How to post a good valuation question

This category works best when posts have enough detail to actually help. Before you post, include: **Photos** — at least three. One overall shot, one close-up of any marks or signatures, one of the back/underside. Natural light. Plain background. **Marks** — write them out exactly as they appear. "MADE IN OCCUPIED JAPAN" dates to 1947–1952, very different from "MADE IN JAPAN". One character changes the value. **Measurements** — height, width, depth in inches or cm. Weight if it's metal. **Condition** — chips, cracks, repairs, missing parts, crazing. Even "looks perfect" is useful info. **Provenance** — estate sale? Family piece? Thrifted? Where you got it shapes how much to trust any paperwork that came with it. The more you give, the better the answers get. We've all seen "bowl, how much?" with a blurry photo — five minutes of setup gets you a better response. — Chase