Next Pewabic Seconds Sale - 2023
The date of the 2023 Seconds Sale has not been determined yet. Sign up for our newletter at the bottom of this page to make sure you find out first when we have chosen the 2023 date for this event.
Pewabic’s annual sale of seconds and overruns is one of our most popular events. Please note that your member discount will not be applied to Seconds Sale items. Every year Pewabic Members get first access to the sale as our way of saying thank you for your yearly support. Be sure to join or renew your membership for first access.
Not sure if you want an imperfect Pewabic piece? Pewabic members receive discounts year round on most purchases. Join or renew today and shop the ceramic vessels and art tiles that have passed our quality control inspection.
What makes an item a Second?
Seconds are imperfect. They haven’t passed our quality assurance for a number of reasons ranging from imperfections on the glaze surfaces, unexpected color results, cracks, fractures, warping, odd shapes, or missing/incorrectly placed stamps or makers marks.
In ceramics, “seconds” are celebrated and lovingly integrated into our homes and hearts. Some of our most cherished pieces and glazes have come from a “firing gone wrong”. One example is our Frost glaze, which was inspired by a misfiring of our seasonal Winterberry glaze.
Here are some examples of what you can expect from a second. Please note that these depicted flaws and items do not represent the items available this year. Your seconds will be selected at random, are non-refundable, and cannot be exchanged. Our team is hard at work narrowing down this year's selection so there are minimal imperfections that do not hinder the functionality of the piece.
Glaze
Glaze bubbles, pitting, crawling, running, and extreme color variation can all cause a piece to be deemed a second based on its glaze surface. Items with glaze running have been ground smooth.
Cracks + Warping
With the extremely high temperatures of the ceramics process, warping and cracking are common reasons for pieces to be removed during our quality control review. We have selected the best quality seconds for this sale, but you may still find minor fractures, cracking on the back side of tiles, warping, and chips that will not be visible after grouting amidst this seconds sale.
Shape + Form
This category is most applied to our vessels – vases and drinking vessels. When a new wheel thrown object is designed, or an artisan is being trained in our wheel thrown forms, many of their first attempts will end up as seconds. These items are still 100% functional, but they will be a bit more unique and unexpected in their size or shape.
Stamps and Markings
You may notice that some of our seconds are missing their signature Pewabic, Detroit, or artisan stamps. Other times the stamps may have been put in the wrong location. Although their markings are imperfect or missing, each object is still made with so much care! You will also notice a black X on the bottom or back side of each piece. This is how we track that an item is being reserved for a seconds sale.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE SALE
We hope you find something you love! Please note that your items in your cart are not secured until you have completed the checkout process. You can streamline this process by creating or signing into your account on our website and saving your mailing and/or billing address along with your preferred payment option. You can also download the Shop app on your smartphone to easily track your orders and organize payment and shipping options. Our stock levels are limited and may sell out quickly.
What is available?
The sale includes vases, drinking vessels, embossed art tiles as well as a selection of architectural field tiles while supplies last. We have sorted through all of our seconds stock and picked the best pieces to include in this online sale. Items will be listed by object and glaze color. Most of the field tile is sold in 3 square foot increments or in full lots. Items in the sale will be priced up to 50% off. Member discounts do not apply to seconds sale items. No additional discounts apply. Seconds are sold as is and are not eligible for returns or exchanges. You will be able to select shipping or In-Store Pick-up (for customers able to pick up at the pottery in Detroit, MI).
Architectural Tile
For each custom tile project we make extras to allow for flaws and losses in the production process. Many of these tile available this year are "seconds quality", meaning there may be visible flaws on the surface.
"Overruns" are leftover tile from an installation, and generally do not have any visible flaws.
Architectural tile will be sold in specific square foot quantities, or in lots. Please read product description fully before purchase. Be sure to calculate how many square feet of tile you need for your project.
If you need more tile than we have available in the sale, you can start collecting a portion of the tiles this year and add to your collection in future sales. You may also place a custom order for new tile through our design team (minimum order amount is required).
Please note that our tiles are siblings not twins, tiles resemble each other but will have some variation. New orders may vary from the result purchased in the seconds sale.
