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diff --git a/38248.txt b/38248.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6b88d16 --- /dev/null +++ b/38248.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4619 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Pottery, for Artists Craftsmen & Teachers, by +George J. Cox + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Pottery, for Artists Craftsmen & Teachers + +Author: George J. Cox + +Release Date: December 8, 2011 [EBook #38248] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POTTERY, FOR ARTISTS *** + + + + +Produced by Mark C. Orton, Henry Gardiner and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +Transcriber's Note: The original publication has been replicated +faithfully except as shown in the TRANSCRIBER'S AMENDMENTS at the end of +the text. This etext presumes a mono-spaced font on the user's device, +such as Courier New. Words in italics are indicated like _this_. Text +emphasized with bold characters or other treatment is shown like =this=. +Superscripts are indicated like this: S^{ta} Maria. Subscripts are +indicated like this: H_{2}O. + +[Illustration] + +[Illustration: "_He wrought a work upon the wheels, and the vessel that he +made of clay was marred in the hands of the Potter: so he made it again +another vessel, as seemed good to the Potter to make it._"--(JEREMIAH.)] + + + + + POTTERY, + + FOR ARTISTS + CRAFTSMEN + & TEACHERS + BY + GEORGE J COX, ARCA. + INSTRUCTOR in POTTERY & MODELLING AT + TEACHERS COLLEGE--COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY + + ILLUSTRATED by the AUTHOR + + + PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA + + COPYRIGHT, 1914, + BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY + + Set up and electrotyped. Published November, 1914. + + Norwood Press + J. S. Cushing Co.--Berwick & Smith Co. + Norwood, Mass., U. S. A. + + + "O Master, pardon me, if yet in vain + Thou art my Master, and I fail to bring + Before men's eyes the image of the thing + My heart is filled with." + + --WILLIAM MORRIS. + + + + + EXPLANATION + + +In such a spacious craft as Pottery it is difficult to steer a fair course +between the empirical and the scientific. With that in mind this book sets +out to tell in simple terms some of the processes of Potting, practicable +to the student and to the more finished craftsman. + +It is an intricate task to combine successfully the view-points of the +artist and the scientist; but it seems that, without neglecting the many +benefits bestowed by the advance of science, the Potter should stand with +the former. The best in his craft has been produced by men that were +artists rather than chemists. And what has been accomplished by loving, +patient craftsmanship may surely be done again only in such ways. + +To the artist craftsman, for whom chiefly this book is intended, a little +scientific knowledge is a dangerous thing; for that reason no great stress +is laid on formulas and analysis. Unless thoroughly understood they are a +hindrance rather than an aid. + +Although many schools teach elementary pottery, the expense of equipment +possibly delays its introduction on a larger scale. For that reason I have +preferred to err on the side of over-exactness of description and +profuseness of illustration. + +The slight historical review and introductory remarks are to be excused on +the ground that they are intended to help to a study of the best work of +the best periods, and so to foster a taste for the finest Ceramics. This +is a vital matter when laying the foundations of a craft so fascinating +and so full of alluring avenues to beckon the student from the true path. + +To the scientific critic I would offer a hundred books with a thousand +different compounds; amongst none of them will he find how to make a Sung +bowl or a Rakka drug pot. + +This book will achieve its purpose if it sets one or two sincere students +to the making of some of the many beautiful objects of utility and art +with which the craft abounds. Then it will have done something, if never +so little, to accelerate the arrival of that time when the artist will +come once more into his own in the most ancient and noble of Crafts. + +Some of the many books consulted, to which I am indebted, are given at the +end of the book. Among friends my thanks are especially due to Richard +Lunn, Esq., of the Royal College of Art, London, and to Professor Arthur +Wesley Dow of Teachers College, Columbia University, for my introduction +to and opportunity of further study of the Craft to which I subscribe +myself an humble devotee. + + G. J. C. + + + + + TABLE OF CONTENTS + + + PAGE + + EXPLANATION vii + + CHAPTER + + I. HISTORICAL SUMMARY 1 + + II. CLAYS AND PASTES 19 + + III. BUILT SHAPES 26 + + IV. MOULDING, CASTING, AND PRESSING 34 + + V. JIGGER AND JOLLEY WORK 51 + + VI. THROWN SHAPES 59 + + VII. TURNING OR SHAVING 73 + + VIII. TILE-MAKING 80 + + IX. DRYING: FINISHING 89 + + X. FIRING BISCUIT 93 + + XI. GLOST FIRING 107 + + XII. GLAZES AND LUSTRES 117 + + XIII. DECORATION 129 + + XIV. FIGURINES 141 + + XV. KILNS 151 + + XVI. THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF POTTERY 170 + + APPENDIX I. EQUIPMENT FOR A SMALL POTTERY OR A + SCHOOL 177 + + APPENDIX II. GLOSSARY AND GENERAL INFORMATION 185 + + + + + POTTERY FOR ARTISTS, CRAFTSMEN, AND TEACHERS + + + + + CHAPTER I + + HISTORICAL SUMMARY + + "After this he led them into his garden, where was great variety + of Flowers. Then said he again, Behold, the Flowers are diverse + in stature, in quality, and colour, and smell, and virtue, and + some are better than some." + + --BUNYAN. + + +Without attempting a history of pottery which, however brief, would be +somewhat out of place in a Craft Book, a short summary of its evolution, +emphasizing those periods in which it was most beautifully developed, +seems essential to help the beginner in the selection and appreciation of +good form, colour, and decoration. These are very vital matters and easily +overlooked in the struggle to acquire a craft that is full of fascination +from the first fumbled shape upon the wheel to the finished product of +time and art and craft. + +Too much stress cannot be laid upon the importance of close study of the +best work, both ancient and modern; for it is a truism that however +handily a craftsman may work, his output will be worthless if he has not, +with his increasing powers of technique, developed a sound judgement and +refined taste. To-day, these alone can replace the lost traditions of the +old masters. + +The Potter's Craft had a coeval birth in various parts of the earth, but +the obscurity is such that no clear idea can be gained of its antiquity. +It was, probably, the first form of handicraft, if we except the +fashioning of flints and clubs. Accident or the funeral pyre may have +suggested the extraordinary durability the clay shape obtained when +burned, and doubtless siliceous glazes were first the result of chance. +All early work was built up by hand and for that reason possesses wide +mouths and simple forms. The introduction of the wheel is lost in a mist +of time, but drawings from the tombs of Beni Hassan show the potter at his +wheel substantially as he works in Asia to this day. The wheel-made or +thrown shape is distinguished by far more grace and symmetry than the +built shape, and by an infinitely greater variety of form. + +In burial mounds from prehistoric Egypt are found many bowls and platters +rudely scratched, and the earliest examples from mounds, lake dwellings, +and tombs show the quick development of the pot, not only as an object of +utility, but as a vehicle of art. The first kinds of decoration were +incised lines followed by strappings and bandings, painted stripes and +scrolls and hieroglyphs, with later additions in slip and modelled clay. +Primitive wares from their method of production exhibit an interesting +similarity of shape and style in such widely divergent countries as China, +Egypt, and Peru. + +It was only when the craftsman had acquired considerable dexterity that we +find his nationality influencing his shapes and producing the wonderful +variety in form and decoration that characterizes and distinguishes the +pottery of all nations. Once established, the prevalence of type is +strong. This traditional style is particularly noticeable in Egypt, much +modern work being identical with that of the early dynasties. + +Before turning to more sophisticated work it would be well to learn the +lesson of simplicity and fitness here taught by primitive folks. The +simple beginning leads to the simple, strong, and satisfying end. Much of +this primitive work is inspiring for its freshness or naivete; its +unspoiled innate taste allied to downright common sense. Properly +approached, it should be a sure corrective to any desire for unsightly +_new_ shapes or extravagance in decoration. A few careful studies will do +much to drive home this valuable lesson in fine, simple line and spacing. + +In Egypt the thrown shape was not distinguished by any extraordinary +beauty or variety. Nevertheless their small _Ushabti_, glazed gods and +demons, show a very advanced knowledge of coloured enamels, and their +fabrication of a hard sandy paste for glazing shows the first great step +in the science of pottery. Their glaze was purely alkaline. + +The Assyrians appear to have been the first to use coloured tin glazes, +and although few pieces of pottery survive, the enamelled friezes from +Korsobad and Sousa are striking evidence of their proficiency in +tile-making. + +From Egypt and Mesopotamia the craft spread east and west to Phoenicia, +Attica, and Greece; through Persia and Arabia to India. Here it mingled +with currents from China, then invading Korea, Japan, and Siam, the united +floods rising until the potter was a power in every land. + +Phoenician pottery forms, with Cretan and early Grecian, a beautiful +sequence from the primitive work of early dynasties to the refinements of +later Grecian wares. + +It will prove an interesting and instructive study to trace the +developments that led finally to the zenith of Greek pottery. The +primitive Hissarlik ware leads through Mycenaean, Dipylon, Phalaeron, +Rhodian, and Corinthian right up to the wonderful figure vases of about +300 B.C. Although limited in paste and colour, with a thin transparent +glaze or lustre, these vases were exquisitely fashioned. Large and small +shapes of wide diversity were decorated in black, red, and white, ornament +and figures both drawn straight on to the body with a sureness of touch +and refinement of line that excite the envy of a master. Many of their +forms are strongly influenced by contemporary bronze work and for that +reason are not the best guides for shapes. Their incomparable terra-cottas +known as Tanagras form a link between Pottery and Sculpture. + +Again, from Phoenician work one may see dimly by way of Samian, Rhodian +and old Cairene wares the lineage of the royal wares of Persia, and recent +investigations point to Old Cairo as the birthplace of lustre. + +From Persia come some of the finest pottery, painted in colours and +lustres, that the world can show. Their wares stand pre-eminent in that +class wherein the chief beauty is the painted decoration. Their one-colour +pieces, whilst not comparable with the Chinese, nevertheless reach a high +standard. Their lustres have never been surpassed or rarely equalled. +Their shapes are true potter's shapes, and a delight to the eye. The +finest pieces were painted in simple blues, greens, reds, and faint +purples, with black pencilling. This appears to have been done on an +engobe of finely ground flint, and covered with an alkaline glaze giving a +broken white ground. This would account in some measure for the +extraordinary freshness of both drawing and colour. Later on raised +ornament, finely conceived and used with restraint, is seen along with +pierced decoration having translucent effects. + +Rhodes and Damascus produced a somewhat coarser ware, but bold and free in +brushwork and varied with a bright red. Syrian pottery abounds in virile +individual shapes. Turkey also was not without a fine and vigorous style. + +Much time can be most profitably spent studying the masterpieces of +Persia. A representative collection like that at South Kensington will +show vases, bottles, bowls, pots, and tiles in bewildering variety and of +infinite freshness. They are directly painted, with free renderings of +flowers within geometric forms and often with an inscription in rich +Arabic characters. The exquisite Moore Collection in the Metropolitan +Museum, New York City, is smaller but is remarkable for the unusually high +standard of taste shown in its acquisition. At its purest period human or +animal figures were rarely or never represented and those shapes or tiles +with such decoration belong to a more decadent but still fine period. + +Again we have the eternal lesson of simplicity and fitness. Again it will +be borne in upon the student that originality does not mean weirdness, but +rather a fresh spontaneous treatment of simple, well-known natural forms, +with, above all, a fine appreciation of good line and space. No sincere +student can fail to develop here a respect and veneration of a craft and +of craftsmen capable of producing such glorious works. + +From this teeming home the craft spread to Arabia and west across the +Mediterranean to Spain. Here in the twelfth century the Moors were +producing their famous Hispano-Mooresque lustred wares. Their large +plaques offer a wonderful variety of pure brushwork ornament with spirited +heraldic additions. Sometimes the backs of these dishes are as beautifully +lustred as the fronts. + +For a proper appreciation of their purely geometric decoration and its +possibilities in pottery we must turn to the Alcazzar at Madrid. Here the +use of opaque tin glaze permitted the extensive use of a coarse body for +tiles and bricks. The Moors, however, first introduced glazes with a lead +base and from that time we begin to lose the fresh _wet_ colour always +associated with the alkaline glazes of the Persians. Analysis shows that +they used lead, but only occasionally and in small quantities, to aid +their lustres. The lustred wares of Spain declined late in the thirteenth +century, but not before its exportation to Italy by way of Majorca had +stimulated the production of Italian Majolica. Della Robbia, about 1415, +succeeded in colouring his tin glazes, and his finely modelled but +somewhat crudely coloured reliefs usher in the era of Italian Faience. +Patronized by the nobles the craft quickly took root and was blossoming +profusely at Urbino, Gubbio, Pesaro, Faenza and other cities at the end of +the fifteenth century. + +Here we break ground and leave the chaste simplicity of the golden age to +riot a blaze of exuberant decoration. Scraffito, slip, inlaid, applied, +incised, raised, embossed and modelled and painted embellishments; all are +here. This era is chiefly notable for its splendid ruby lustres and the +remarkable power and freedom, amounting to absolute abandon, of the +brushwork and drawing shown by its artists. They used their lustres to +heighten the effects of their painting and the results are in keeping with +that romantic age. Alongside of it our best modern work is apt to look +spiritless and dull. + +Much splendid work was produced in Italy at this period, but in such a +wide field there are naturally some places that exhibit technique rather +than art. The student must go into it with appreciative faculties alert +lest mere splendour should sweep him off his feet. + +The wares and the potters of Italy penetrated north into Europe, to +France, the Holy Roman Empire and Britain, starting or stimulating what +was to prove an overwhelming flood of production. In Europe in pre-Roman +times, a coarse, unglazed, built-up ware was general, it being of simple, +somewhat clumsy but vigorous form, low-fired and friable. It was used +chiefly for cinerary purposes, the Germanic peoples having a decided +preference for vessels of horn, wood, or metal. + +The Romans introduced the wheel and produced a far higher class of ware. +Their importation of the fine red Samian pottery resulted in the +fabrication of the vigorous Gallo-Roman and Romano-British pottery. This +was good in shape and paste and characteristically decorated with slip, +bosses, dots, and indentations. The later Gaulish work shows applied +figures and highly finished scroll work. After the decline of Rome, Saxon +and Germanic work shows a distinctly retrograde tendency. It is often +built up, strapped, banded, and bossed in imitation of the Romano-British. +Though coarse and lacking in finish, it is full of freshness and +character. + +In Mediaeval England, when pottery making was at a low ebb, the monasteries +and travelling guilds of potters produced splendid encaustic tiles. These +were inlaid with simple yet striking geometric designs, or animal or bird +forms, both heraldic and symbolic. + +In Europe for many years the domestic pottery remained coarse and +primitive, showing still the arresting hand of the barbarian conquerors of +Rome. The first signs of the Italian Renaissance are to be found in the +rare Henri Deux or Orion ware. Palissy's desperate and romantic search for +enamels was the prelude to the development of Rouen, Nevers, Lille, +Moustiers, Sevres, Marseilles, and other less important potteries. In +France also early experiments led eventually to the fabrication of +porcelain much on the lines of English porcelain, a frit being used +instead of kaolin. + +In Germany, as early as the fifteenth century, they produced fine +stoneware highly decorated with relief patterns and colours. After long +research Boettiger, by a lucky accident, discovered kaolin. Porcelain was +made at Dresden in 1709, and many of the Dresden figures show a remarkably +sympathetic alliance of potting, modelling and painting. + +The success of the German ceramists led to a wide patronage of potters by +kings and princes which quickly spread the knowledge of porcelain +throughout Europe. + +Long before this in the early part of the seventeenth