Collecting
Read the Object Before the Sales Story
A cautious first pass for online listings: photographs, inscriptions, condition and claims that need evidence.
Separate observation from attribution
You can observe shape, paint, wear and visible writing in clear photographs. Identifying a tradition, maker or date is a separate claim and may require specialist comparison or provenance.
Ask for the base
A clear, straight photograph of the base may preserve an inscription or stamp. Do not assume every mark is a maker signature, and do not translate blurred characters with false confidence.
Condition is part of the record
Request neutral-light photographs of the full surface. Fading, cracks, staining and repairs may matter to a collector, but age and value should not be inferred from wear alone.