There is a charm to frugality. You wade through the chaotically arranged aisles in search of that unique item that speaks to your soul – without emptying your bank account. And if you’re particularly lucky in your treasure hunt, you can sometimes snag a bespoke collection of valuable vintage originals that will take your space from “meh” to “wow”. One such collectible antique vase by Virginia Chumley Great energy savings and Substack Newsletter what is leftAdvises to look at thrift stores is faience.
Delving deeper into this valuable vintage treasure in her exclusive interview with Hunkar, Chamli elaborates, “Faience is a type of tin-glazed, enamelled, earthenware that was meant to be a cheaper alternative to porcelain.” It first appeared on the French scene in the 16th century. As the “Sun King,” Louis XIV, and influential houses used him, he enjoyed continued popularity throughout most of the 17th and 18th centuries. Today, it is considered a valuable collection. “It is known for its opaque white glaze, which contrasts with vibrant, hand-painted decorations – often blue – on top (it thus looks similar to Chinese pottery),” adds Chumley. To obtain this characteristic milky glaze color, artisans and factory makers would add tin oxide to the coating before firing the pottery in the kiln.
Look for faience vases at thrift stores
While that’s all fine and dandy A valuable vintage vase you should never overlook at an estate sale or thrift storeIt’s equally important to know how to spot it and make sure it’s the real deal. After all, there is no shortage of copies trying to pass off as expensive originals. Expand on How can you tell if a vase is antique? During her exclusive interview with Hunkar, Virginia Chumley says, “The easiest way to check whether a ceramic object is made of porcelain or faience is to check it for a chip.” Due to age, normal wear, exposure to temporary fluctuations, clay quality or accidental impact, pottery usually develops scratches or chips at or beyond its rim, exposing the underlying layer. “If the ceramic inside the chip is brown or beige, it’s a faience object,” Chumley clarifies. “A chip from porcelain will be white.”
In addition, he recommends looking for maker’s marks such as Quimper, Limoges and St. Amand. But be prepared for the challenge. Depending on who was at the helm, faience makers changed their marks over the centuries. And because, in the intervening few years, some even sold their rights to other factories, you can find valuables stamped or printed with their logos, but omitting their role in production. So, keep a copy of their different scores over the years on your phone for easy reference while thrifting.
Fiennes pieces are more likely to be found in thrift stores
Without leading you down the deep rabbit hole of faience, here’s one thing you should know: it has gone through many iterations since its initial emergence. Although their ownership has changed hands several times (looking at you, Quimper), some of these original establishments continue to produce faience and porcelain pieces today. In other words, not every faience vase you find in a store or on sale has vintage heritage. As Virginia Chumley said in her exclusive Hunker interview, “Modern faience-inspired pieces and 20th-century European faience are not uncommon in thrift stores, but genuine 18th- and early 19th-century French faience are much less common.”
However, if your heart is set on splurging on an antique piece and you want to give your interior an interesting character. A mix of modern and antique furniture“You’re more likely to see them at estate sales, regional auctions, or at antique dealers specializing in ceramics,” Chumley suggests. In short, the faience pieces that land at thrift stores are usually “decorative mid-century or later imports rather than museum-quality French faience,” says our expert.
Prices for these pieces can be highly variable, with rare antiques — reasonably — commanding extra. “Decorated 20th-century faience vases can cost anywhere from $25 to $150, while rare antique examples from well-known factories can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,500,” she says, concluding her interview with us. Here’s hoping you find one that best fits your budget.