century, potteries +were established at Delft in Holland. Here was made the well-known ware +painted in blue camaien on a fine white ground. This was for a time +produced in great quantities, and the process of painting directly on to +an absorbent ground led to a surprisingly fresh and skilful style. + +In the middle of the seventeenth century English wares commenced to rise +from the stagnation in which they seemed sunk since Saxon times. Toft, +with his tygs and platters, Dwight, and his bellarmines, and Elers, with +turned shapes, started a movement which was eventually to send English +wares into all parts of Europe, even into the far Russias, to be known +everywhere for its excellent workmanship. And in this flood of production +in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was much that was technically +unrivalled despite the fact that the Art of the potter is sometimes far to +seek. Dwight is said to have produced a fritted porcelain in 1671, before +the discovery of kaolin. This is doubtful, but his persistent research +eventually led up to the fine pastes of Chelsea and Bow and the unrivalled +"fine earthenwares" of Staffordshire. + +This European revival gained tremendous impetus from the importation by +the Portuguese of the wares of CHINA. The wide scope of its decoration, +both painted and modelled, pointed the way to most potters of the West +during the heyday of European pottery. The magnificent single-colour +pieces were not introduced until later when the break-up of the Empire +rendered them accessible to Europeans. It is to them that the student +must turn to see the summit of the potter's art, which, it is logically +contended, commences on the wheel and ends at the glost oven with the +potter, the only attendant from the pot's inception to its finish. +Painting or modelling is not essential to its perfection and unless +applied by a true disciple detracts rather than adds to the beauty of the +piece. + +In China, where tradition holds that earthenware was first made in 2698 +B.C., the art of the potter, in body, shape, glaze, and colour, through +centuries reached perfection. Porcelain is said to have been first made +about 200 B.C., but this date is conjectural. What we do know +unmistakably, however, is that the best work of their best periods is +unrivalled. Depending primarily on form and colour, with here and there a +subtle decoration in raised or incised line, in crackle or simple +brushwork, it stands alone, and despite the omnipotent chemistry of +to-day, defies imitation. Their forms are strong, bold, and dignified, yet +subtle and delicate, too. Then, added to a wonderful range of colours, was +a perfection of body that was for so long the despair of western +imitators. It is here at the altar of perfection amidst the chaste +richness of Tang and Sung and Ming that the true disciple must worship. +And to those who must eat bread as well as make pots it is to be pointed +out that these pieces at the time of their production fetched prices that +compare favourably with the "fancy" prices given to-day. + +To the Japanese also in great measure the same tribute is due. Although +beginning later as disciples and scarcely getting so far as their masters, +their more limited range of colour and form is set off by their restrained +and even more tasteful decoration. The unique collection in the Boston +Museum is an amplification of this bald statement. They were often more +concerned with the touch and texture of the pot than the more obvious +appeal of decoration. Esoteric as it is to most occidentals it is rich in +a pure aestheticism and a deep and beautiful symbolism that is slowly but +surely having an influence on western art, just when it seems in some +danger of dying out in Japan. The hermit kingdom of Korea, despite its +midway position, produced pottery that is strangely beautiful and +distinctive and worth much more than a passing notice. + +In China the art decadence of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, +coupled with internal revolutions, has sadly dimmed her plots, dispersed +her potters, and all but destroyed her priceless traditions. + +For the further development of pottery in Europe and America and Asia the +student has many excellent books to consult. From the seventeenth century +the ramifications are rapid and all-embracing, giving, however, more joy +to the collector than to the artist. Modern work has made an enormous +advance in the science of the craft. Since the "Eighties" it shows signs +of a renaissance in aesthetics. Lustres of all shades, crystalline, star, +and crackle glazes with safe methods of oxidizing and reducing in the +fire, have been brought to perfection. Yet, with some few exceptions, +commerce seems writ large upon them all and their very perfection of +finish damns them in the eyes of an artist. Whichever way he looks, he +must return again and again to refresh his eyes with the inspiring +examples of the best that has survived from the near and far EAST. + +Only an antiquarian humbug would wish to go back to ancient conditions +even to produce old pots. But it is only by seeing in so far as we may in +museums and books the works of these ancient yet ever modern potters; by +tracing their development, appreciating their qualities and attempting to +work as they worked, honestly and unaffectedly, that we shall begin to +approach the excellence and originality of their art. This study should +not of course obey the direction it all too frequently follows. The +slavish measuring by module and fraction of classic styles, the stark +geometric analysis of Moorish ornament or the laborious copying of Chinese +pattern is at best only art in cold storage. It should be self-evident +that where an alien style is consciously imitated the result is sterility +for the imitator. In others, it is apt to produce a powerful reaction +that results in _Futurism_ or some such self-conscious affectation. "The +Greeks did not draw from casts nor did the Persians haunt museums," says +the harried student. No. But better than that, they were surrounded, if +not by beauty, at least by nature naked and unashamed. They lived not +easily maybe, but surely more gracefully, untrammelled by fashion, cult, +or craze. + + "The earth his sober Inn + And quiet pilgrimage." + +Their best work seems ever fresh, spontaneous, and untired. It must have +been done with a spirit and real joy impossible to anyone but a true +craftsman tremendously interested in his work, we might also add, his +environment. + +Naturally, present-day conditions must modify the struggle for existence. +They may mar our best aim at times. Yet some few have worked wonders even +in this age. To mention but two instances, W. De Morgan and the Martin +brothers, is to tell of high endeavour and great achievement. But we must +not expect to get rich that way. + +Pottery is an exacting and difficult craft, abounding in as many trials +and disappointments as excitements and rewards. Its true devotee must +suffer. Yet the delightful tale of Palissy's heroic battle should hearten +the more fortunate student of to-day. It is good to read of the spirit in +which Wedgwood, scientist though he was, approached his work. In a trade +catalogue he says, "A Competition for Cheapness, and not for Excellence of +Workmanship, is the most frequent cause of rapid Decay and entire +Destruction of Art and of Manufacture." "Beautiful Forms are not to be +made by Chance and they never were made nor can be made in any kind at +small expense." Such sentiments rarely emanate from the modern commercial +pottery. + +Tradition, except the traditions of flawless glazes, certain soulless +results, and commercial cheese paring; seems dead perhaps, but it will +surely come to life again. To see the potter "thumping his wet clay," and +seated at the wheel of ancient lineage, conjuring forth a wealth of +gracious shapes, is to renew one's faith in the ultimate survival of +simple honest handicraft even in this machine-ridden age. Masterpieces +were never conceived in factories, and when we make pots primarily for +love of them, not to sell them, we shall begin to beat back the +manufacturer of debauched "Art" pots into that domestic and hygienic realm +wherein his efforts are particularly admirable and effective. A craft that +teems with such an endless variety of beautiful objects for such countless +uses can never remain for all time the hand-maiden of commerce. + +[Illustration: Hollowing the Ball] + + + + + CHAPTER II + + CLAYS AND PASTES + + "It is the Art which gives the value, and not the material." + + --DRESSER. + + +Clay being the chief material used by the potter, it demands a description +which, without being too technical, will give from the start a clear idea +of the nature of clays or pastes in general use. + +It would be a needless complication to enter here into a discussion of the +chemical analysis of bodies and materials. Whilst the chemist can and does +determine with exactitude the relative quantities of each component, he +cannot yet, let us perhaps be thankful, lay down with the same certainty +the structural and molecular changes all these compounds will undergo in +the fire. The old potters' rule "of thumb" or, rather, common sense and +experience, still count for something. + +Clay is the word generally applied to the natural article when used +without preparation, or after picking and washing. Paste is the term used +for all composite bodies that have been through a complicated process of +washing, grinding, mixing, and sieving, or even fritting, according to +the desired quality of the ware for which it is required. Natural clays +range from the pure white and very infusible kaolin, containing only +alumina and silica with a very small percentage of alkalies, to the impure +grey, red, or brown clays, containing, along with alumina and silica, +magnesia, potash, soda, iron, lime, and carbon. Kaolin is used with China +stone (a combination of felspar and quartz) to make porcelain, the finest +and hardest paste known to potters. It has a very hard white translucent +body, only slightly vitreous at the highest fire (around 1700 deg. +Centigrade). + +From this, the highest grade, we have almost insensible gradations to +common earthenware. Old English and French porcelain were compounded of +clay, sand, and alkalies ground together to make a frit, re-ground and +mixed with a stiffening material (in English porcelain, bone-ash), to +support the vitreous matter in the intense heat. The finest earthenware +does not differ greatly in its formula from soft porcelain, but it is not +so hard or transparent. From this the scale descends to where the presence +of lime or iron in the body colour it and render it easily fusible, so +that at any great heat it turns black and collapses to a slag. + +Clay on being dug up is usually weathered in the open, and dried and +broken up and the greater impurities picked out. It is then thoroughly +mixed with water in a blunger and passed through a succession of sieves +until all foreign matter and impurities are left behind and it is the +consistency of cream. This was formerly done by hand, the clay being raked +into a thick "slub" and washed through a series of tanks until all +impurities had settled, leaving only the fine clay in suspension. It is at +this stage that any additions are made to form a paste. The modifying +ingredients, ground and sieved to the requisite degree, are thoroughly +incorporated with the slip, which is allowed to settle. The clear water on +top is siphoned off and the paste dried sufficiently to handle. The modern +method of preparation is to force the slip through a series of straining +bags which remove most of the water and leave it stiff enough to work. +Some of the hard pastes are so stiff or short that they require soap water +to give plasticity, but usually after a thorough wedging it is now ready +for the thrower. + +Generally speaking, kaolin, China clay, ball clay, pipe clay, China stone, +felspar, flint, quartz, sand, lime, chalk, and calcined bone are the +ingredients of most modern pastes. These supply the alumina, silica, lime, +potash, and soda, with traces of iron and magnesia, that are found in all +clays when analyzed. Carbon is only present in impure bodies fired at a +low heat. + +Of these materials the clays rich in alumina and silica, such as kaolin +or China clay, form the body-giving substance. The felspar or China stone +furnish the fluxing ingredients for fusing and binding. The flint or bone +supplies the stiffening matter for supporting and retaining the shape of +the object in the fire. + +Porcelain, though differing so widely in appearance and texture from the +coarse mediaeval earthenware or the pottery of the ancients, is found to +have a distinct relationship when all these bodies are submitted to +analysis. Much of the difference in bodies, apart from the impurities, +lies in the temperature of the fire to which it has been submitted. At a +low temperature such constituents as lime and iron are not much affected, +but at a greater heat they act as fluxing agents. + +To generalize upon a complex and difficult subject one might say that +porcelain, both hard and soft (pate dure and pate tendre), is +characterized by its pure white colour and by extreme hardness of body and +glaze with transparency; fine stoneware by a very hard, opaque, and heavy +body which may be white, buff, or grey, and salt-glazed or with a fine +hard transparent glaze. Earthenware is softer and mostly opaque. It may +range from something a little softer than soft porcelain to the coarse +"Majolica" with a tin glaze, differing widely in colour of body and +hardness of glaze. + +With porcelain and the finest high-fired wares a purity of materials and +uniformity of mass is absolutely necessary. It is here that one may well +call in the aid of the chemist and manufacturer. In any case it is +advisable to call in the chemist and the manufacturer when working on a +large scale. With a small output, as with all good craftsmen, the +fabrication of a good, reliable stoneware or earthenware paste is only a +matter of patience and hard work. Before commencing to produce finished +work on any scale, repeated experiments with different clays should be +carried out. Notes of all trials, with and without glaze, are invaluable +to the potter. + +Rich clays can be stiffened, short clays enriched, and colour modified +without a mass of expensive machinery. Rich, easily fusible clays tend to +_stunt_ or buckle at a high fire. Hard refractory clays often remain +porous and are a fruitful source of crazing and breaking. The addition of +flint or fine washed sand, finely powdered _grog_, or _pitchers_, or even +refractory China clays, in quantities varying from about 5 per cent to 20 +per cent, but settled only by repeated trials, will stiffen up or open out +rich clays inclined to warp or burst. Rich fusible clays added to hard +clays may stop the crazing, or the fusing point may be lowered by the +addition of spar. Stiff gravelly clay will require finer sieving or +repeated washing to rid it of some of the grit or sand. Rich greasy clays +are better when not too finely sieved, but this point is of course +dependent on the class of work to be undertaken. Slip can be settled in +tubs, the water siphoned off, and then put to dry on plaster bats, or dry +clay, powdered and sieved, may be stirred in until the mass is stiff +enough to wedge thoroughly by hand. + +In mixing or modifying without machinery it is sometimes advisable to do +it in the dry state, otherwise some of the heavier materials are likely to +sink and are thus not thoroughly incorporated with the body. The dry mass +when well mixed is wetted enough to be wedged. When the body is coloured +and a white ground is indispensable, an "engobe," or dip, of white clay +slip must be resorted to. + +These processes are certainly tedious, but that will not deter a craftsman +searching for the right clay in which best to shape his ideas. To the +craftsman working alone it is the only way by which he can accommodate his +clays to the various necessities of throwing, casting, or modelling. Each +process will require a slightly different nature in the clay if the finest +results are to be obtained. + +Although in this craft book we shall not approach porcelain, a good, hard, +true-ringing body with a tough well-fitting glaze should be a _sine qua +non_ with all craftsmen; and it is only in the fire that any true idea can +be gained of the important influences clays and pastes have on the +finished work. Here we have tried to indicate the chief characteristics of +clays and to make clear the inevitable tendency of all potters who seek an +imperishable medium for their craft towards a purer body and a higher +fire. + + + + + CHAPTER III + + BUILT SHAPES + + "Every moment think steadily: to do what thou hast in hand with + perfect and simple dignity." + + --M. ANTONINUS. + + +With good plastic clay and with the aid of a few simple tools, the fingers +can fashion shapes of considerable diversity and some refinement. In +elementary schools this is by far the best method of teaching the +beginner. In any case the student who has no knowledge of clay work would +do well to start by building a few shapes in the manner still used by +primitive peoples. + +The clay, which must be in good condition and not _short_, is rolled out +on a wet plaster slab or some non-sticky surface, into ropes of something +less than half an inch in diameter for small shapes. (Fig. 1.) The best +way to commence is to knead up a double handful of soft clay until +thoroughly mixed, ball it, and then form a stumpy cylinder, gradually +elongating by rolling out on the bat. Too much pressure will flatten the +rope and there should be a distinct pull or stretch on it in addition to +the downward pressure, varying as necessary to insure even thickness. As +the rope becomes thinner the fingers should be held diagonally to avoid +ridges. This rope should be fairly firm and yet bend easily without +cracking. With a little practice, long pliable rolls can be easily and +rapidly produced and then a start is made with the base. This is coiled as +in Fig. 2, pressed flat, and welded together. It is finished both sides +before commencing the walls of the shape. These are coiled round and up, +each ring being pressed firmly on the one below, care being taken to avoid +air cavities which may blow out on firing. The top is levelled off and the +sides welded together and smoothed with the fingers. (Fig. 3.) + +[Illustration: FIG. 1--ROLLING OUT CLAY.