Dear Lee,

We have been traveling lately, looking for trends and news at shows, shops, auctions and club events. The International Nippon Collectors Convention was a recent stop. There were rooms filled with amazing Nippon ceramics and, of course, many friendly collectors. We heard some good stories. Not all Nippon is marked, but serious collectors can identify it from the shape and decorating techniques. Moriage Nippon (the word “Moriage” refers to “raised decoration”) is marked only about half the time. Value is determined by size (bigger is better), rarity and the quality of the hand-painted decoration. Moriage and other Nippon was made for export from 1891 to 1921 in European and American styles, so it isn’t often found in Japan. Today Japanese collectors are buying pieces here to take back home.

The convention was fun—there were guest speakers (including me), tours of the city, a banquet and an auction. And we saw old friends who come to the gatherings every year. We were surprised that a popular feature is the ongoing search for “uglies.” Each year, the club gives a prize to the owner of the ugliest piece of Nippon brought to the convention. Anyone who can laugh at mistakes like Nippon uglies (the winning piece was misshapen and its decoration cockeyed) must have a good sense of humor and a healthy attitude about collecting. Remember our slogan, “If you like it, buy it”—and that goes for things that some people consider ugly. You can still display it, admire it and someday pass it along to family or friends.

We have posted our FREE annual index to Kovels on Antiques and Collectibles (Vol. 35, September 2008–August 2009) on our website, Kovels.com. You may download it free via a link on our homepage. Go to Kovels.com and click on “Volume 35 Index” on the “Free Resources” tab. Or, if you prefer, send an email to Index@KovelsOnline.com, and we’ll email you a link to the index. Any subscriber who doesn’t have access to the Internet or can’t download a file should mail a long self-addressed stamped envelope to: Kovels Index, P.O. Box 22192, Beachwood, OH 44122; we will then mail the index to you.