Porcelain manufacturers like Lladró are modern magicians for the way that they can create still popular static works of art which are bursting with both energy and emotion, and Lladró value has maintained a steady presence in the market and among people for over 50 years. Lladró has a long history of making porcelain pieces which display a mastery of virtuosic techniques, with some of their works being worth much more than others depending on their age, rarity, size, and theme.
Three Brothers Bring Lladró to Life
In 1953 along Spain's Mediterranean coast, three brothers named Juán, José, and Vincente Lladró combined their artistic talents and porcelain expertise to launch their self-titled porcelain manufacturer business. For the next fifty years, Lladró innovated porcelain manufacturing, implemented a single-firing method-taking the place of the commonly used triple-firing method-and added complicated embellishments, like tulle and flowers to their popular products. By the 1980s, the company's elongated figurines and pastel color palettes had become internationally renowned, and the Lladró Collectors' Society was subsequently formed in 1985. Unlike many of their competitors, Lladró has survived to into the 21st century and has branched out beyond porcelain figurines into making home decorations and jewelry, but they still remain one of the finest crafters of porcelain in the world.
Evaluate Lladró Values
The first step to evaluating a piece's monetary worth is to ensure that it's an authentic Lladró. While it is rather hard to replicate the company's most stylized figures with their Picasso-esque elongated proportions, sometimes good replications make their way into reputable stores. So, you want to complete the following steps to determine if your piece is truly a Lladró, and if so, what its preliminary estimated value is going to be.
- Find maker's marks - Look for a stamp or engraving on the bottom of the piece that indicates it is a Lladró.
- Check retired status - Once it is a confirmed Lladró, you want to check for the piece's catalog number, which will allow you to determine if a piece has been retired or not. Retired pieces are worth more than those currently in-production.
- Assess size - Single characters are worth the least amount of money, while large multi-piece scenes are worth the most, with some expansive sets brining in tens of thousands of dollars.
Lladró Prices Guide
Thankfully for collectors, Lladró has created porcelain figurines and scenes out of a vast array of characters and topics, including the humorous, religious, literary, and everything in-between. However, this makes evaluating Lladró values rather difficult. Here are some simple breakdowns for you to use to help you estimate the worth of the company's most popular series based on the current market. Given that each of the dollars signs in the Lladró Price Guide equals $250, you might want to think about having your Ballerina, Don Quixote, Nativity Set, Clown, or Non-Lladró pieces appraised; who knows, that delicate tulle-skirt and pirouette might be hiding an impressive value that'll have you dusting the figurine more often than just once a year.
Angels
The company has been creating small angel figurines and multiple-angel scenes since it first began in the 1950s. The earliest examples are more round and smaller than those made in the 1980s and beyond. Angels that are still in-production can bring in anywhere between $50-$200, while angels that have been retired can be worth double those prices. Take this vintage Lladró "Angel Playing Guitar" figurine which sold for $50 and this retired "Angel Thinking" piece that has been listed for $650.
Ballerinas
One of the company's most sought after categories is their ballerina series; the long lines that Lladró is well-known for are perfectly suited to showcase gravity-defying dance maneuvers. These figurines widely vary in cost, with designs that were created in the 1950s and are still being produced today selling in the low thousands. For example, the "Ballerina with Rose" Lladró is listed for a little over $2,700 on one seller's website.
Bride and Grooms
Matrimony themed works never go out of style, and Lladró's bride and grooms series is much the same. In-production designs can be worth between $50-$500, with retired figurines sometimes being worth in the upper hundreds. One vintage set is estimated to be worth $50-$150 by one auction house, and a retired 1980s "Matrimony" figurine has an estimate around $600.
Clowns
Lladró's clowns and circus series is unique in that some of its most collectible pieces are actually clown busts, which put the exaggerated clown's features on display. These busts and individual figurines are worth about the same, running between $50-$1,000 depending on their condition and whether they've been retired or not. For example, a collectible Court Jester design which only ran for one year (1969-1970) is listed for about $1,500.
Don Quixote
Who better to represent the infamous Spanish literary figure, Don Quixote, than the Spanish porcelain maker, Lladró? Their Don Quixote figures have been in production since the 1970s, and can range $200-$2,000 depending on their age and retired status. For instance, this Don Quixote figurine, whose design hails from 1970, can be purchased on the company's website for $1,950.
Girls With Flowers
If you're in the market for more affordable Lladrós, than figurines of girls with flowers and flower baskets is the series for you. These colorful figures are worth $50-$300 on average, with limited edition pieces being worth a little extra. For example, this lovely "Spring Is Here" figurine is listed for $150 by one seller, and a similar Nao-Lladro figurine, "The School Girl" is listed for about $75 by another.
Nao-Lladró Pieces
Interestingly, Lladró produces a more cost-effective line of porcelain under the Nao brand name. These pieces are similarly designed to their Lladró counterparts, but aren't as detailed or as finely crafted, which allows for the drop in price. For instance, given the adoration for the company's ballerina figures, it makes sense that this vintage Nao Ballerina is listed by one seller for about $550. However, older Nao models can still bring in a few hundred dollars, depending on their quality and if they've been retired.
Nativity Sets
Among the religious figurines that Lladró makes is their large nativity sets, which includes the central characters with varying numbers of animals and wise men. In terms of value, the more pieces in the set, the more money it's worth. Take this ten piece nativity set, which sold for $950 in one auction and a nine piece set that sold for $600 in another. Since these sets are normally rather large, they can run the cost of around $1,000 on average.
Most Expensive Lladrós
Unsurprisingly, these supremely kilned and painted porcelain figurines can be worth an eye-watering amount in some cases. Here are a few of these extremely expensive Lladrós:
- Cinderella's Arrival - about $57,000
- 18th Century Coach - about $57,000
- A Grand Adventure - about $65,000
Estimate Lladró Values From Home
Thankfully, many of these pieces' ballpark value ranges can be evaluated from your house. After following these aforementioned tips, if you still find yourself lost as to whether you should continue buying lottery tickets or post your Lladró for sale, then you can always reach out to an appraiser or expert to find out more information about your specific piece and it's worth. While there are many antique figurines worth money, vintage Lladrós are in a class of their own.