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 2--FORMING COIL FOR BASE.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 3--WELDING & SMOOTHING THE SIDES.] + +At first, simple and almost straight-sided shapes should be attempted; +each ring may be added separately, while the finishing should not be +unduly prolonged. As the technique improves, curves with slight returns +may be attained. Where the size is so great as to prevent finishing at one +sitting, it can be very carefully reversed; this will allow the base to +harden and still keep the top moist for further coiling. With big pieces +much attention must be paid to the correct shaping when coiling, otherwise +the finishing will be laborious and quite possibly useless. Large shapes +with difficult curves are best built in two sections or parts and then +carefully welded together. To keep the parts damp during prolonged +operations, use water blown from a spray diffuser. + +Ash trays, bulb bowls, flower pots, salt cellars, and ink wells are a few +of the things that are suitable to be made by this method. They may be +decorated with incised lines, raised-ornament handles, and feet. +Additional interest is obtained by slight banding, or the incised lines +filled in with a coloured clay pressed firmly in when the shape is tough. +Although built forms may be quite highly finished, it is obvious that any +elaborate decoration is out of place on shapes that by their origin must +be simple and somewhat heavy. Enough has been said to indicate the +process. For its logical development and suitable enrichment we must study +the work of primitive peoples. For its possibilities we must turn to the +vast jars made even to this day in Spain. + +[Illustration: FIG. 4--ATTACHING THE FOOT.] + +With great care and much taste pieces can be pinched and welded together +into delightful forms, best shown in the refinements of the Cha Noya +pottery of Japan. This pinching must be done carefully and above all +sympathetically. To those that know or feel the possibilities of the clay +it will respond readily. Much more taste and judgement is required in the +making of a really satisfactory pinched shape, than is needed in forming +one with coils. Square, polyhedral, or irregular shapes other than +circular may be _stuck up_ or pieced together in the following manner: +Upon a table nail two strips of wood one quarter of an inch thick, ten or +twelve inches apart. Sprinkle between the strips with flint or fine sand +and batter out some soft clay thereon. Scrape the surplus clay off with a +straight-edge and then roll the clay between the strips flat with a +rolling pin. Upon this thin slab mark out the sides, base, top, etc., of +the shape to be built. Run a thin knife round each shape, but do not cut +quite down to the table. Cut along the inside edge of each strip to allow +the whole slab to contract evenly and allow it to toughen slightly. +Carefully remove and reverse the slab and separate the pieces, being +careful not to distort the shapes in the process. + +The shape must be stuck up before the pieces become brittle or too stiff +to bend. Roughen each opposing edge and moisten with slip, that is, clay +mixed with water to the consistency of thick cream. + +Press the edges firmly together and weld well each joint with soft clay. +(Fig. 5.) This operation should be most thorough, as any weak joint will +inevitably open when fired. Lids should be cut slightly larger than the +shapes they have to fit and sandpapered true when dry. Sharp edges and +angles should be smoothed with the fingers before the shape gets hard. + +[Illustration: FIG. 5--"STICKING UP" FLAT-SIDED POT.] + +The chief pitfall to avoid in this process is a hard wooden look. The +ductile plastic qualities of the clay should be remembered and such +additions as feet or handles should emphasize this important point. + +Finally, the careful sympathetic craftsman, with infinite patience, by +utilizing all three methods, can build vessels of almost any +shape,--square, round, elliptical, banded, strapped, bossed, fluted, and +embellished with handles, spouts, and feet. Ancient and mediaeval pottery +is rich in such forms. + +[Illustration: TOOLS FOR CLAY WORK.] + + + + + CHAPTER IV + + MOULDING, CASTING, AND PRESSING + + "Our soundes is good, Our shapes is neat, + Its Davis cast us so compleat." + + --From an old bell at Stoke Rivers. + + +The casting process, employed so extensively in commercial work, is in its +essence mechanical and therefore can never have the spontaneity or +character of thrown work. To-day when the thrower and turner with hand and +eye trained for good shapes is rare indeed, it is often the only method by +which the student can obtain large shapes of high finish for painting or +glazing in transparent colours. + +In the process the shape is first designed and carefully drawn on paper, +allowance being made for the shrinkage of the finished pot which may be as +much as 1 in 6 with some kinds of slip. It should be refined in profile +with no returns that may bind or hold in the mould when drying, yet it is +obvious that simple shapes that can be built or thrown by the beginner are +not suitable for casting. + +[Illustration: FIG. 6--MANDREL, ROLLED IN PAPER.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 7--"ONE PIECE" MOULD FOR BOWL--METHOD OF RELEASING +ORIGINAL.] + +The shape correctly drawn, a mandrel, a steel tapering to a point, the +butt wormed to screw on a lathe, and long enough to give some play at +either end, is rolled in stout paper, gummed at the edges, as in Fig. 6. +This is removed and allowed to set, thus giving a paper shell just fitting +the mandrel. Trim this square at the base and stick it upright by means +of a piece of clay on a well-oiled portion of a table. Around this as a +centre is fitted a roll of linoleum, oiled inside and secured with string, +with all its joints caulked with clay. The inside diameter of this +cylinder should be about 1/2" larger than the greatest diameter of the +drawn shape. Enough superfine plaster to fill this is now mixed. To do +this shake plaster by handfuls into a bowl of water until it appears to +refuse more, pour off any surplus water, and stir with a wooden ladle or +the hand, avoiding air bubbles. + +[Illustration: FIG. 8--A TWO-PIECE MOULD.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 9--POURING IN PLASTER.] + +A little practice in casting plaster bats will give the experience +necessary for mixing plaster. When well mixed and a slight thickening is +perceptible, it is poured very carefully into the cylinder, the paper +shell being kept upright in the centre. (Fig. 9.) In about 20 minutes the +surface of the plaster will feel warm. It is now set and the linoleum is +removed. The plaster cylinder, when dry, is fitted on the mandrel, and +this screwed to the lathe head. Two or three chisels are now required. +(Fig. 10.) The rest on the lathe is clamped in a convenient position and a +cutting chisel held as shown (Fig. 11), cutting edge up. The cylinder is +revolved briskly as indicated by arrow, and the shape is roughly hollowed +out. Proceed gradually until the shape begins to emerge, taking care not +to cut too deeply. (Fig. 12.) Towards the finish use the calipers +frequently to check the measurements. At top and bottom about 1/2" waste +is left (Fig. 13 A), turned straight, the actual line of top and base +being slightly grooved in the plaster. The form may be pretty accurately +finished with the chisels and then nicely smoothed with sandpaper. For +this process the rotary movement is reversed. + +[Illustration: TURNING TOOL.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 10--CHISEL POINTS.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 11--POSITION OF TOOL.] + +The shape is now removed from the lathe and is ready for moulding. + +With a kick wheel having a removable head the mandrel can be screwed on +and the block turned down in an upright position. The difficulty of +steadying the tool renders this method somewhat unsuitable for this +process, where perfect symmetry and a high finish are required. The +plaster should not be so dense for turning on the wheel or the kicking is +apt to become very arduous and this tends to dislocate the set of the +spindle. One of the best of ways is to draw a quantity of shapes, cast +their blocks, and turn them on a hired lathe, preferably run by power. + +[Illustration: FIG. 12--PARTLY TURNED BLOCK ON LATHE.] + +The finished shape is now well lathered with parting or stopping. This is +made by boiling 1 lb. soft soap, 1/4 lb. Russian tallow, and a small piece +of soda. Another stopping is made by dissolving 1 lb. soft soap in 1 qt. +water and stirring in 1/4 pt. paraffin oil. Several coatings may be +necessary to impart a waxy surface. When no longer absorbent, it is dried +and slightly polished with a bit of cotton waste. At the finish the form +should be clean, smooth, glossy, and non-absorbent. + +With simple shapes, as in Figs. 7 and 8, a one-piece or a two-piece mould +can be made, and here the bottom waste is not necessary, but with any +return or foot a three-piece mould will be required. The waxed shape is +now divided perpendicularly exactly in half, by a pencil line. (A, Fig. +13.) It is then laid on its side and bedded in clay up to the pencil +lines, the clay being sloped slightly down from the marks. (F, Fig. 13.) +Box in now with well-soaped boards tight against top and bottom but +allowing about 1-1/2" at sides. Wipe the shape over with waste dipped in +olive oil but leave no surplus oil on the surface. Plaster well mixed as +before is poured in until about 1-1/2" to 2" above the greatest projection +of the shape, great care being taken to avoid or dislodge air bubbles. (B, +Fig. 13.) + +When the plaster is set but still warm, the shape is removed and the side +of the plaster that rested on the clay trimmed flat and several joggles or +natches are made. (C, Fig. 13.) The shape is now replaced exactly as cast +and the new surfaces treated with parting and the whole slightly filmed +with oil as before. Great care must be used, for any oil on the actual +surface of the mould spoils the suction of the plaster at that spot. Box +in and then cast just as before. This gives two halves with waste top and +bottom. + +[Illustration: FIG. 13--A: METHOD OF DIVIDING. B: MOULDING 1^{ST} HALF. +C: MOULDING 2^{ND} HALF. D: A METHOD OF SECURING BOARDS. E: MOULDING BASE. +F: MOULDING 1^{ST} HALF.] + +The shape is now placed on the lathe and the bottom waste turned off, the +base of the shape being slightly hollowed. The creator having arrived so +far successfully may now unbend and scratch his mark on this new surface +before well waxing it. + +Dowels are cut in the waste of the two halves as shown, the fresh parts +soaped, all fitted together and slightly oiled, then boxed in as in D and +E, Fig. 13. Plaster about 2" thick at the thinnest part is poured on and +the mould is complete. When set, the shape is removed and the three parts +trimmed on all the outside edges. (Fig. 14.) The three pieces are +assembled, firmly tied up to prevent warping, and thoroughly dried. + +If preferred, the mould can be made cylindrical instead of square. This +will give a more even suction to the slip and may be worth the extra +trouble. For casting purposes a refractory clay containing a good +percentage of China clay, maturing at about 03-01 but remaining perfectly +white and porous, will be required. + +Slip for casting is made thus: Clay, picked or broken into small pieces, +is thrown into a bucket of warm water well slubbed up by hand and passed +through a fine sieve (No. 80) with the aid of a stout brush and thinned +to the consistency of thick cream. This should be matured for some days, +frequently stirred, and again sieved before using. For very small or +fragile shapes, a finer sieve (120) is advisable. The mould, quite dry and +clean, is now slightly moistened with a scrupulously clean sponge and +water, the parts assembled, corded, and firmly wedged, leaving the top +free as in Fig. 15. The slip, thoroughly stirred, is poured in very gently +to avoid bubbles. With awkward moulds, a tube or funnel should be used to +prevent splashing. If the mould be placed on a whirler and turned to and +fro, it will prevent the heavier matter in the slip settling too quickly. + +[Illustration: FIG. 14--THE THREE PARTS OF THE MOULD.] + +As the slip sinks in the mould, the subsidence being due to the absorption +of the water by the plaster, the mould should be continually filled up. +After a few minutes the mouth is scraped free to test the deposit. When +this is thick enough, varying, of course, with the size of the shape, the +slip is poured out into another bucket. An unorthodox but often useful +trick for strengthening long necks is to slide a piece of glass over the +mouth and reverse the mould for a minute or so. The neck full of slip thus +allows a slight extra deposit on the part that most needs it when we come +to finishing off the lip. + +[Illustration: FIG. 15--MOULD READY FOR SLIP.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 16--FREEING TOP.] + +Let the mould drain a little over the slip bucket and then reverse to dry +slowly. When the wet look has disappeared from the surface of the slip, +scrape the top free and run a knife around to prevent sticking as the +shape contracts. (Fig. 16.) In a few hours it will be dry enough to permit +of the sides being eased off and the shape left to dry on the base. (Fig. +17.) When tough enough to handle with safety, the waste and cast lines are +trimmed and finished off, any air bubbles or holes broken down and filled +with clay scraped from the waste or base. If this finishing is left until +the shape be dry, it is impossible to hide such defects. The greatest care +must be exercised in handling cast shapes, as they are exceptionally +fragile. + +[Illustration: FIG. 17--SHAPE READY FOR TRIMMING.] + +When quite dry, the whole form should be carefully gone over with a very +fine sandpaper. A superfine surface should be imparted by rubbing with the +hands. When using transparent glazes, as with under-glaze painting, it is +essential that all scratches be removed, and especially must all sharp +edges be eliminated on neck or shoulder, for the glaze running away from +these places imparts a hideously cheap look to what otherwise may be a +fine shape. All these points having received attention, the date is +scratched on the bottom of the shape and it is now ready to biscuit. + +Generally speaking, it will be found that slip the consistency of cream is +right for casting, possibly thicker for big open shapes, and after the +right proportion is settled it is as well to test what it weighs to the +pint. + +As will be readily seen, this process, whilst open to many objections, +lends itself to shapes that are refined and delicate and to those that +have flutings or raised ornament. Such decorations, or the spouts of jugs, +may be modelled in wax on the plaster shape before casting and appear in +reverse on the mould. Designs may be scratched on the mould or shape and +show as a delicate tracery beneath the glaze. All these things, however, +add to the difficulty of casting and should be approached by degrees and +with restraint. For in unskilled hands the process lends itself to +soulless and mechanical repetition. + + + PRESSING + +Moulds having moderately wide mouths enable the potter to press his shapes +instead of cast them. This method in expert hands is even quicker than +casting and has the advantage of imparting a sturdier look to large +shapes. Pressing is also resorted to for those shapes to which it would be +difficult for the slip to obtain free access. + +[Illustration: FIG. 18--ROLLING OUT CLAY.] + +For the ordinary three-piece mould the procedure would be thus: The clay, +well wedged and quite plastic, is rolled out as described in Jigger and +Jolley work, to a suitable thickness. (Fig. 18.) Butter cloth or fine +linen will do instead of leather to roll the clay on. The insides of the +three parts of the mould are sponged and pieces of the thin rolled clay +roughly cut to fit them. These pieces are now fitted and well applied to +the three parts by dabbing with the damp sponge. A soft close-textured +sponge, or a soft felt dabber, is best for this operation. When closely +setting, the edges are trimmed and given a slight bevel. The top is cut +straight. Then the mould is assembled and firmly tied. Some of the waste +clay is rolled into thin _ropes_. With the bevelled edges slightly +moistened, these ropes are firmly wedged into the two side junctions and +round the base. Where the mouth is large enough for the insertion of the +hand this is not a difficult operation. If it be narrow, the two halves of +the mould may be tied up and the joints welded together before they are +assembled on the base. A coil of clay can then be placed on the edge of +the base just clear of the two sides which are now fitted over and tied +up. Then a stick sponge is used to join up the base to the sides. (Fig. +19.) After a little while the shape is fit to be removed and is finished +in the usual way. + +Nothing can rival large thrown shapes for vigour or variety, but +unfortunately they are not always within reach of even the good craftsman. +Then this method offers the least objectionable substitute for them and in +clever hands is capable of many fine results. + +The following method is used to mould handles or simple applied ornament. +Handles, feet, masks, etc., are usually pressed and stuck on the dry shape +with slip. To mould them some skill is necessary if the press is to be +quite accurate and free from twist or ugly seams. + +[Illustration: FIG. 19--SECTION OF A MOULD. STICK-SPONGE WELDING BASE TO +SIDES.] + +One way, when