What exactly does investment quality mean? It means an antique with tremendous growth potential AS WELL AS LOOKING WONDERFUL TO YOUR EYE! After all, you must live with your antiques. I base this upon my thirty plus years of exhibiting at Antiques Shows, my store sales, many,many hours ( on going always) of detailed reseach of auction prices and results worldwide, comparable merchandise, Ebay pricing,visiting dealers wherever I travel, purchasing quality and unusual antiques with an eye for something very special... Lets just say I am obsessive in my field, I am the ultimate shop till I drop gal.p>Condition and aestheic qualities enhance appreciation. Wonderful in every way, especially to your eye. You may never make a dime on a potential sale some day down the road if this is your intent. Remember "beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Always ask questions;don't let a dealer "push something on you, and ASK,ASK,questions. No question is stupid. Do not be intimidated by so called "Experts." Remember we all make mistakes...I own quite a few of them.

PORCELAINS~

Generally speaking, porcelain pieces should be as close to pristine in condition as possible. However, in rarer pieces of all ages restoration, or damage is more than acceptable,often the only way. Chips,hairlines and breaks are perfectly acceptable on highly desireable items, and common in 19th century and earlier items. Many fine books on your favorite makers,periods and such are available. Books and auction catalogs are expensive,but absolutely essential if you are going to be serious about your pieces. A knowlege of makers, styles,periods and marks are readily available on the internet. If you think a porcelain is rediculously expensive or over priced consider the scarcity,desireability and how this beautiful and oh so delicate item survived wars,children, pets,careless maids and was not thrown away over the many, many years it has been in existence, often shipped across conntinents...sold,packed,shipped and resold. Think of the dealers outlay in rent,adertising and cost. Have you ever seen another like it? It should be expensive. The seller put a lot of money in treasure and did not find it at a yard sale.

Be wary of forged signatures and hallmarks (backstamps) as they are more than plentiful and have been for centuries.

FAIENCES AND MAJOLICA~

Faience, the French word derived from the Italian Faenza or tin glazed earthenwares are an entirely separate field, as is majolica, from the Portugese Maioica which is also tin glazed, or should be. Both are pottery, though often called porcelain. Sometimes depending on the composition of the clay and other ingredients it is hard to tell what it is. Soft paste porcelains are another issue, I will talk about later. Damages from glaze defects,chips,hairlines,cracks and repairs go hand in hand with faience. The base clay is fragile. Damage is almost routine and acceptable. Perfect or near perfect peices command very.very high prices. Generally the older, the higher value of the item.