The word “grotesque” has a few different meanings in decorative arts. It can be a general descriptor, covering anything strange and macabre. It can be more specific, referring to human faces with distorted features that appear as masks or adorn furniture or pottery. But would you use it to describe, say, a symmetrical glass vase standing on a round foot, with a flared, ruffled shape and a cobalt blue rim fading into the clear body?

That vase, which sold for $455 at an auction by Jeffrey S. Evans & Associates, came from the Grotesque glassware line made by Steuben in the 1920s to 1930s. Steuben glass may be better known for its iridescent Aurene and colorful Cluthra glassware or its crystal paperweights, but its Grotesque pieces are just as innovative and elegant. The wares are usually conventional vases and bowls, and they may be clear, opaque, a solid color, or shaded. The free-formed shapes of the pieces and their rippling textures make the line unique.

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Q: I have an interesting pottery pitcher I bought at an estate sale. It’s glazed brown and has a texture like tree bark. The mark on the bottom looks like it says “Gonder” in cursive. I haven’t been able to find out anything about the company. Can you tell me anything about it, and what the piece might be worth?

A: Your pitcher was made by Gonder Ceramic Arts, Inc., which was founded by Lawton Gonder in Zanesville, Ohio, 1941 and operated until 1957. Gonder pottery was made in many popular styles of the time, including art deco, Hollywood Regency, and Modernist, and featured specialty glazes like crackle, drip, lustre, and flambe. Your pitcher comes from the pottery’s Original line, which was introduced about 1950.

Collectors categorize Gonder Original pieces by their mold numbers, which are grouped by series from 100 to 1200. Your piece comes from the 400 series. It is worth about $50. For more information about Gonder pottery, look for “The Collector’s Guide and History of Gonder Pottery: The Other Zanesville, Ohio — Art Pottery” by Ron Hoopes.

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Q: How much would it cost to get a formal appraisal for my family’s antique furniture set?

A: Formal appraisals are expensive. Different appraisers charge different prices, but $150 per hour is typical. Remember that you are paying for the appraiser’s time, research, and expertise. If the appraiser comes to your home, you are paying for their travel time as well.

If you need a formal appraisal, such as for insurance or tax purposes, a good way to find a qualified appraiser is through a professional association like the American Society of Appraisers (appraisers.org), International Society of Appraisers (isa-appraisers.org), or Appraisers Association of America (appraisersassociation.org). Look for one who specializes in furniture.

You may want to contact multiple appraisers before deciding which one to hire and be sure check reviews or references. Watch out for appraisers who charge based on the value of the antique or who offer to buy it at the value they set; they are likely to undervalue your items so they can buy them at the lowest possible price.

If you are simply curious about the value of your furniture set, a formal appraisal is usually not necessary. There are plenty of ways to estimate the value of an antique. You can check antique stores in your area and talk to dealers. Look online for similar items that sold at auctions. Many auction houses will estimate the value of an item if you send them photos, even if you are not selling the item through them. However, remember that the item’s condition and other key factors to its value are not always obvious in a photograph. And, of course, you can look up prices in Kovels’ Price Guide and sales reports in Kovels Antique Trader!

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TIP: Antique glass should be handled as if it has been repaired and might fall apart. Hold a pitcher by the body, not the handle. Pick up stemware by holding both the stem and the bowl. Hold plates in two hands, not by the rim.

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Kovels answers readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures: the object and a close-up of any marks or damage. Be sure your name and return address are included. By sending a question, you give full permission for use in any Kovel product. Names, addresses or email addresses will not be published. We do not guarantee the return of photographs, but if a stamped envelope is included, we will try. Questions that are answered will appear in Kovels Publications. Write to Kovels, (Name of this newspaper), King Features Syndicate, 300 W. 57th Street, 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com.

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CURRENT PRICES

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

Sports, soccer, ball, red and yellow, McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Sidekick, plastic bag, box, 1990s, pair, $50.

Bank, top hat, upside down, red top, coin slot, embossed lettering, Pass Around the Hat, black base, cast iron. 2 inches, $130.

Pyrex, bowl set, Cinderella, Butterprint, turquoise, nesting, largest 4 quarts, four pieces, $155.

Pottery-contemporary, jar, blackware, burnished, feathers around shoulder, round, tapered, flared lip, signed, Hilario Quezada, Mata Oritz, 7 x 8 1/2 inches, $320.

Tole, chandelier, six-light, lyre center, yellow, black painted leaves, scrolling vines, flowers, electrified, France, early 1800s, 18 x 18 inches, $525.

Advertising, tin, Thomas’ Indelible Ink, rectangular, yellow, black lettering, slide lid, flower border, black cat on base, sitting, Ask For Me., 3 x 2 inches, $585.