the handle or foot is symmetrical, is to cut the model +exactly in half. This must be done when the model is tough enough to +handle without bending or distorting it. One half is laid cut side down +upon a sheet of glass, and surrounded at a convenient distance with clay +walls. Plaster is now poured on to form one half of the mould, and +allowed to set. It is then removed and the smooth surface joggled and +claywashed (brushed over with claywater). The other half is then very +carefully applied to the half still embedded in the mould, the walls built +round and the other part of the mould cast. Then all is trimmed up and a +groove run round the form as shown. (Fig. 20.) For pressing, the form is +well filled with clay and the two halves of the mould strongly pressed +together. Any surplus clay will squeeze into the groove and when tough +enough to remove the whole is "fettled" and finished before drying and +sticking up. + +[Illustration: FIG. 20--HALF OF MOULD FOR PRESSING HANDLE.] + +With care and practice this method is possible: Build walls and pour in +enough plaster to form one half of the mould. Before it stiffens, very +carefully press in the handle or ornament just up to the halfway line and +allow to set. Joggle, claywash, and cast the second half. Finally, when +the object is of any size, clay walls may be used as described in the +chapter on Figurines. + + + + + CHAPTER V + + JIGGER AND JOLLEY WORK + + "Earth I am, et is most trwe, desdan me not, for so ar you." + + --From an old platter. + + +Dishes, platters, and to some extent bowls, are usually made on a _Jigger +and Jolley_. The jigger has a revolving head, fitted to receive moulds. +The jolley has a pivoted arm to which different profiles may be clamped. +In factories these things are complicated and go by power, but in a studio +where the output of platters and dishes is likely to be limited something +simple will do. Where the wheel is strong, well-hung, and fitted with a +removable head, a contrivance as shown at Fig. 21 can be fitted by any +carpenter, that should serve all purposes. + +The vertical supports of the jolley arm should be quite rigid. The arm +itself must so pivot that the face of any profile screwed onto it will +cross the head of the jigger, or wheel if one be used, through the centre. +In other words, the cutting profile must form a diagonal of the circular +head. Then, too, it must be hung at a height sufficient to allow a fairly +thick block of plaster being used for a mould. + +[Illustration: FIG. 21--MAKING A DISH.] + +When making these moulds, the slotted wheel head or the jigger head is +removed and soaped or oiled. Then a circular block of plaster is cast to +fit. This may be done with the aid of a roll of linoleum, much in the way +described in casting. The paper cone will, of course, be replaced by the +wheel head, bedded face up in clay. This plaster block has to be moulded +to the exact size of the dish or plaque required. To do this a profile of +zinc is necessary. The true section of the dish is drawn full size, and +profiles giving one half of the back and front are traced on a stout sheet +of zinc. The zinc is roughly cut to shape with shears and then finished +with a file to a chisel edge (see cut). The two profiles are then firmly +backed with shaped wooden forms, slotted to screw onto the arm of the +jolley. The profile giving the _face_ of the plaque is securely adjusted +in a horizontal position, the inner point, giving the centre of the +platter, being exactly over the centre of the jigger head. The plaster +block, which should be turned down before it sets hard, is shipped back +into position, the jigger revolved and the profile gradually pressed down +until the true section is obtained, _i.e._ when the profile is exactly +horizontal again. The mould is now removed, trimmed at the sides if +necessary, and set apart to dry. It is then ready to use. The mould is +slipped into position and revolved to insure even rotation. Then the +profile giving the back of the platter screwed onto the arm and both +adjusted until the stop allows the profile to rest at just that distance +from the mould required by the thickness of the platter. (Fig. 22.) + +[Illustration: FIG. 22--PROFILE IN POSITION ABOVE PLATE MOULD.] + +The arm is then swung clear of the mould, which is well sponged with water +to receive the clay. This is carefully wedged and then rolled out or +batted flat on a piece of leather until it is a little thicker than the +thickest part of the platter (see Fig. 23). The slab so made is smoothed +with a palette knife, taken up, leather and all, slapped onto the mould, +clay side down, and the leather removed. The clay is now well dabbed down +with a wet sponge or dabber, to take out all wrinkles, pressed firmly onto +the mould and the waste cut off. + +[Illustration: FIG. 23--CUTTING EDGE OF PROFILE.] + +Now the jigger or head is set spinning, the jolley pulled over it, and the +profile gently pressed into the clay. Water is used freely to prevent the +profile sticking, and as it becomes clogged the clay is removed. The +turning is continued until the profile comes to a stop on the rest. Holes +that may appear should be filled up before the finish, at which time the +surface should present a smooth unscratched appearance. The shape is +allowed to dry on the mould until tough enough to be slipped face down +onto a perfectly flat slab dusted with fine sand or flint to prevent +sticking. In this position it is left to dry, when the edges are nicely +trimmed with fine sandpaper. + +For bowls the process is similar, but the mould here gives the outside and +the profile the inside as in cut. (Fig. 24.) If made on the outside, they +split before they can be removed. With small bowls the clay is wedged and +a lump pressed into the mould by hand. With large bowls requiring a deep +foot this must be turned separately and stuck on after the bowl is removed +from the mould. + +[Illustration: FIG. 24--BOWL.] + +Where a jigger and jolley is not available, plates and bowls may be +duplicated as follows: Place the plate bottom up on a well-soaped surface +or a piece of glass. Should the plate not lie quite flat, caulk the +apertures with clay, then all round and distant one and one half inches +from the rim, build clay walls, or fix a containing band of linoleum, of +sufficient height to allow plaster being poured in an inch and a half +above the base or foot of the model. Mix fairly stiff plaster and pour in. +Let it set, and then remove walls and the model. This gives a mould of the +reverse of the plate or bowl. The mould is thoroughly dried before using +and then sponged with clean water. Clay of the desired thickness is then +rolled out as described and applied to the mould and dabbed flat with a +sponge or dabber. The finish is imparted with the fingers and the surplus +at edges trimmed with a knife. When tough, the press is slipped out and +reversed to dry on a piece of sanded glass. Where there is a rim to the +plate or bowl, this should be filled in cleanly with clay before the whole +is pressed. It is of course impossible to mould thus bowls that possess a +deep or under-cut foot. + +[Illustration: FIG. 25--PLATE MOULDED TO GIVE BACK.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 26--MOULD. TO GIVE FACE OF PLATE.] + +[Illustration: THE KICK WHEEL.] + +[Illustration: Egypt. B.C. 2000 ANCIENT EGYPTIAN POTTER.] + + + + + CHAPTER VI + + THROWN SHAPES + + "The lyf so short, the craft so longe to learne." + + --CHAUCER. + + +The wheel is the true fountain head of all beautiful shapes, and the +student who would become a potter cannot get "on the wheel" too soon. +Throwing, sometimes _spinning_, is the term applied to the making of +shapes on the wheel. Interesting and really fine pots may be built or +cast, but the ultimate appeal rests with the thrown shape. + +Unfortunately, a complete mastery of throwing is not to be gained by a few +spasmodic wrestles with the wheel. It comes only with long hours of +concentrated effort. Having watched an accomplished thrower and seen the +full round shapes rise so easily between his dexterous fingers, it is with +a severe shock that one realizes at the first attempt the skill and +practice that will be required before such a desirable proficiency is +attained. + +The best kind of wheel is the kick wheel shown in the illustration. With +this the feet, hands, and head work in harmony, accelerating or retarding +the motions as required. It is a not distant relation of the earliest +wheel, which was a heavy head on a short shaft, pivoted in a stone socket. +Set spinning by hand, it was kept revolving some time by its own momentum. +This form of wheel is used even to this day in the near and far East. + +Its first development was a secondary wheel and driving band turned by +hand. This led to the wheel shown in the frontispiece and to the kick +wheel and again on to the factory wheel. This in its turn is being +superseded by the steam wheel, which gears onto a running band, the foot +being used to start, stop, and regulate the speed. The two last named were +introduced with the idea of accelerating the production rather than the +improvement of the shapes. No doubt the now primitive kick wheel, much as +used by the potters of the Renaissance, will be found good enough for us. + +The tools required for throwing, after the wheel itself is secured, are as +follows: a thin copper wire twisted between two bits of wood, a pricker, +a fine soft sponge, another bit of sponge tied to a stick, one or two +modelling tools and a rib (see Fig. 27). + +[Illustration: FIG. 27--1, "Rib"; 2, Modelling Tools; 3, Pricker; 4, +Sponge; 5, Wire; 6, 7, and 8, Shaving Tools; 9, Leather. THROWING & +SHAVING TOOLS.] + +The clay is first knocked up into shape ready for the throwing. To do this +it is _wedged_, a fair-sized piece being taken in both hands and thrown +violently down on the bench, cut across, and smashed together again. This +process is repeated until all air bubbles are expelled. This is +ascertained by cutting with a wire. The finger is then passed across the +surface to tell if it is well together, and not hard and soft in streaks. +If, as must happen in a small pottery, the clay is out of condition, it is +best remedied by cutting it with the wire into thin slabs, piling them +criss-cross and then wedging the mass. If still streaky, it can be quickly +tempered, piece by piece. A double handful is torn across, wedged together +at a different angle between the hands, re-torn, and re-wedged, until hard +and soft are welded indistinguishably together. + +This thorough wedging is essential, as with beginners a small lump or +bubble will usually be sufficient to bring about the collapse of the +shape. + +The clay being thoroughly wedged is rolled into balls of a convenient +size. For first practice they should be on the small side and moderately +tough, as this allows a little more play before the ball becomes too soft. +The wheel is now started revolving from right to left (see cut). The head +being clean, the ball is thrown smartly onto its centre. The hands are now +wetted in a bowl of water, which is put, together with the tools, on the +shelf to the right. Then gently but firmly, with hands placed as shown in +Fig. 28, the ball is centred. At this stage, perhaps the most critical of +all, the wheel should revolve quite briskly. The hands should be moistened +if inclined to stick and the left hand held steady, the elbow pressed into +the side, the forearm hard on the rest. The right hand has more freedom +and coaxes the ball into a half sphere. This when dead centred is +elongated, pressed down again, and re-formed into a truncated cone. The +left hand still steadying, the thumb of the right is pressed firmly into +the centre of the top, down and out, to hollow the ball (see page 18), but +stopping short of the lathe head. At this stage the most convenient shape +to form is a cylinder, its walls gradually diminishing upwards with a +little fatness at the rim. To do this the wheel is slowed down a little +and the fingers of the left hand inserted. The sides are felt and gently +pulled up, between the left index finger and the two first fingers of the +right hand, gradually higher and thinner, always endeavouring to keep the +walls at an even but slightly tapering thickness. (Fig. 29.) + +[Illustration: FIG. 28--CENTRING.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 29--PULLING UP.] + +At first two fingers only will be inserted, but as the shapes grow in size +the whole of the left hand will gain admittance. Then the perfect cylinder +may be modified to almost any required form. With narrow-mouthed shapes +the opening must be kept as small as possible, for the clay once pulled +out it is difficult if not impossible to compress it again. The centring +and hollowing once mastered, the chief difficulties to avoid are getting +the bottom of the walls too thin before the top is pulled up, and making +the top wavy and irregular. If the latter happens, it should be at once +cut back with the pricker, which is also used to test the thickness of +the sides and base. + +When the shape has been pulled up to the required form and is sufficiently +thin, the top is smoothed and fattened between the fingers. This not only +imparts a look of substance to the vase and takes away any _cast_ look, +but gives strength where it is most needed. The inside, if wet, can be +cleaned out with the stick sponge and the outside lightly smoothed with +the other sponge. For the insides of bowls or wide-mouthed shapes, a rib +of slate or zinc (see Fig. 30) will be useful for obliterating ridges. The +last operation is to pass the wire, held firmly to the wheel head, beneath +the pot and lift it off and place it on one of the pot boards or plaster +discs. (Fig. 32.) + +[Illustration: FIG. 30--"RIB" OF METAL FOR OUTSIDE. "RIB" OF SLATE OR +BONE FOR INSIDE.] + +The first primitive forms are far better left frankly for what they are. +Afterwards when bigger and more finished shapes are attempted, they can be +thinned and refined with the aid of the rib and a modelling tool, a +considerable finish being put on before they are removed from the wheel. +With bowls or large shapes it will be found impossible to lift them off +without destroying the shape in some degree. For these wood or plaster +discs will be required. The plaster bats need soaking in water before use +and the wood must be three-ply to prevent warping. These discs are centred +on and firmly stuck to a layer of clay run out on the wheel head, and when +the pot is finished they are removed with it. + +[Illustration: FIG. 31--FINISHING WITH "RIB".] + +[Illustration: FIG. 32--PASSING WIRE UNDER TO REMOVE.] + +All this sounds very simple, but the beginner will do well first to +practise and master centring the ball. Until this be done, the rest of +the work is worthless. After this must be practised the pulling up, the +pressing down, and the forming of truncated cones, then hollowing the ball +and pulling up into a cylinder. A true cylinder accomplished, it is easy +to branch out into simple wide-mouthed vase forms. As the skill increases, +shapes with double curves and long or narrow necks may eventually be +achieved. Throwing to a set copy induces a necessary concentration at this +stage, but once a mastery is attained, shapes seem to suggest themselves. + +A small mirror placed so as to reflect the true form will be found of +great service. When pairs or several duplicates are required, a drawing of +the exact profile must be made and a "rib," of zinc or slate, filed to +fit. Without such a guide the matching up is well-nigh impossible. + +[Illustration: FIG. 33--STAGES FROM CENTRED BALL TO TURNED SHAPE.] + +When watching a clever thrower in a factory making some difficult and +probably horrible vase, it is intensely interesting to see the fine forms +evolved in the process. To the artist the impulse to stop him is almost +irresistible. It was there that the old masters showed their wisdom and +restraint. They stopped at the right moment and none of their shapes +descend to the merely clever. + +There is a nobility about a large vase lacking in a small one. Once the +appetite be whetted for big pots the desire for size seems insatiable. The +only way out, except for the born thrower, is the two- or three-piece +vase. + +The Chinese were masters of this as of every other process and we find +that they frequently made vases of quite moderate size in two or three +parts, sticking the pieces together with consummate skill. This process, +however, should never be attempted until considerable proficiency has been +gained in throwing to a drawing, for in any but expert hands it is doomed +to failure. The shape must be carefully drawn out on paper and the +sections marked off and then thrown exactly to size. Any deviation means +endless trouble, with eventual disappointment. + +For this difficult work the student unable to devote a lifetime to +throwing will find a removable wheel head a necessity. Then a slotted one +can be screwed on which will allow a plaster disc to be shipped back into +exactly the same position, thus saving the difficult task of re-centring. +For prolonged operations these plaster discs require to be shellacked to +prevent the work leaving. + +[Illustration: FIG. 34--ASSEMBLY OF THE PARTS.] + +To start with a shape as shown in the illustration might be attempted. +(Fig. 34.) The drawing made full size is hung in full view. Then the gauge +is set to the exact width of the joint. The bottom half is first made, +being cut square and true with the pricker. The drawing is reversed and +the upper half thrown, the neck being at the bottom with a fair amount of +waste beneath. When each part is trimmed accurately to measure, they are +put aside to toughen. + +The top portion will stiffen just as required, leaving the neck still +moist. The bottom half will need watching to prevent the upper edge drying +before the base gets firm enough to support the top when attached. A damp +cloth lightly wrapped round it will help to insure the ideal condition for +sticking up, which is a gradually diminishing state of toughness from the +base up to lip, the junction of the parts being in exactly the same state. + +When fit to handle, the top half is cut through at the lip, allowing a +trifle for finishing off. Next the bottom half, still firmly fixed to the +bat, is slotted back into its original position on the wheel. The flat +surfaces that have to be applied and stuck are now very carefully and +slightly roughened, then painted with thick slip made from the same body. +These two wet edges are now applied and gently and firmly pressed into +position, the wheel being slowly revolved to see if the two halves run +true. When well together and apparently sticking, a little wedge of soft +clay can be carefully run in all around the joint. This operation should +be very thorough, and the clay wedge must be carefully welded into the +sides of the joint. This is finished off on the outside with the rib and +the inside very lightly smoothed with the fingers. During this process the +top should be covered with a soft wet cloth, then when the joint has been +made good and will stand the slight strain, the lip is finished off in the +ordinary way. With three-pieced shapes the lip can be finished before +sticking up, as the last part is thrown in its right position. If at any +time the shape shows a disposition to leave the plaster bat, it should be +stuck down with wet clay. The toughened shape can now be turned down in +its upright position, cut off the bat, and the base hollowed in a chuck +(see next chapter). + +[Illustration: India. B.C. 2000] + + + + + CHAPTER VII + + TURNING OR SHAVING + + "A sharp spear needs no polish."