This is the one category where the honest answer starts with arithmetic rather than with comparables.
Start with the floor
Materials, plus hours, plus what the work costs you to do. That total is the floor. It is not a negotiating position — it is the number below which making the piece loses you money.
Metzee's commission is charged on top of what the buyer pays, as its own line, so the figure you need to clear is the one you just worked out. What comes out of a sale.
What sits above the floor
- Technique and how long it takes to learn, not only to do
- Region, and whether the craft is tied to one
- The maker being named — your name is part of the value once people know it
- Scale and difficulty
- Finish and consistency
Why two similar pieces differ
One seller explained the process on camera and said how long it took. The other held up a bowl. The explanation is half of why live selling works for handmade work.
Why not to compare against factory goods
Somebody in your room can buy a machine-made version for a fraction of your price, and they are not your buyer. Comparing against them sets a floor you cannot live on.
How a room prices handmade work
Better than you expect, and better the more you say. Start low on quick pieces, protect slow ones with a reserve, and let a series across one show teach the room what your work costs.
Questions people ask
Should I charge for my learning time?
Not per piece. It is in your rate, which is why skilled work is priced above unskilled.
What if nobody pays my floor?
Then it did not sell that night. Selling below the floor repeatedly is worse than not selling.
Does naming my region help?
Yes, when it is true, and especially where a craft is tied to a place.