Alan Caiger-Smith Auction Prices and Value Guide
Alan Caiger-Smith auction prices are tracked in Appraisily's artist market index, with source-directory coverage of 430 records. Use this page to review sold-lot activity, market context, and valuation factors before requesting a formal appraisal.
Alan Caiger-Smith auction prices: quick answer
Alan Caiger-Smith auction prices depend on medium, size, date, condition, provenance, edition details, attribution confidence, and recent comparable auction sales.
- Artist
- Alan Caiger-Smith
- Source records
- 430
- Market update
- 2026-02-06
Artist context
About Alan Caiger-Smith
Alan Caiger-Smith (1930–2020) was a British ceramicist, studio potter, and author recognised for his contributions to post-war British studio pottery. Appointed MBE for services to ceramics, he operated within the tradition of hand-thrown, tin-glazed earthenware, drawing on European maiolica and Islamic pottery techniques. Over a career spanning more than six decades, he maintained an active workshop practice and wrote extensively on the history and techniques of tin-glaze pottery. His work bridges the functional craft roots of studio ceramics and a broader decorative-art sensibility, making his pieces a regular presence at auction alongside those of his contemporaries in the British studio pottery movement. Collectors encounter his output across decorative-arts and modern-design sales.
British studio potteryceramicstin-glazed earthenware
Common works and media
Caiger-Smith is represented at auction primarily by wheel-thrown ceramic vessels — bowls, plates, dishes, jugs, vases, and lidded jars — typically in tin-glazed earthenware with painted decoration. Decorative chargers and large platters with figurative or abstract brushwork appear regularly. Smaller production pieces from his workshop, including tiles and domestic wares, also surface. Works are generally individual studio pieces rather than editioned multiples, though workshop-made items carrying the pottery's collective mark may also be encountered.
Market and appraisal context
Alan Caiger-Smith's ceramics have a well-established secondary market, with 125 auction lots recorded between 2003 and late 2025, of which 102 carry realised prices. The market is concentrated among UK regional decorative-arts specialists — Mallams, Adam Partridge Auctioneers, Woolley & Wallis, and Chorley's account for the bulk of turnover — with occasional appearances at Bonhams, maak, Roseberys, and Cheffins in the UK, Shapiro Auctioneers in Australia, Rago Arts and Auction Center in the US, and Waddington's in Canada. Price dispersion is wide: the interquartile range spans roughly £100–£325, with a median near £200 and a recorded ceiling of £5,200 (GBP) for a 1974 Aldermaston Pottery vase with bird decoration sold at Mallams in December 2025. Several lots between £1,600 and £3,400 also appear in 2025, typically for signed and dated pieces with strong provenance linking them to the Aldermaston Pottery workshop or its 1993 final exhibition. Market liquidity has increased notably, with 15 priced lots in the most recent 12-month period versus 5 in the preceding 12 months, suggesting growing collector attention. Lots commonly comprise bowls, plates, chargers, vases, jugs, jars, tiles, and lamp bases in tin-glazed earthenware, often with lustre decoration.
Auction categories and appraisal factors
Common auction categories
- Ceramics and pottery
- tin-glazed earthenware
- studio pottery
Value drivers
- Attribution and maker's marks are primary; Caiger-Smith pieces are typically signed or marked
- Condition, glaze quality, and decorative complexity affect value in studio ceramics
- Provenance linking a piece to the Aldermaston Pottery workshop or to documented exhibition history may increase collector interest
- Attribution confirmed by painted ACS monogram, Aldermaston Pottery marks, or signed and dated bases
- Decorative complexity: figural and lustre-decorated pieces (birds, ruby and gold lustre, green lustre) command higher prices than plain or lightly decorated wares
- Form and size: large chargers, platters (44 cm+), and albarello jars tend to outperform small bowls and functional domestic wares
Appraisal caveats
- No specific auction price records are included in this research; valuation should reference comparable public auction results.
- The collected source pack does not contain major-auction-house catalogue notes; market context is derived from authority and biographical sources only.
- Prices span multiple currencies (GBP, USD, AUD, CAD); direct comparison requires currency normalisation to the appraisal base currency.
- Lot descriptions occasionally miscatalogue nationality or medium (e.g., 'stoneware' for a potter best known for tin-glazed earthenware); appraisers should verify medium independently.
Evidence
Sources for artist context
This source-grounded artist context passed Appraisily's promotion threshold: high confidence, strong sources.
- Wikidata library authority
- Wikipedia wikipedia
- VIAF library authority
- Getty Vocabulary Program library authority
- Library of Congress library authority
- RKD library authority
Data basis
This page is built from Appraisily's public auction market index. Private transactions, incomplete sale feeds, and attribution changes may not be fully represented.
Artist value FAQ
How much is Alan Caiger-Smith worth?
Comparable public auction sales are the best starting point, but final value depends on the specific artwork, condition, size, medium, provenance, and attribution confidence.
Can Appraisily value my Alan Caiger-Smith artwork?
Yes. Appraisily can review photos, dimensions, signatures, condition, provenance, and comparable market data to prepare a current valuation.