--Zulu proverb. + + +The turning or shaving operation takes place when the green shape has +dried to a _leathery_ condition. It consists in shaving the sides and +hollowing the base until the thickness is uniform. The shape is thus made +much lighter and rendered less liable to crack from unequal contraction. +At the same time a fine finish is imparted to the surface. + +One of the handiest tools for shaving is shown in Fig. 27, no. 6, but a +piece of hoop iron bent at right angles and shaped with a file will serve. +Small hollows can be finished with a modelling tool. An old piece of +leather will close up and finish the surface. In factories a horizontal +lathe is usually employed, the shape being fitted over a _chum_ or +_chuck_. Skilled men can turn shapes down until they are scarcely thicker +than tin, but this, it is needless to add, is an abuse of method even with +porcelain, and quite out of place with stoneware or earthenware. All that +is necessary is to trim the thick sides, hollow the base, and smooth the +surface. (Fig. 35.) + +[Illustration: FIG. 35--SECTION SHEWING TURNED & THROWN WALL OF A +SHAPE.] + +A simple way to arrive at this is to throw on the wheel a chuck of stiff +clay to fit the shape, wide-mouthed ones being fitted over and ordinary +shapes within the chuck. (Figs. 36 and 37.) A piece of soft linen is +placed over this chuck to prevent sticking and the shape fitted and +centred. When spinning quite truly from right to left and steadied with +the left hand, the tool should be gently applied as shown in the +illustration. Hollow the base and then shave the sides, turning all down +very gradually and improve the outline as much as possible in the process. + +[Illustration: FIG. 36--SHAVING THE BASE.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 37--SHAVING THE SIDES.] + +Care must be taken with the base. If it is not quite true it should be +sandpapered to stand flat. A little experience will soon show when it is +in the best state for shaving. If the clay is too soft, the tool jumps, +forming ridges, or possibly cuts deeply into the form. If it is too dry, +the surface crumbles and the pot is liable to break. When turned in the +right leathery condition, the shavings curl off like peel from an apple +and all tool marks are easily removed. A beautiful finish may then be +imparted with the leather. + +To end the process the shape is reversed in the chuck. Those most +important parts, the shoulders and lip, are carefully rounded with a piece +of felt and polished with the leather. Properly attended to, this will +save much work and disappointment later on. Then with all holes filled up, +all ridges, bumps, and sharp edges removed, the shape is signed and put to +dry. + +For very delicate work in transparent glaze or under-glaze painting, the +whole surface may be gone over with very fine sandpaper and polished with +the hand. This may be done provided the body is a fine one, for with a +coarse body this is apt to leave the surface looking gritty. Some little +practice will be necessary in throwing stiff chucks and centring the shape +securely, but this once mastered, the method here described will be found +to be expeditious and satisfactory for turning shapes. + +A proper regard for process points to the desirability of leaving built +shapes without a high finish. + +Yet they also, if built carefully and stoutly, may be turned down in the +above manner. The building up and turning down is somewhat tedious, but it +is sometimes the only way by which a craftsman can obtain large shapes. A +rather more simple process is to centre the shape upon a whirler and turn +down with a sharp wire tool, finishing off lightly with a sponge and soft +leather. + +To accomplish this satisfactorily the shape must be fairly soft, as there +can be no quick spinning motion to enable the tool to cut cleanly as in +the chuck or the wheel. When the head of the whirler is of plaster, it +should be well soaked in water and the centred shape stuck down with soft +clay. The hand holding the cutting wire tool must be held steady at a +fixed distance from the centred shape and the pot may be sprayed with +water blown through a diffuser from time to time, to keep it moist. Some +clays will not, however, stand much re-wetting. + +[Illustration: FIG. 38--POSITION OF TOOLS WHEN SHAVING.] + +It should not be necessary to caution the craftsman against angular +profiles, splayed feet, or sharp mouldings. Such features are foreign to +good pottery, however suited to metal or stone. + +With taste and judgement the irregular grooving caused by the tool can be +made of high decorative value. In no case should the built shape try to +masquerade as a thrown shape. When the whirler is used to shave down built +shapes, they may be coiled very thick at the base, thus allowing more +rapid work. + +The attention must then be concentrated on the profile of the inside. In +this way many shapes that splay out or curve boldly from the foot may be +built, which would otherwise present many difficulties in coiling. + + + + + CHAPTER VIII + + TILE-MAKING + + "VI thousand and fourscore of pavynge tiles delivered at Hampton + Court, for to pave the Kinges new hall at XXVJs. VIIJd. the + thousand." + + --Sixteenth century memorandum. + + +Tiles may be made of various kinds and sizes, but in every case they show +an inclination to buckle in drying and firing. The larger the tile the +stronger is this tendency to warp. The clay must not be so rich as that +which is used for throwing and should be tempered to counteract the +tendency to curl. + +A tile box as shown in Fig. 39, or a variant of it, will be required for +pressing tiles by hand; for plain tiles 5/8" deep, for others 1-1/4" deep, +the size being calculated to allow for shrinking. The sides hinge and the +thumb screws keep it steady on the bench during work. For rough tiles, two +strips nailed to the table will serve, the clay being rolled out between +and cut in lengths as required. + +For plain tiles the wedged and tempered clay is batted out into a slab a +full 3/4" thick. The mould is dusted with French chalk, flint, or very +finely sifted clay dust, to prevent sticking, and into it is pressed a +piece cut to fit easily in the tile box, from the slab. This is firmly +pressed into the box, considerable pressure being used. The surplus is +scraped off and the top trued with an iron straight-edge. The knife can be +run round the sides, then with the frame reversed a smart tap on the back +will release the tile. + +[Illustration: FIG. 39--TILE FRAME--6-1/2" x 13".] + +Let the tiles toughen and then pile in stacks with flat pieces of clay or +old tile between each corner and a true biscuit tile at bottom and the +top. They can be piled one on the other with sand between or stacked like +bricks with alternate holes for the air to circulate. This retards the +drying, but in any case they must be dried slowly. With plain glazed tiles +a little coarse dust sprinkled over the surface before the tile is removed +from the box, and well pressed in, will give a slight interest to the +surface and take away any mechanical look. If required for painting, the +clay must be very finely sieved and the surface will need careful +finishing by hand when dry. With coarse clay, a fine surface can be +imparted with a flexible broad palette knife. + +For raised outline tiles a frame 1-1/4" deep is required. This allows a +plaster bat 5/8" thick to be placed at the bottom. The best way, perhaps, +is to oil the frame and cast the bat in it, removing it when set and +sandpapering the upper surface flat and true. The design for the tile +drawn the exact size on paper is now traced on this surface. It is far +better to sketch it directly onto the slab, but this demands some +proficiency if the surface is to be preserved. The design is then incised +with a firm sharp point, clay squeezes being taken from time to time to +show the progress of the work. The plaster should be wetted to insure easy +working. At the finish the design should stand out in a fairly strong and +deep line--square--not round or angular in section. (Fig. 40.) A +chisel-pointed hard pencil will be found best for finishing. This gives a +clear-cut line, not too round. The bat, sponged clean and porous, is then +placed in the frame and the tile pressed as before. + +[Illustration: FIG. 40--A: POINT FOR FIRST OUTLINE. B: DO. FOR FINAL +INCISED LINE. C: SECTION OF INCORRECT CLOISSONS. D: CORRECT.] + +Raised outline tiles can be even more satisfactorily made by means of +outlining slip squeezed from a tube or tracer in the same manner that +inscriptions are made on sugared cakes, but this requires much practice to +obtain good results. When glazing, the coloured glazes are applied to the +different compartments with a brush. As the glaze fuses to about one third +of its bulk when dry, it should be applied very liberally. + +It will be found that large or elaborate designs are to be avoided, as in +this process they tend to become mechanical and look thin. The old +Spanish and Moorish tiles in this style with jewel-like bits of colour are +excellent guides and might be studied with advantage. + +[Illustration: FIG. 41--SLIP TRACER.] + +The process of making encaustic tiles is a little more complicated. Within +the frame is placed a well-lathered or soaped plaster bat (or tile) high +enough to allow only a thin layer of clay 1/8" thick being run out on top. +On this when firm the design is traced or pounced. Then with a thin sharp +blade it is cut down vertically to the plaster bat, and the clay removed +until the whole design shows in white plaster beneath (see illustration +42). The face of the clay left must be preserved carefully, as it forms +the surface of the subsequent press. + +The bat with clay is now placed on the bottom of the frame to allow a cast +5/8" thick to be made. The plaster and the sides of the frame are slightly +oiled and the plaster mixed and poured in. A soft hair brush will be +useful to dislodge the air bubbles that are certain to hide in some of the +many odd corners. When nearly set, the surface of the plaster can be +scraped flat, and when set taken out of the frame and detached. The clay +is picked out and the whole surface of the design cleaned and trimmed so +that it will not hold or bind in pressing. This in turn is placed in the +frame and a careful press taken. The result is a sunk design into which a +different coloured clay is pressed, the tile being first allowed to +toughen. The surface is lightly scraped flat and the tile slowly dried. +When hard, the face is scraped again with a steel straight-edge, +sandpapered, and dusted, when the design appears in two colours. (Fig. +43.) + +[Illustration: FIG. 42--CLAY LAYER CUT OUT ON BAT & PLASTER DIE.] + +The most effective clays are fairly siliceous reds, buffs, browns, and +greys. When tempered with flint or quartz sand to a uniform degree, they +offer a splendid opportunity for counterchange pattern. If a soft clay +that contracts considerably is inlaid in a refractory clay, cracks will +appear round the edges of the inlay. Thus it is found best to have the +body of the tile made of the clay that contracts most. + +[Illustration: FIG. 43--STRIKING OFF FACE OF TILE IN FRAME--SECTION ON +A-B.] + +Where only a single tile is required a more direct method is possible. The +tile is pressed and allowed to toughen slightly, the design being +transferred as before. It is then cut round with a sharp knife and the +waste removed with a wire tool. A certain facility of handling is +required, for great care must be taken to preserve the edges and angles. +This method is, however, productive of much fresh and vigorous work. + +Encaustic tiles must necessarily be simple and bold in character, for +anything complicated invites confusion; the best possible guides are the +encaustic tiles of mediaeval times, especially the simple and spirited +English and German Gothic. + +The most satisfactory way to make modelled tiles or panels is to run out +upon a stout board, cross battened to prevent warping, a flat slab of clay +of the required thickness. Sketch in the design with a point and model +straight away onto the clay. Care must be taken, if the panel is to be +fired, to see that all the added work adheres firmly to the background. +Where several presses are to be made, the edges of the modelled slab +should be carefully trimmed with a bevel, the board oiled, and the mould +made directly after the modelling is finished. The mould may be worked on +in moderation. Lettering is much more easily incised in the mould than +raised in the clay. For tiles needing much sharpness of detail almost the +whole can be carved in the plaster. Unless done with great sympathy, +however, this leads to a certain harshness and angularity that should be +foreign to clay. Where a moulded frame for a panel is required, a +_strickle_, or profile, is cut in zinc. For short use one made from a thin +slab of plaster will serve. The strickle is keyed to a straight-edge and +dragged over the clay until the correct moulding emerges. This is then cut +into lengths and very carefully dried. + +The tendency of all transparent glassy glazes to pool in hollows and run +off at high points must be borne in mind. With thick matt glazes any +delicacy of detail is apt to be lost labour. These problems should be +faced before the design is made, as in this process there is a certain +quality of surface required by the glaze. On the other hand, in +endeavouring to make a good surface for the glaze to enhance, it is easy +to slip into the over-round and slimy treatment that characterizes so much +modelled pottery. + + + + + CHAPTER IX + + DRYING: FINISHING + + "There nis no workeman whosoever he be + That can werke bothe welle and hastile." + + --"Merchants Tale." + + +Drying out is quite an important part of pot making. For this a drying +cupboard is a necessity. It is easily erected, if the front and sides of +wood be backed against a wall. Across the bottom, which should be open, +run a row of gas jets protected above by perforated zinc or iron. At the +top, which is boarded in, place a small sliding panel to insure a draught. +With side brackets and removable shelves it should answer all purposes. A +cupboard may be built over a radiator, but here the heat is not so easily +regulated. + +A thermometer inside the cupboard will be an advantage, for a wet pot +straight from the wheel will warp in a warmth that would be quite suited +to tough shapes. The green or damp wares should be put on the top shelves +and brought nearer the heat as they dry. Large shapes put into the +cupboard to dry quickly are very liable to crack across the base. Any +flush of heat upon them through any aperture in the shelves will cause +them to dry streakily. Turning then becomes difficult or impossible. + +Bowls, if not too fragile, may with care be piled one within the other. +This helps to retain their shape. Tiles are best stacked in piles dusted +with flint or with a piece of clay at each corner between them. Tiles +should never be placed in the cupboard until quite dry and straight. Flat +platters or dishes require very careful drying to prevent buckling and +should be reversed on a piece of sanded glass. When shapes are dried in +the open air, they often get hard at the rim before the bottom stiffens. +They need reversing to counteract this tendency. + +To retard drying, which may often be necessary, a damp-box is needed. A +large box, zinc-lined and fitted with plaster slabs, is an excellent +device. The plaster must be kept moist with water. A well-tarred box with +a close-fitting lid is more easily constructed and will serve most +purposes. All work to be _stuck up_ or modelled on should be kept in the +damp-box until quite finished and then dried very gradually. + +In all kinds of sticking up the body and the addition should be of the +same consistency. Re-wetting is dangerous but may be resorted to in +moderation with stout thrown shapes. Ornament added when the shape is +nearly dry is very likely to leave in the biscuiting, although apparently +quite firm in the green state. Cast shapes dry very rapidly and should be +finished before they become white dry. With practice handles, masks, and +the like can be affixed in the dry state with slip, but it demands its +careful and sparing use. Cracks or holes in dried shapes can with great +care be filled, a stiff wedge of clay being firmly pressed in and welded +to the slightly moistened sides of the crack. The plaster tools (Fig. 44) +will be found very handy for working on the dry clay. With skill