#Rae #Dunn #Pottery #Love #Leave #WorthPoint
It’s puzzling how a simple line of pottery could spark such passionate controversy. I’m talking about Rae Dunn, the California ceramic artist whose work has provoked reactions as black and white as her deceptively uncomplicated collections.
Who Is Rae Dunn?
I remember finding Rae Dunn on Etsy in the very early 2000s. Her art was straightforward, with intentionally imperfect pieces in white or cream that served as a backdrop for plain black elongated text handwritten in a subtle mix of capital and lowercase letters. Some pieces featured an added stamped image like a bird. Dunn’s work perfectly paralleled the clean, minimalist “modern farmhouse chic” style popular then, with its abundance of airspace, white walls, shabby wood, and galvanized metal. Think Joanna Gaines‘s reliance on shiplap or Liz Marie Galvin’s obsession with white paint.
It was also a time when Etsy focused on the makers who produced each piece by hand, ensuring every purchase was indeed one of a kind. By the time Dunn was amassing thousands of handmade sales in her Etsy shop, she had licensed with Magenta, Inc., which began mass-producing her designs as “Rae Dunn by Magenta.” This particular move significantly diminished much of her work’s appeal—namely, its hefty weight and uneven handmade texture.
It was a blow to her dedicated fans and collectors, who saw it as evidence of yet another artist selling out. Dunn defended her licensing decision in a 2009 blog post, writing how exhausted she was, “making every single item by hand.”
“This meant no molds, no castings, no interns, no employees, no accountants, no help,” she wrote. “Just ME … I couldn’t keep up.”
As a former Etsy maker myself, I understand the overwhelming feeling when you’re a one-woman business from start to finish. It simply becomes unsustainable, which is heartbreaking, unless you’re Rae Dunn and a large company comes calling with an offer you can’t refuse.
Rae Dunn Handmade vs. Rae Dunn Manufactured
Today, two lines of Rae Dunn pottery are scattered worldwide—her early handmade pieces and those produced overseas. So, if you’re a collector or reseller, it pays to know what you’re looking at.
Dunn’s earliest work still maintains a dedicated collector base willing to pay hundreds or thousands for specific items. Meanwhile, the Magenta line still sells, although its value is often questionable. In the middle is that line between love and hate.
Facebook groups, blogs, and other social media forums have been battlegrounds of opinions regarding Rae Dunn ceramics for the last few years. I viewed a 2021 Facebook Reel showing shoppers at a store battling it out for a shelf of Dunn pottery, accented with “Rae Dunn women are crazy!” Things have died down since then, but the social media comments continue to run hot and cold.
Resellers often post photos of thrift store shelves overloaded with unwanted ceramic bowls, plates, birdhouses, and butter dishes—spaces the more acidic posters dub “the Rae Dunn Graveyard.” Others post photos of brand new Rae Dunn products cramming the shelves of T.J. Maxx, Tuesday Morning, HomeGoods, and various dollar stores.
“Am I dreaming, or is Rae Dunn still that popular?” poster Bill wrote about a photo of three Magenta pear-shaped kitchen canisters listed on eBay for $800. Other comments included “Rae Dunn has jumped the shark” and “Rae Dunn is garbage.” Ouch!
On Reddit, a member wrote about finding two Rae Dunn soup bowls at a local T.J. Maxx store. Each bowl featured the word “SOUP.” “Very helpful in case I forget what I bought them for,” the poster said with heavy sarcasm. Another poster noted, “I only ever see this stuff at HomeGoods or T.J. Maxx. And it usually ends up in the clearance section.”
Meanwhile, even resellers still defend purchasing Rae Dunn for themselves, regardless of the naysayers’ opinions. “I love Rae Dunn,” Facebook poster Melissa said after showing a photo of a pottery-crammed shelf. “I had a hard time not buying it up.”
Look Before You Leap
If you still want to explore Rae Dunn’s world, I’ve gathered some tips to help you decide whether a specific piece is worth purchasing:
Look at the Bottom: If it states “Magenta” only, with a large “M” stamp, it is an earlier manufactured piece that collectors like. If the piece states “Magenta by Rae Dunn,” it was produced later and has lesser value. Other items are stamped with “Rae Dunn Artisan Collection by Magenta,” “Heritage Collection,” and “Rae Dunn Boutique.” Research thoroughly or pass on those pieces since their timeline remains fuzzy, leading me to the next tip.
Check the Dunn Directory on Facebook: This page focuses on Magenta releases, and you can search by words and phrases, color, and more. There’s also a separate website showing new releases from her design collaborations with Disney and Warner Bros.
Look for Obscure Pieces: Coffee mugs are generally easier to sell if you’ve found something authentic, but only bother with new ones if you plan to keep them for a long time. Other examples of her early work include original—and valuable—handmade stones stamped with words like “DRAW” or “CREATE.”
Research Everything: If you’re out shopping and happen upon some Rae Dunn, keep your phone handy to pull up sale comparisons. Remember, you can pull up items using the WorthPoint mobile app, which lets you snap an image to get instant access to extensive comps from the WorthPoint Price Guide, which has over 400,000 sold prices for Rae Dunn. You can also research recent comps dating back to ninety days if you have an eBay shop.
Today, Dunn’s empty Etsy shop merely directs interested shoppers to her social media accounts and retail website, which leaves me a little sad. However, you just never know. Rae Dunn’s pottery could eventually become the new Pyrex or even Longaberger. Like that word stamped on her handmade stone, at least we can “DREAM.”
Between excursions to hunt for antiques and vintage décor, Lynda Houston is busy restoring her 1950s cottage in Cincinnati, Ohio. She and her partner, Dave Beck, operate TheRustInPeaceShop on Etsy.
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