Dealers: Wendy Harvey and Sarah Fowler
Location: New England Motel & Antique Market
Featured Items: Minton tiles, transfer tiles, Majolica tiles, art-nouveau tiles, machine-made tiles and Rookwood tiles
Details: Dealers Wendy Harvey and Sarah Fowler fell in love with Minton tiles 12 years ago and never looked back--they even wrote a book on the subject. Harvey says that the colors, designs, durability, flexibility and uniqueness of decorative tiles are what make them collectible.
Originally, tiles were used functionally or as decorative accents. They are now being displayed as works of art. Collectors want them for their Old World charm and artistic quality.
Hundreds of years ago tiles were viewed as a status symbol. A stairway of Delft blue and white was a large investment. They are still very expensive, handmade and highly sought after. They sell for over $200 a tile.
According to Fowler and Harvey, collectors are clamoring for tiles made during the Victorian period and later. Popular at the turn of the 20th century for being durable and sanitary, they are prized today for their high-quality glazes and beautiful designs.
Transfer tiles are made in the same manner as transfer dinnerware, which are popular for their variety of designs. One brown tile pattern is valued at $55, whereas a tile bearing a painted scene is valued at $450.
Majolica tiles are known for their bright intense glaze, as opposed to their area of manufacture. One is valued at $45, whereas the tile with a vibrant blue glaze and strong design is valued at $150.
Art nouveau known for its flowing lines and sensuous designs is also popular among collectors. The more elaborate the design, the more valuable.
See a machine-made tile with a simple design done in a deep green. It, and other one-color tiles, are worth approximately $45. A machine-made tile with a raised handmade design that displays various colors is valued around $135.
Tiles have strong crossover collectibility. A dog collector, for example, might collect tiles featuring dogs. In addition, pottery collectors may collect tiles made by their favorite maker.
A Rookwood tile, marked on the back, is very popular with arts and crafts collectors. It is valued at $250.
A flower transfer design by Wedgwood, also stamped, is valued at over $200.
Harvey warns that not all old tiles are marked and that some old designs are being used in legitimate reproductions.
Harvey and Anderson show two tiles with similar designs. One is a modern piece from England, and it is stamped as such. The color process used on the tile is fairly simple and it is valued at $15. The other tile is older and handpainted and is valued at $85.
Another new tile--this one meant to fool the buyer, features the rich glaze of an old piece, but small pixels can be seen in the relief. See an example of a similar-looking older piece in which no pixels are visible. It has a more liquid-style glaze and cracks called crazing. It is still worth $350, and the new one is worth practically nothing. Harvey recommends checking with a dealer to avoid such pieces and also emphasizes that you should always buy what you like.