and +patience much repairing may be done on unfired shapes, but it is a waste +of time to attempt it unless the beauty of the piece warrants it. It is +far better if the piece be faulty to throw it back into the bin at this +stage. Once fired, it is likely to remain an irremediable eyesore. + +[Illustration: FIG. 44--PLASTER TOOLS.] + +One or two other points bearing on finish have been mentioned before in +previous chapters, but these last touches are so important that they will +bear some reiteration. + +The finality burned in by the biscuiting should induce a careful and +sound completion of each object; yet paradoxical as it may seem, the less +finishing, the better for the piece. It is no part of a craftsman's work +to go finnicking with file and sandpaper; too frequently nothing remains +of what might have been a vigorous shape but a meticulous finish. The best +Japanese work was superb in this respect and despite the many quaint and +surprising shapes into which they fashioned the clay, it very rarely seems +to lose its plastic character, it never assumes forms more suited to +metal, wood, or stone. Again the character that comes with correct +treatment is never smothered. Often the ribs or ridges made by the fingers +or the tool in forming the shape are frankly left to contribute their +quota to the general effect. The lips are rounded with scrupulous care and +angles removed without a suggestion of weakness. + +Where large utensils, ewers and the like, are in question, mediaeval +pottery is rich in suggestion for handles, spouts, and such added forms. +It is only when such additions are affixed that one realizes the nicety of +adjustment required between the size, shape, and situation of the handle +or spout and the vessel to which it is attached. It is here that an +appreciation and an intelligent use of historic ornament is necessary. + + + + + CHAPTER X + + FIRING BISCUIT + + "The Pope, the Cardinals, and the Princes of the World are + astonished that such excellent and noble works can be made out + of the earth." + + --EXIMENUS. Fifteenth century. + + +When sufficient green shapes have been accumulated and are white dry, the +next stage will be _biscuiting_. This process is the firing of the clay to +a primrose or a white heat according to its fusibility. This permanently +expels the water that is always present, even when dry, and converts the +friable clay into a hard unalterable body. This may vary in colour from +the white of kaolin to ivory, grey, buff, red, or brown, according to the +composition of the clay; it may be vitreous or porous; soft like common +flower pots or so hard that it will spark when struck with steel. + +The fire is the ultimate test of the pot and of the potter. It is +indispensable to both. With but a small kiln the craftsman will begin to +appreciate many things that can be learned only at the _fire hole_. +Without a kiln he will not commence to be a potter. + +[Illustration: FIG. 45--GAS KILN. SECTION SHOWING CLOSE PACKED BISCUIT.] + +The kinds of kilns usually found in schools are the gas and the oil kiln. +The English gas kiln has an arrangement of nine or twelve burners beneath +the muffle. (Fig. 45.) This is a fire-clay box, open at the front, set on +fire bricks and cased round with fire tiles within an iron frame (see +cut). There is an air space all round, except at the open end, leading to +the flues on top which have dampers to regulate the draught. The open end +may be closed by a hinged door or bricked up with fire tiles cut to fit. +The defects of this kind of kiln are too sudden access of flame to the +bottom of the muffle, causing it to split, and the impossibility of +getting the front, where trials are usually placed, fired up equally with +the back. An ideal muffle of this kind would be one with flues all round, +gradual access of flame on all sides, spy holes each end, and the top to +lift off, for placing. American kilns have flues in the door, and the +chimney at the top is placed slightly forward, thus making it easy to fire +the front up hard. They are usually fitted with two large burners, with +air mixers, and a handy mica spy hole. + +The oil kiln differs considerably from the gas kiln. The oil is fed +through tubes into fire boxes some distance below the bottom of the +muffle. It burns on asbestos fibre in an iron pan to which the draught can +be admitted. The flames strike the bottom of the muffle and pass up +through fire-clay pipes, which project into the muffle, then pass off +through a twin flue regulated by dampers. With this kiln a long flue is +necessary and any excess of carbon is liable to choke the pipes, and +further it cannot be "sweated" up at the finish so easily as a gas kiln +having a large number of burners. + +It is a good plan when a coarse fire-clay muffle is used for glaze and +biscuit to give the sides and top a sagger wash of lead and stone. This +renders the muffle less liable to absorb glaze from the pots in glost +firing. It also lessens the danger of small bits scaling off and sticking +to the finished ware. The bottom should always be kept dusted with finely +powdered flint. When cracks appear or joints open, they should be stopped +with a pugging of fire clay and grog. A mixture of egg silica or water +glass with fine grog and quartz sand will stop small cracks. _Siluma_, a +fire-proof cement, with equal parts of sand, answers admirably for +patching. + +In biscuit firing the green shapes may be packed close together, with the +lighter shapes on top of the stronger, but all must be 1/2" to 3/4" away +from the sides of the muffle. Triangular pieces of biscuit, called +saddles, are used to raise the shapes off the bottom, but often a fired +tile, sanded and placed on a spur or saddles, gives the best foundation. +Where two layers are required, small props and fire bats, perforated to +let the heat through, will be necessary. These form shelves as the +exigencies of the packing dictate. (Fig. 47.) + +For light shapes, thimbles and fired tiles will serve the purpose. (Fig. +48.) Where a shelf or prop rocks insecurely, a small wad of pugging (grog +and clay) will give a steady bearing. Thrown bowls, if dried together and +well fitting, may be fired together, and large thrown pots may be filled +with little ones. Cast shapes can be placed on top of thrown ones, but no +liberty is to be taken with them. Flint should be used liberally to +prevent sticking, which may happen if the biscuit be over-fired. Tiles can +be fired two together in tile boxes or stacked as dried. Flat ware fired +in a small muffle requires very careful handling. Whenever possible, it +should be placed in the centre, on a flat flint-covered fire tile or bat. + +One soon learns to pack a biscuit kiln, using saddles, spurs, stilts, +thimbles, bits of tile or biscuit, and sand or flint as necessary. The +thing that is a little difficult to realize at first is that built or +thrown shapes, and still less tiles or modelled work, should not be +hurried. Twelve hours is none too long to give to a 5/8" tile in the +biscuit kiln. Although to all appearances thoroughly dry, the least hurry +generates steam which will ruthlessly blow our best effects to bits. In +packing, two cones or temperature indicators (Fig. 46) are placed +somewhere near the middle in a position easily seen during the firing from +the spy hole. + +These cones are made of different compositions which melt at varying +temperatures. Thus if the firing point of a body is known, a cone of that +degree is used and the firing continued until the cone bends. This it does +soon after it assumes the colour of the surrounding muffle. + +To eliminate the uncertainty that is likely to be present at the first few +firings it is as well to use two or even three cones, one just above and +one below the correct temperature. Placed in order there is little chance +then of over- or under-firing unless so much sulphur gets into the kiln +that the cones harden and refuse to turn. Calorites are sometimes used but +are not so reliable. The cones may be sloped to insure bending to right or +left, as a cone bending towards the spy is deceptive. + +[Illustration: FIG. 46--CONES.] + +A trial piece of biscuit being placed near the spy hole, the next thing is +to close the muffle. In a kiln with hinged doors the spy hole is fixed and +this fact has to be taken into account. But with a bricked-up door the spy +and vent may be left where it is most convenient. These orifices have +plugs that fit them loosely so that if necessary they can be pulled +without disturbing the clamming. This clamming or stopping is a mixture of +sand, sieved dust, ground pitchers, or other infusible siftings held +together with a very little waste glaze and water. Where much is required, +moist sand will suffice. This is plastered into the cracks that would +otherwise let heat out of, or air into, the muffle, and so seals up the +door. With hinged doors little stopping is required, except round the spy +or vent. The crack above the door should not be clammed until the muffle +begins to get warm. With this done and the two plugs out, all is now ready +to light up. + +With an English kiln, a good middle course is as follows: For cone .01, +taking 12-14 hours. See that all the burner taps are off with the main +cock on one third to one half. Take the reading of the metre. Pull the air +regulators right back and the dampers out nearly half. Then take out the +plug of the lighting hole and insert a taper. Turn on tap number 1. When +lit, withdraw the taper and turn on tap number 2. Turn down to about one +half and continue until every burner is lit, making sure that each one is +burning freely with a yellow flame. With a kiln having twelve burners turn +out all but numbers 3, 6, and 9. With these on one third, very gently push +forward the air regulators until a roaring noise tells that air is being +admitted to the bunsen burners. + +The flame at this time should be blue, and the stopper should be replaced. +If the flame appears at all fierce, turn the taps down a little. If +turned down too much, the gas lights back and will have to be turned out +and relighted. The same thing happens when too much air is admitted. The +burners require watching until the right pressure is known. + +[Illustration: FIG. 47--THE USE OF BATS & PROPS.] + +For biscuit of any thickness three hours on the three burners is not too +much, the taps being gradually turned on to increase the length of the +flame until at the end of the three hours the taps are at three fourths. +At the end of the first half hour the bottom spy hole is plugged and when +all steam has stopped issuing from the top vent, that is stopped also and +the whole clammed, leaving just a small crack as vent. When three hours +are up, the regulators are pulled back and all burners lit at half cock. +Then all but 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11 are turned out. Starting at the half, they +are gradually increased to three fourths in two hours. Then numbers 1, +2-4, 5-7, 8-10, 11 are lighted in the same way. Colour will begin to show +inside the muffle about the fifth or sixth hour, and the top dampers can +come out a little, the front one more than the back, to draw the flame +towards the door. + +[Illustration: FIG. 48--TILE THIMBLES.] + +When the eight burners have been on about one and one half hours the +muffle will probably show a dull red inside and all danger of blowing will +be passed. Two more burners at three fourths may now be put on and at the +expiration of another one and one half hours the remaining two may be +turned on. If the pressure weakens and the flame shortens, the main cock +should be turned on. Just above the base of each chimney is a small hole +and the flame should show through these towards the finish. If the flame +flaps out of the chimney tops, it is so much waste and it should be +checked at the taps. The dampers can come right out towards the end, being +used to _sweat_ the flame to the front if the back appears to come up too +fast. + +As white heat approaches, the cones should be observed occasionally. They +turn the colour of their surroundings when about to topple over and as the +first begins to curl the trial near the spy can be hooked out quickly and +tested. When the right cone is well down, the main cock and then the +burner taps are turned off. The air regulators are now pulled back and +after a few minutes the dampers are closed. The metre is then checked and +entered in the firing book. + +The kiln should be allowed to cool slowly for at least 12 hours, but the +clamming at the top may come away and this will expedite the cooling +without risk to the muffle. This time applies to a muffle of about 20" x +15" x 30" dimensions. A smaller kiln will fire up and cool in a shorter +time. + +Gas kilns as made in America vary in the arrangement of their burners, but +the principle is the same. They are simple to manipulate and especially +handy for firing "on" decoration, as they are fitted with shelves and +uprights. The burners once alight, the flame is gradually increased, but +where the pressure is uncertain, it is well to keep something in reserve. + +Firing with oil is somewhat different. The asbestos fibre in the pans is +well saturated with kerosene, the tanks filled, and the taps turned off. A +light is applied to the burners and when both are burning freely the taps +are turned on to allow a thin stream of oil to flow into the pans. From +the merest trickle at first, the flow should be gradually increased as the +heat develops. This is observed through the mica spy hole in the door and +the one above tells when the flame is reaching its maximum. Should it +flare over irregularly before the finish it means that the combustion is +not perfect and there is danger of clogging. The supply of oil should be +reduced and the draught regulated until the flame in the combustion +chamber burns clear. + +All soot or carbon forming in the fire box should be raked out and the oil +supply checked, as it indicates a too liberal supply. As the oil in the +tank subsides it should be refilled and the taps checked, as the increase +in pressure is apt to vary the flow. + +The later patterns of oil kilns have several advantages over the kiln +described. The muffle construction and the burner arrangements are +ingenious and practical, and need little manipulation to insure even +distribution of heat. + +The oil tanks and taps will need attention at each firing, otherwise +sediment will collect and choke the even flow of paraffin oil or kerosene. +With both gas or oil kilns the amount of fuel consumed should be recorded, +together with the time, weather conditions, cones, and results of firing, +in the "Kiln Log." + +[Illustration: FIG. 49--SKETCH SEC'^{TN} OF OIL KILN TO SHOW PACKING OF +GLAZED POTS.] + + + + + CHAPTER XI + + GLOST FIRING + + "When Fortune bringeth thee affliction, console thyself by + remembering that one day thou must see prosperity, and another + day difficulty." + + --From EL KORAN. + + +The hard porous biscuit shape will now need a coat of glaze and a +subsequent glost fire. + +Raw glazes for green shapes are now seldom used except for the coarser +wares or peasant pottery. In commerce it is, however, largely used on +tiles, mouldings, and big sanitary appliances. For common cheap crockery a +soft lead glaze, often galena, is generally used. It is applied with a +brush, or the pot still leathery and tough is dipped in the glaze. Raw +glazes have a strong inclination to leave in the firing. They are very +difficult to manipulate unless they are of the simplest formula and fired +very slowly. The addition of a little clay in the form of slip to the +glaze will often counteract the tendency to leave the pot. + +The ordinary glazes in dry powder form are mixed with water to the +consistency of cream and passed with the aid of a stout brush through a +phosphor bronze sieve into a large basin or tub. The sieves may range +from eighty to two hundred mesh, according to the delicacy of the work. +For ordinary work No. 100 suffices. The biscuit to receive the glaze +should be quite clean and free from dust or dirt with the insides +carefully dusted or blown out. Grease will stop absorption, but with +opaque glazes discoloration is not of great importance. If the biscuit is +hard and inclined to be non-porous, the glaze will need to be mixed fairly +thick before it will cling; with soft and porous shapes a comparatively +thin mixture will take readily. + +No immutable law can be laid down for the exact thickness of the coat of +glaze. All glazes vary. One sixteenth inch may be enough for one and far +too thin for another. From one twentieth inch for thin transparent glaze +to one eighth inch for matts is a fair average. It is well to err on the +thick side to avoid an impoverished look. Trials on odd pieces of biscuit +fired in horizontal and vertical positions will best settle the point. + +In all cases the inside is first half filled with glaze which is rolled +quickly round and out. The deposit is then tested with a knife. The glaze +for the inside should be slightly thinner in composition than for the +outside, as it is inclined to pool in the bottom if too thick. The outside +and the neck are then scraped free of all splashes. + +[Illustration: FIG. 50--POURING.] + +To glaze the outside of the pot the methods employed are painting, +spraying, dipping, and pouring. In painting, two or three coats applied +with a flat soft brush may be necessary. In spraying, the glaze is thinned +considerably and blown through a vaporizer by means of a foot pump. (Fig. +51.) The shape, its mouth closed with a small bowl or saucer, is placed on +a whirler in a draught box and slowly revolved. The draught draws the +waste spray away from the operator, who should wear a respirator. This +method is excellent where any gradation is required. It is easily learned. +Unfortunately, it requires expensive apparatus to render it safe with lead +glazes. Unless it is done on a big scale and the waste glaze retained, it +is also wasteful. + +In dipping, the pot is plunged right under in a tub of glaze which is kept +well stirred to prevent the heavy constituents