Hi Lisa,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

According to his website, John Tilton is one of America's most respected contemporary studio potters, best known for his serene, hand-thrown porcelain vessels and his mastery of crystalline matte glazes. Although he makes functional forms such as bowls, jars, and vases, his work is generally regarded as fine art rather than utilitarian pottery.

His path to ceramics was unusual. He was pursuing a Ph.D. in mathematics at the University of Florida when he discovered pottery in 1968. The experience led him to abandon mathematics for ceramics, and he earned an MFA in Ceramics from the University of South Florida in 1972. He taught both mathematics and ceramics before becoming a full-time studio artist. Since 1978, he and his wife Anne have lived and worked in a meditation community near Gainesville, Florida.

Meditation plays a central role in Tilton's work. He has written that he strives to make pots that seem to have "just appeared out of the depths of the universe," minimizing evidence of the maker's hand. Rather than expressing personality, he aims to create objects that evoke quiet contemplation.

This particular pot is a symphony of understated modeling and glazing, with gently flaring sides and modulated colors in the glazing.

Retail prices for new works commonly range from several hundred dollars for smaller vessels to several thousand dollars for larger or exceptional examples, though when these come to auction, they bring less than his retail prices (sometimes as much as one-half or even one-third).

If you're looking to auction this, I would strongly suggest working with an auctioneer who specializes in studio pottery, such as Rago (NJ), Wright (Chicago) or LAMA (Los Angeles), which will know which collectors to market this to.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

John Tilton (American, 20th-21st Century)
Trumpet-form Vase
Of circular section with gently flaring sides and multicolored matte glazing, signed in gold underneath.
8-1/2 inches tall by 8-inches greatest diameter
CONDITION: this appears to be in good condition
PROVENANCE: acquired at a second hand store
$ 300-500*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia