At a handicraft stall every piece is placed at its best angle. The buyer's job is to look at the other angles.
Five places worth checking: the joins between parts, the back and the base, the edges and corners, the finish, and one final question, whether this piece can be repaired. These five say more about skill than the front, which has been carefully attended to.
Five places, in order
- The joins: is the gap even or off, has glue squeezed out, do the two pieces share the same grain and colour.
- The back and base: how far they have been worked. A careful maker still finishes the face nobody looks at.
- Edges and corners: has the edge been softened slightly, or is it still sharp and easy to chip. Corners are the first place damage happens in use.
- The finish: hold it to raking light to find runs, brush marks, uneven thickness or dust caught in the coating.
- Repairable or not: a piece joined with pegs and natural glue can usually be repaired; a piece bonded with strong adhesive or pressed in plastic is finished once it breaks.
Weigh it and set it down on a flat surface
Two very quick tests few people do. First, put the piece on a flat surface and see whether it sits firm or rocks. Second, lift it and feel how the weight is distributed; an unbalanced piece is awkward to use however good it looks. For vessels, try pouring water in or look inside to see whether liquid pools at the base.
The story comes after the quality
The story of the craft and of the maker is well worth knowing, and it should come after the inspection rather than before it. Working with workshops, we have found that the places doing good work usually say less about the story and more about materials, tolerances and how they handle faults. This is ZUNGZA's observation and also the criterion we use when choosing partners.
A few questions you often send us
Is a small scratch a flaw
It depends on what was stated and on the material. With natural materials, grain marks, knots and colour differences are usually characteristics rather than faults. With the finish, runs and dust in the coating are finishing faults.
What should I ask the seller
Ask three things: where it was made, which steps were done by hand, and whether it can be repaired if it breaks. If it is a gift, also ask about packaging and lead time if you need something made to order.
What about a piece that already carries marks of use
Some ranges deliberately give the surface the look of long use. That is an aesthetic choice and not a fault, but you should be told clearly before buying so you do not mistake it for second-hand goods.