Great.
APPRAISER:
...that could bring in in excess of $5,000.
GUEST:
Wonderful.
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