2024-04-25
For some time now, more and more utilitarian objects have been appearing on the auction market. Design auctions offer customers unique, iconic and sometimes one-of-a-kind items made in iconic and well-known Polish factories. The provenance of an object is key information for collectors, as it helps to categorize the object and determine its real value. For years, factories have been releasing glass or porcelain products that represent the characteristics of a particular manufactory. It is advisable to learn more about the genesis of the product of interest before purchasing a design.
Auction houses are constantly accepting objects from third parties for auction. Nowadays, it is not necessary to own an expensive painting or sculpture by a well-known artist to sell your object through an art gallery. Institutions of this type are increasingly opening up their business to design, allowing customers to access real gems of Polish design.
Auction houses dealing in utilitarian objects are approached by people with a very diverse knowledge of design. Sometimes they are long-time collectors who carefully document their collections and can easily identify the origin and recognize the value of a given object. Other times, they are the heirs of a rare tableware from their grandmother, who have never shown any special interest in design before. In both cases, putting an object up for auction has many advantages. Firstly, the owner receives a professional expert opinion on attribution, valuation, and state of preservation. Secondly, the sale amount can be much higher than expected, due to the form of the transaction, the auction. Thirdly, all technical issues and client contact are then the responsibility of the auction house, so the exhibitor does not need to be involved in the total sale process.
Many of us are not aware of the value of the things we own. Perhaps the old and ugly vase we have hidden at the bottom of the cupboard is in fact a collector's rarity. Employees of auction houses help to identify the object, its valuation, and additionally issue a certificate of authenticity, which increases the prestige of the item sold.
Design offered by auction houses comes from a wide variety of sources, and its quantity on the market is increasing. Design collectors often build their collections according to the key of the object's genesis, i.e. its manufactory. What characterizes the most important Polish glass and porcelain factories? What do they specialize in?
Faience Factory in Włocławek - the first faience factory in Włocławek was established in 1873. It manufactured, among other things, plates, bowls, faience accessories, breakfast, and dinner services. The wares were decorated with glaze and painted with characteristic floral patterns, frequently in the manufactory's specific cobalt colours. Although the economic crisis of the 1990s and the subsequent pandemic hampered the continued operation of the Wloclawek's Faience Factory, a private investor has now helped to resume production of Wloclawek porcelain. The factory is famous for its faience decorated with flowers or the typical dark blue geometric pattern.
"Ćmielów" Tableware Factory in Ćmielów - a manufactory established as early as 1790 and still operating today. Its long history shows the variability of the form of production and the aesthetics of the items over the years. The factory specializes in the manual production of porcelain (services, cups, vases, mugs), and since 2000 the production of the famous Ćmielów porcelain figurines, whose designs date back to the mid-20th century, has been resumed. Items from Ćmielów have a strong position on the market, they are elements of museum collections, and the long history of the manufactory has limited the number of certain creations in commercial circulation. Currently, "Ćmielów" Tableware Factory co-forms the Polish Porcelain Group, together with the (formerly independent) Lubiana and Chodzież factories.
Zakłady Porcelany Stołowej Lubiana - operating since the 1960s, the plant in the Kashubian village of Łubiana specializes in high-quality porcelain, especially in the form of dinnerware sets. Their dinner or coffee services are very popular due to their classic elegance and versatility. Lubiana exports its products to 40 countries, and their crockery can be found in many Polish hotels.
"Bolesławiec" Ceramic Factory in Bolesławiec — the beginnings of crockery production in Bolesławiec date back to the 16th century. Since then, the factory has undergone many changes and reforms, but it is still in operation today and produces some of the most distinctive utilitarian objects in Poland. The objects are painted, glazed and spray decorated to create cups, mugs, or plates with specific, highly decorative patterns.
Krosno Glassworks — a glass manufacturer since 1923. Glass products from Krosno are currently manufactured mainly mechanically and are intended for export. The popularity of Krosno's products is linked to their exceptional quality and the visible purity of the mass, which the factory has developed through its many years of experience. The factory is famous for its vases, glasses or goblets, characterized by a high level of workmanship and often a variety of colours.
Today, Polish design is found on the secondary market in very different ways. On the one hand, there are bazaars all over the country, where it happens to find a real collector's rarity. However, buying a utilitarian item at a market has its advantages and disadvantages. We won't get a certificate of authenticity, and we will probably have to rely on our own knowledge of design to recognize and value the object we are interested in, but on the other hand, there is a good chance of acquiring a specimen at a much lower price than the market. On the other hand, design objects are increasingly appearing in the offers of auction houses and art galleries. Transactions brokered by such institutions are safer, less demanding and fairer in terms of cost. At Artbidy, we also offer a range of different, unique objects by Polish and foreign designers. We encourage you to have a look at the assortment of our Design Department.