settling. (Figs. 52 and +53.) This requires considerable dexterity. In a school, glaze is seldom +mixed in sufficient quantities to permit of this being acquired. + +Perhaps the most satisfactory method is pouring. (Fig. 50.) The shape is +reversed and stood upon a big stilt or two strips of wood over a bowl or +tub. Then the glaze is poured from a jug round the edge of the base, until +every part is covered. With a little practice a quite even coat can be +thus applied. Owing to the inversion of the shape it is slightly thicker +at the shoulder and neck, an excellent point in glazing. When dry, the +base is scraped and wiped clean with a sponge and the lip touched up with +a brush. + +[Illustration: FIG. 51--SPRAYING.] + +With matt glazes, as has been noted, a thick coat is necessary. If very +porous, the shape may be soaked first in clean water to take some of the +suction out of the biscuit. When glazed, it is essential that all dips and +inequalities be removed. If thinly coated, the glaze will assume a glossy +surface when fired. + +[Illustration: FIG. 52--DIPPING.] + +Whatever process is used, the lip and base of a pot should receive careful +attention, the rims especially should be thickly and evenly coated with +glaze. The thickness can be tested with the point of a knife and any +scratches or bare spots should be filled in and rubbed flat as they are +apt to show at the finish if the glaze is at all refractory. Never starve +the glaze, for a thin coat imparts a poor cheap look to any pot that is +seldom remedied with entire success. + +When only one kind of glaze is used, the application is quickly learned. +With hard and soft, lead and leadless glazes, both opaque and transparent, +and possibly a combination of spraying, painting, and pouring, the +difficulties are greatly increased. Practical experience will be the only +safe guide. But speaking generally, a sprayed coat can be thicker than a +poured coat. Hard glazes give less trouble than soft if too liberally +applied. Tin glazes will stand a lot of over-firing even when thin and the +reverse holds good of matt glazes. Raw borax glazes require much more +careful firing than raw lead glazes but often give better colour results +and are less liable to sulphuring. + +[Illustration: FIG. 53--DIPPING.] + +When glazing with a transparent glaze over under-glaze painting a thin +coat is advisable. If it be thick and run, the painting is spoiled; but +if, after firing, it appears thin, another light spray may be tried. But +whole chapters of writing will never settle these points. Repeated trials +on odd pieces of biscuit will elucidate more than many books. In packing a +glost or glaze kiln stilts and spurs instead of saddles must be used to +prevent the pots from sticking to the floor or shelves. (Figs. 49 and 54.) +For the same reason the pots must not touch each other. With glazes +requiring a high temperature the space between pots of different colour +should be considerable. An appreciable amount of glaze is liberated in the +intense heat and a blue pot will often leave a distinct blue patch on any +light pot placed too near. Soft glazes liable to run or drip should be +placed on separate bats well flinted beneath. Any crack in the muffle +should be well stopped and lime may be used to neutralize the effects of +any sulphur that may enter. + +[Illustration: FIG. 54--STILTS, BITS AND SPURS.] + +As the back is usually hotter than the front the hard glazes should be +packed first, and by selecting suitable shapes a good _setter_ will pack a +surprising amount into even a small kiln. The clamming should be done with +care, as bits are liable to flake off and stick to the glaze. The top plug +only need be left out and the lighting up proceeded with as before. + +The gradual increase of heat is very essential in firing glaze, for any +sudden jump or reduction will play all manner of games in a glost oven. +The slow start is not so important, there being no risk of _blowing_. +Indeed the glaze is best in a sharp quick fire. + +Although cones should always be used and are excellent indicators, +experience will soon show when a kiln is fired up. It may be advisable to +go on a little after the cone is over until all looks fluxed so as to get +rid of bubbles. These appear in some glazes until the last. They do not +always go down on cooling, but those glazes that bubble through +over-firing should be avoided. Possibly the trouble will arise from +sulphur in the body which must be corrected. Trials are always useful but +they must be small and easily hooked out, as constant poking about at the +spy hole lowers the temperature of the muffle at the front, just where it +is most difficult to get it up. + +When fired, a glost kiln should cool very slowly, for any sudden access of +cold air is liable to stunt or crack the pots. When firing over glaze +decoration where the glaze does not run, the packing is much simplified. +With low-firing lustres the pots may even touch each other. + +All this has been set out at great length but we shall find over and above +this that each kiln has its own little ways which must be studied and +humoured before the best results can be obtained. + +The chief thing to avoid is a sudden flush or jump in the heat. The main +thing to aim at is a slow start steadily increasing to a sharp finish. The +state of the muffle, a dry or a damp day, will modify each firing a +little, but the above generalization will have a fairly wide application +to the working of a small kiln. + +Unpacking is a compound of despair and delight, and is best done slowly. +As the colour dies the clamming, if any, may be knocked away, and later on +the spy plugs removed. When comparatively cold, the door may be opened +slightly, and left so for one or two hours. Then the front pots can be +extracted but those at the back should be allowed another half hour. Be +very careful of the razor edges of broken stilts or glaze dips. A steel +chisel should be used for chopping rough edges or removing refractory +stilts. If necessary the bases may be ground on an emery wheel until the +pot stands true. + + + + + CHAPTER XII + + GLAZES AND LUSTRES + + "I began to think that if I should discover how to make enamels I + could make earthen vessels and other things very prettily, + because God had gifted me with some knowledge of drawing." + + --PALISSY. + + +It is in this department of potting, with its surprises, difficulties, and +disappointments, its rare but exciting successes, that for most potters +the greatest interest lies. To those of a scientific bent it is perhaps +the summit of the craft, but the artist groping amidst formulas and +methods may take heart. The finest work in pottery was not produced by +scientists alone and does not depend altogether upon the quality of its +paste, its unique colour, or strange lustre. The last word, the form, +decoration, and craftsmanship, is with the artist. + +It is beyond the scope of a book of this description to enter into a +necessarily long and complicated account of the different processes +concerned in the composition of glazes. It will be sufficient to indicate +their leading characteristics plainly enough to enable the student to +start experimenting. None can afford to miss opportunities for +experiment, just as surely as none can afford to be always experimenting. +For a full description of materials and glazes and their manufacture such +books as those of Drs. Shaw, Furnival, and Hainbach are recommended. + +Putting aside salt glaze we find a countless number of both lead and +leadless glazes. They range from the thin silicious coating of the +ancients up to the rich alkaline glazes of the Persians and Chinese; from +the raw galena of peasant pottery to the rich Majolicas and fine hard +glazes of modern commerce. Salt glaze is obtained by the vaporizing of +salt inside the kiln at a great heat. The sodium oxide so formed combines +with the silicates in the clay to form a very thin coat of refractory +glass, intimately connected with the body. Porcelain glazes, though not +differing so much in composition from the ordinary _fine_ earthenware +glazes, are extremely hard, being compounded of kaolin, felspar, and +quartz, with possibly limestone and ground sherds. It has in common with +the salt glaze the close union with the body, so that when fractured the +line of demarcation between glaze and body is indeterminable. + +With a few minor exceptions the following list comprises the ingredients +of all colourless glazes: + + Kaolin + Quartz + Cornish stone + Felspar + Fluorspar + Flint + Sand + Barytes + Bismuth + Gypsum + Limestone + Nitre + Borax + Bone-ash + White lead + Red lead + Zinc oxide + Tin oxide + Salt + Soda + Potash + +These materials must be free from all trace of iron. They are pulverized +and some are calcined or oxidized. Then they are mixed in varying +quantities to form the glaze mass. This mass is easily fusible when lead +or borax is present in large proportions, more infusible or harder the +more silica it contains, and very refractory if alumina is present in any +quantity. The silica forming the glassy part of the glaze is stiffened by +the presence of alumina, which stops any tendency to run. + +Lead is very largely used as a powerful flux at low temperatures but is +unsuited to hard glazes. Borax and boracic acid are important constituents +of leadless glazes. They are used to replace some of the silica, than +which they are more fusible. Matt or non-reflective glazes are opaque and +less vitreous than the glassy glazes. They do not flux or run. + +All these minerals are finely ground before mixing. Then those insoluble +are mixed and _fritted_; that is, fused in a crucible or fritting furnace +to a greater or less degree, according to the hardness of the glaze. If +fused into a glass, the melted mass is poured into water to facilitate the +next process, which is its reduction to a fine powder by re-grinding. Then +the completing ingredients are added and the mass coloured by the addition +of metallic oxides. Of these the chief are: + + Iron + Copper + Nickel + Antimony + Cobalt + Chrome + Manganese + Titanium + +and the more precious metals, in various forms, as oxides, carbonates, +sulphates, and nitrates soluble in the glaze at great heat. + +These metals impart the many varied colours found in pottery. Zinc oxide +is used to brighten a glaze or to stabilize colour. Tin oxide, which is +insoluble at great heat but remains in suspension, gives opacity. + +This is no more than a skeleton outline of the intricate processes often +used in the fabrication of a glaze. The manifold minerals, metals, oxides, +acids, and alkalies are used in a variety of ways by the modern chemical +potter. + +To all this seeming complication is added the question of pastes and +bodies. There then arises the great problem of fitting one to the other. +Salt glaze and porcelain excepted, the finished pot presents three +stratas. Outside is the glaze, next the body, then inside the glaze again. +If the coefficient of expansion of these three layers differs, in other +words, if the glaze does not fit, the result is _crazing_, that bugbear of +the potter. + +This crazing, which has been followed up and developed into their +delightful _crackle_ by the Chinese, may show itself at once or only after +a lapse of months. It appears as a minute network of fine cracks over the +entire surface of the pot. It is often not unsightly, but sooner or later +it must cause devitrification. The glaze after a time assumes an +evanescent iridescence followed by a dull smoky appearance; finally, +perhaps not for many years, it decomposes and peels off. + +With low-firing natural clays rich in silica and iron, the craze is not of +much consequence. The body itself at a moderately high temperature becomes +non-porous. With hard short bodies containing lime or chalk it may have +quite disastrous consequences. Water placed inside will eventually +percolate through leaving a network of grey lines all over the pot and +completely spoiling its appearance. + +It will be readily granted that, whether porous or non-porous, a craze is +most undesirable on any piece of pottery that may be used for food or +drink. + +It is here that the commercial potter is such an admirable fellow. Many of +the glazes on modern tablewares are perfect for their purposes. Sometimes +only a little more fire is needed to stop the nuisance, but a bad craze +usually needs more attention. The glaze requires stiffening, and the +addition of ground flint or quartz, China stone or clay and felspar +introduces alumina and silica and raises the fusing point. The +substitution of borax for a portion of the silica can also be tried and +will permit the use of slightly lower firing point. + +If the glazes are bought ready mixed, the body must be altered instead. +Refractory China clays should be replaced by more fusible clays or some +reduction made in the amount of infusible materials. The addition of +ground sherds or flint will have a contrary effect should the glaze peel +or crack at the edges, as it may do on a very silicious body. In working +with natural clays on a moderate scale it will be found best to mix "fat" +or rich natural clays with those of a more porous or hard nature. A few +graded mixtures submitted to a thorough trial should soon show when a +sympathy has been established between the body and glaze. + +The receipts given on pages 183 and 184 will make good colourless glazes +without fritting if thoroughly ground in a mortar and passed through a +sieve. Numbers 3 and 7, when calcined, will give much more even results +and they can be coloured by the addition of the oxides named. But simple +as it sounds, the washing, grinding, fritting, re-grinding, and sieving is +a long and laborious process demanding machinery, and on that account is +unsuited to schools or potters of moderate means. Glazes like Nos. 1 and +2 will do quite well for elementary work but unless the appliances are to +hand the manufactured article will have to be relied on for more finished +and ambitious work. + +If, indeed, you are already in possession of a good receipt for a fine +colour and glaze, one quite worth while, so much the better. Mix it and +feel the joy of the Compleat Potter unafraid of spoiling his own good +shapes with a faulty or unknown glaze. + +Admittedly, to get anywhere in an original direction systematic research +is essential. One must keep on experimenting, keep on hoping, and keep on +taking notes; but at the start let us not be too impatient or independent +if we wish to produce good pots. + +There is often among young potters a false pride that prevents them using, +and among old potters acknowledging the use of, the manufactured article. +Why this should be is a little difficult to understand. A painter might +far more reasonably be ashamed to use modern tube colours or a +stained-glass craftsman as logically insist on making his own glass, as a +potter in the twentieth century refuse to avail himself of the wonderful +range of glazes that modern research has placed at his disposal. These +resources should be used intelligently, not mechanically, or by the +book--artistically, inventively, secretly, if you will, but they should be +used--until the multitudinous experiments have borne fruit and repeated +trials convince you that at last you possess some gem of research worth, +as well it may be, the months of patient toil engendered in its +production. + +The various receipts are given on pages 183 and 184 without analysis of +the composition of the paste or body to which they were applied. The first +group have been used on common earthenware clays with complete +satisfaction. They are to be considered as points of departure for future +experiments in which they may be modified at will, and not regarded as a +contribution to the science of glaze making. + +In colouring it will be found that combinations of cobalt, iron, and +copper oxides give an interesting range of simple blues or greens; iron +and manganese browns; and so forth. The colour mass or stain is ground +fine and lawned, and from about 2 to 7 per cent mixed with the colourless +glaze mass, according to the depth of colour required. The ordinary +under-glaze colours may be used to stain glazes, the percentage being +fixed by small trials. For the rare colours--turquoise, crimson, or +purple--a more complicated process is necessary and only perfected after +many trials. The ingredients of these fine colours are naturally kept +secret by their fortunate possessors. + +It must be noted that a glaze suited to one body may peel or run off an +unsuitable one. Then a colourant is affected differently by a lead or an +alkaline base in the glaze. Again, copper and iron oxides may help to flux +a glaze, whilst cobalt or nickel will exert a contrary effect. Cobalt, +being a strong colourant, will need a sparing use, whereas a similar +percentage of iron will merely tinge the glaze mass. And so _ad +infinitum_. + +It is self-evident that any attempt to emulate the vast range of the +modern ceramic chemist is doomed to failure. To a craftsman the +fabrication of one fine individual glaze or lustre is an achievement of +which he may be proud, and for which he will find abundant and varied +uses. In this connection it is encouraging to the craftsman to learn from +so high an authority as W. Burton, Esq., F.C.S., that it is impossible to +obtain with purified oxides the fine tones got by the Orientals with +impure materials. Further, that the simple glaze of the Persians--a +mixture of clean white sand with soda or wood ash or potash--is still the +best for under-glaze painting. Although tastes differ so widely, +invariably it will be found that more and more heat will be the cry. +Imperceptibly this leads to the desire for hard, cold, "fat" translucent +glazes, neither matt nor glossy. And on the summit, far out of reach, +stand the wonders of the Old Chinese. + + + LUSTRES + +There are several kinds of lustres, but the true lustres possess a pearly +iridescence in addition to their colour. The copper and silver _lustres_ +of the eighteenth-century Staffordshire potters were thin metallic films +over the whole