Van Briggle Pottery

Ceramics, History, Marks, Pricing

A Van Briggle Flower Frog in Martinez, CA

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Van Briggle pottery flower frogI was in the small town of Martinez in California with my sister going from antique stores to thrift stores. We weren’t looking for anything in particular, being collectors of many things, but just for anything that caught our eyes. We found a small store filled to the brim with bric-a-brac and collectibles. It was one of those stores where as soon as you walked in, your eyes were quick in finding treasures which appealed to taste.

After browsing the aisles and finding several items I was interested in purchasing, I decided to give the glass cases up front a once-over. The cases held all kinds of miscellaneous smaller collectibles. I saw a small burgundy-colored flower frog that I had never seen before. I instantly thought it could be a Van Briggle pottery piece. I asked the shop owner if I could see and hold the frog. The price tag had “Van Briggle?” written on it and the price of $18. The owner told me she really liked Van Briggle pottery. She told me Van Briggle pottery was from Florida, but based on my readings on your website, VanBriggle.net, I knew it was actually made in Colorado. I also knew the glaze on this frog was called the Mulberry glaze. I was a bit skeptical of any further knowledge or information she offered on this piece. I checked the bottom and found the tell-tale “A in a square box” mark. I knew for sure this was an authentic piece.

Van Briggle pottery flower frogI asked for the best price, and she sold me the Van Briggle flower frog for $15. I was very happy with the fair price offered.

Cleaning Your Van Briggle Pottery

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Sometimes after buying your Van Briggle pottery secondhand it is not as clean as you might want it to be. Luckily, it is extremely easy to get your Van Briggle art back into looking its best.

One of the most critical things to consider when cleaning your Van Briggle pottery is WHERE you are cleaning it. If your piece drops, could it break? A great tip is to always put down a dishtowel or rag in the sink when cleaning anything of great or irreplaceable value. Make sure you are also holding your pottery low and not high up. If it drops or slips by accident, the towel will break the fall and the item you are cleaning will stay intact.

The first thing you will want to do is place your pottery inside of another large bowl or dish and fill it with warm mildly soapy water. Go ahead and let your Van Briggle soak for a couple hours.

After your Van Briggle has soaked, take a soft toothbrush and brush the problem areas of your piece using a small circular motion. Never scrub with the green rough side of a sponge. This can ruin the finish.

When done, set your Van Briggle pottery in a spot where it can dry naturally.

That was easier than you thought, wasn’t it?

Researching Your Van Briggle Pottery Pieces

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As you pick up a variety of pieces from different sources, you may find yourself curious about each piece’s history and date manufactured. There are several excellent books available on Amazon to guide you and help you date your Van Briggle pottery. These books contain a repetroir of pictures and marks.


The first book you will want to add to your library is called, “The Collector’s Encyclopedia of Van Briggle Art Pottery: An Indentification & Value Guide.” This book contains over 800 pieces of Van Briggle pottery. The book also has plenty of information about the creation processes, dating your pottery, and other company material. We purchased ours uses from Amazon and haven’t looked back since.

Another book you may also want to check into is, “The Story Behind the Clay: A Comprehensive Guide to Commissioned Van Briggle Specialty Pieces” book which has quite an impressive showcasing of some of the most unique Van Briggle pottery pieces you could ever come across.

Buy Van Briggle Pottery

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There are multiple venues to pursue in expanding your Van Briggle pottery collection. There is the option of buying directly from the Van Briggle website, where you can get the most recent pieces of art offered. You can find coveted Van Briggle vases and other pieces on Ebay, often for great prices. As you become more and more familiar with how to quickly identify a Van Briggle piece of pottery, you may even stumble across a hidden treasure at a garage sale or estate sale.

Buying Van Briggle pottery secondhand from a garage sale or estate sale will be one of the most exciting experiences you can have as you expand your collection. You have the hunt of searching through boxes, on top of tables, and items scattered through an estate. You carefully pick up your piece of primitive pottery with that dull matte finish and look under the bottom. You notice a large V, followed by the rest of that telltale Van Briggle signing. Perhaps you will even find an original cast, signed by the potter himself!