surface of the glaze. Gold or silver solutions were used. +Only where the gold was fired on a white clay is there any iridescence, +and then hardly so pronounced as to deserve the name of lustre. The +bismuth and other lustres made by the modern potter are combinations of +metallic oxides and resinates dissolved in ethereal oils. These are +painted on the glaze, transparent or opaque, but having almost invariably +a lead base, and then fired at a dull-red heat. The medium disappears, and +the metal in a finely divided state is deposited on the surface of the +glaze. This, however, gives a painted look very different from the lovely +irradiance of the Persian Hispano-Mooresque or Italian work. + +With these the lustres were fired in a reducing atmosphere, one +supercharged with combustible gases, the metals decomposed and fixed to +the semifluxed glaze. The manipulation was not infallible and was attended +with much risk; but the successful pieces are unrivalled, and according to +Piccolpasso "paid in gold." De Morgan, who more nearly approached the +works of the Italian masters than any other modern potter, used a very +similar medium and method with his fine lustres. In the last few years +lustres have been brought to such perfection, in preparation, application, +and firing, that accident is practically eliminated. Glorious colours and +gorgeous effects are obtained. Yet it may be said without senseless +adulation of the merely mediaeval that nothing has been produced superior, +or even akin in spirit, to the work sent out from Persia, Spain, or the +botega of the inimitable Maestro Georgio of Gubbio. + +Lustres may be bought ready to apply. They are then painted on the glazed +pot, which is re-fired at a dull-red heat in the ordinary oxidizing +atmosphere. Once the painted look has been contrasted with the lustrous +appearance of the _reduced_ effects there is only one kind of lustre for +the artist. Fortunately, perhaps, their preparation is not easy, and the +correct method of reducing is a difficulty to be overcome by practical +experiment alone. Hainbach gives many practical receipts for lustres that +are not beyond the scope of a craftsman. The reducing atmosphere can be +obtained in an open kiln by the introduction at the right moment of any +combustible giving smoke free from all traces of sulphur. + +In firing with a muffle kiln the introduction of coal-gas free from +sulphur is a matter attended with some risk at the necessarily low +temperatures required by the lustres. It should be approached with +caution, and each mixture will have a varied firing point, the correctness +of which is established only by trials. + +Lustres applied with skill and restraint enhance the most beautiful glaze, +but in unskilled hands they inevitably vulgarize and cheapen. The fresh, +unsophisticated renderings of the Persians or the Moors and the virility +of the Italians should be studied, but not merely imitated before working +in this medium. + +[Illustration: FIG. 55--PAINTING OUTFIT.] + + + + + CHAPTER XIII + + DECORATION + + "The world is still deceiv'd with ornament." + + --_Merchant of Venice._ + + +Decoration has been touched upon briefly in one or two of the preceding +chapters. To attempt a description of the various kinds of decoration +which it is possible to place on a pot, another book would be needed. +Their name is legion. They range from the simple and entirely satisfactory +work of primitive and peasant peoples to the wonderful enamel decorations +of the Chinese. With such an enormous field and varied choice it is +difficult to particularize and foolish to dogmatize. The hints below are +intended but to stimulate interest in the at present unexplored fields +that lie beyond the beaten track. + +Any representative collection of ceramics will prove a veritable treasure +house of suggestion to the student. All will be there. The difficulty is +to choose, and choose aright. The bold brushwork of Cyprus foils the +marvellous _familles_ vert and rose of the Chinese, the faultless Wedgwood +sets off the virile Toft. One sees how the Italians, with almost crude +colours,--blue, green, red, yellow,--developed their wonderfully robust +school of figure painters; then their fanciful _arabesques_ are prolific +of ideas. The Greek style--red and black and white--is a rich field +waiting for the reaper. The peerless Persian pots, the plaques from Spain, +the steins and stoves from Germany, the fresh Delft wares; these and many +others crowd round for recognition and disconcert the choice. + +But having come so far, let us not choose the horrific style that models +most faithfully a cabbage, tops it with a lifelike snail as handle, and +cunningly converts the whole into a vegetable dish!... (in S. K. M.). +Nothing should be more distressing to the artist than to see great skill +and craft thus misapplied. Yet how often does the search after false +originality lead only to meretricious cleverness or vulgarity, which +creeps in unseen during the too close struggle with the craft. + +But our muttons need tending. Broadly speaking, all decoration falls under +three heads: Glaze; Relief; Painting;--subdivided into many combinations +of these three classes. + +The application of glaze has already been described. A pot possessing a +noble form and glaze is obviously in no need of _decoration_; no artist +would attempt it. The Chinese and Japanese are safe guides here. Their +rich glazes and fine forms are set off in the simplest and most effective +manner. This is potting, pure and simple. + +Under relief, we group all modelling,--raised or sunk, embossments, +flutings, mouldings, feet, handles, or applied figures. At one extreme +come the earliest attempts at decoration in slip or clay, highly developed +in the Gallo- and Egypto-Roman and Romano-British wares. The matured slip +must be applied fairly thick to the still moist pot and then dried slowly. +Any work applied to dry shapes is liable to crack in drying or leave in +firing. Probably the most effective use of slip is seen in the old tygs +and dishes of Toft and others of his time. + +The simple spotting and surfacing has been carried to perfection by the +Martin Brothers, who have drawn largely upon the vegetable world for their +inspiration. Roman Aretine ware shows finely executed reliefs of foliage +and figures. The enrichment was probably worked on the original shape, a +mould was then taken, and the vessel pressed. (See chapter on Casting.) + +Wedgwood carried this method still further (too far, maybe) and used +different coloured bodies. The reliefs, so finely modelled by Flaxman, +were fired, and from them moulds of a very refractory clay were made, +called _pitcher moulds_. The reliefs were then pressed and affixed to the +vase, and the whole touched up by a skilled craftsman. A naive and +unpretentious form of this decoration is seen in the stoneware and +salt-glazed pottery of the eighteenth-century English potters and the +jolly _Bellarmines_ of earlier times. Small dies were used in the Orion +ware, the pattern being stamped into the clay. German stoneware and the +_Gres of Flanders_ show sunk and relief patterns. Between the two extremes +lies a rare choice of style. + +This method of using patterns lends itself particularly to fine commercial +work when used with the restraint seen in the best of the above-mentioned +styles. To the craftsman it offers a welcome chance to enlarge his +production, but he must be well equipped. It is easy to acquire the mere +mechanism of commerce without its splendid technique. Finally, the further +the relief is developed the less will be the appeal of form and the less +the possibilities of glaze. + +The next division is painting. + +It is in this branch of ceramic decoration that the widest choice lies. +The scale ascends from the simple earthy colourants applied to the +unglazed pot in the manner of the American Indian up to the splendid +enamels of China and the sumptuous but sterile wonders of--shall we +say--Sevres or Worcester. Much of the modern eighteenth- and +nineteenth-century work is such a technical _tour de force_ that one +hesitates to criticise it. But careful scrutiny will often show that the +artistic difficulties have been undermined rather than overcome. Thus the +frank frontal attack of the Persians on their absorbent ground or of the +potters of Delft on their unfired tin glaze is never attempted, and +probably never can be attempted in the factory of to-day. + +The modern method of painting in fat oils on a prepared ground induces in +any but the most accomplished a cramped and finnicky style. The best and +really most beautiful results are seen in the delicate _vertu_ of the +eighteenth century. Snuff boxes and ladies' knick-knacks exhibit the +loveliest miniatures in an impressible medium. How far it is desirable to +decorate pots with such pictures depends on the sophistry of the +craftsman. (For, ever since painters were pampered by princes each +erstwhile honest craftsman must needs try to turn painter!) + +The Chinese who laboured with infinite patience upon their pots still +seemed to preserve a spirit lacking in the works of their western +imitators, and their avoidance of realism saved them from the many +pitfalls that yawned for the Occidental. + +The manner in which the Persians and Dutch preserved their freshness has +been noticed already, but the encountering and surmounting of similar +difficulties is at the bottom of most successes. A few of the methods of +painting pots are here set forth, with some odd variants. + +The colourants described under Glazes are also used for painting. Very +finely ground and prepared, they are mixed with a flux or other vehicle +and applied in various ways under or over the glaze. Simple colours can be +made from the metallic oxides. They should be finely ground in a mortar +well mixed with a little of the glaze with which they are to be used. This +will do for the simplest work. For more subtle colours rather involved +processes are necessary. The range of manufactured colours, both over- and +under-glaze, is wide enough to suit all tastes, and when working on a +small scale are infinitely to be preferred on the score of economy and +dependability. + +A method of painting entirely suited to beginners is as follows: A simple +_palette_ is prepared with the colours ground upon a slab of glass. The +medium employed is a solution of gum arabic and water, the colours being +applied directly to the green shape with a brush. The difficulty of firing +glaze on the raw clay deters any attempt at high finish, and the +absorbent ground develops a desirable freedom and directness of touch. +When painted, the pot is dipped or poured in a transparent glaze and +fired. The gum prevents the colour shifting during the immersion, but does +not prevent the glaze adhering. This method can be satisfactorily employed +on biscuit. More finish can be obtained and a richer glaze used without +risk. Much skill and practice will be required to produce good stuff, as +each touch, although not apparent before, will stand out distinctly and +often disagreeably after the fire. The gum must be used sparingly; any +excess will cause peeling and prevent the adhesion of the glaze. + +For a still higher finish the biscuit is sized with a solution of gum +tragacanth. This is smoothly applied until the pot is non-absorbent. The +design, if elaborate, should be drawn upon the pot with a fine graphite +pencil or, better still, India ink and brush. A common pencil is likely to +show after firing, but the ink disappears entirely. The colours are then +well ground and laid in with fat oil of turpentine or lavender oil. + +To prepare the first oil, half fill a cup with pure turps, stand it in a +saucer, and spill a little over the sides of the cup. After standing a +little the fat oil is deposited in the saucer and the clear turps left in +the cup. Long, flexible brushes holding plenty of colour are used and the +fat oil thinned if necessary with clear turps. The colour should flow +easily from the brush, being neither _tacky_ nor too fluid, and constant +retouching is to be avoided. Keep all free from dust. Heavy, +greasy-looking masses should be scraped off and repainted, otherwise they +will flake off. + +When the painting is finished, the colour is _hardened on_; that is, the +gum and medium are fired off in the kiln, a dull-red heat being +sufficient. This does anything but harden on, however, and the pot must be +handled very carefully or the colour will rub off. The glaze should now be +gently sprayed on, and then the final fire is given. + +Another way is to apply a very thin spray of glaze before hardening on, +just sufficient to fix the colour. The pot may then be dipped or poured +without risk. In each case the oily medium must be quite dry before the +hardening on takes place. After the glost fire the decoration is fixed and +unalterable. Where possible, a hard transparent glaze is best for fine +work. A soft glaze will always run if slightly over-fired, and the result +is the obliteration of all brushwork. + +Over-glaze decoration is applied in a very similar manner. Turpentine, fat +oil, and lavender oil are used: the turps to run the colour, the fat oil +to stiffen, and the oil of lavender to retard the drying. The colour must +be applied evenly and thinly, thick patches being likely to peel or crack. +On hard glazes this process lends itself to elaborate effects. The hard +and fast colours, the blues and greens, may be fired first, the delicate +pinks and greys last. The whole effect may then be enriched with +low-firing lustres. These, when bought in bottles, are ready to use and +are applied directly with a fine brush, then fired at a dull-red heat. The +pot should then be quite finished; quite frequently it is. + +_Pate sur pate_ or painting in relief colours is another process that has +many attractive features. The colours have a clay carrier and are applied +with a gum medium. Painted boldly with a certain amount of relief, this +gives a rich enamel effect very suitable to simple figure decoration. + +The full equipment of the painter will be as follows: + + Colours, under- or over-glaze. + Brushes, tracers, and shaders. + A stick frame for holding the vase. + Turpentine and lavender oil. + A slab of ground glass. + A muller for grinding. + India ink and a colour slab. + A palette knife of horn for very delicate colours. + Some soft rags. + +Before risking decent shapes in the fire, trials,--on biscuit for +under-glaze, on glaze for over-glaze,--should be made repeatedly. +Graduated strips and stripes tartan fashion are the most useful and easily +tabulated. To lay perfectly flat grounds some skill and practice are +necessary. One method is to paint in the ornament or rather the space it +will cover with thick molasses or black treacle. This is allowed to harden +and the background colour applied with a soft dabber. It must be ground +fine with fat oil and applied very evenly. Then the tile or vase is soaked +in water, which causes the treacle to peel off. The oil is allowed to dry +and the piece fired. This fixes the background, and the decoration itself +is next applied. + +Pierced work if skilfully done is most attractive. The pattern may be +incised on the "original," which is moulded, the design then showing in +relief. This again shows as a slightly engraved pattern on each cast form +or shape. Then with the aid of a fine-pointed knife or plaster tool the +pattern is cut out and the edges are softened to take away any metallic +look. The Chinese and Persians are said to have used rice seeds in some of +their translucent effects. The seeds were embedded in the moist clay to +form a delicate tracery. When fired, the grains disappeared, leaving holes +which were completely filled with glaze. + +The decorative possibilities of simple incised lines and plain slip +additions have been hinted at already. The slip may be coloured red or +brown with iron and manganese oxides or applied white to a coloured body. +Sharply incised lines may be filled in with colour stiffened by the +addition of a little _hard_ clear glaze or China clay. Patterns may be dug +out or stamped in and filled up with different coloured clays and the +whole glazed with a coloured transparent glaze. Scraffito work is +effective and not difficult. The green pot, tile, or dish is sprayed +evenly with a different coloured slip, usually red on white. The piece +should not be quite dry and the coefficient of expansion between the two +clays as near alike as possible. The decoration is then sketched in and +the background or the ornament itself gently scratched away to show the +ground beneath. It is then fired, glazed, and fired again. All these +processes have their uses and abuses, but they do not lend themselves +readily to elaboration or realism. + +[Illustration: FIG. 56--STATUETTE FOR A THREE-PIECE MOULD.] + + + + + CHAPTER XIV + + FIGURINES + + "But if you carve in the marble what will break with a touch, or + mould in the metal what a stain of rust or verdigris will spoil, + it is your fault not mine." + + --RUSKIN. + + +The making of small figures is an important department of ceramics +scarcely mentioned so far. It is one offering exceptional opportunities to +the advanced craftsman. In this branch of potting, even more than any +other, the possibilities and limitations of the clay and glaze need close +study if best results are to be obtained. The archaic Sung and Tang +figures and the well-known Tanagras are far better guides to the beginner +than the wonderful Dresden porcelain or the _bisque_ groups of Sevres. The +Chinese and Japanese in their glazed figures show remarkable appreciation +and utilization of the plastic and liquid qualities of their medium. +Splendid and sound work, too, has been turned out in recent years in +Germany and Austria, whilst the Copenhagen porcelain is world famous. + +To start with, the simplest decorative figures might be attempted. Many of +the little deities of ancient Egypt offer rich suggestions for two- or +three-piece moulds. Japanese Netsuke and Scandinavian bone carvings are +other stimulating, if more remote, fields. Next, a more ambitious but +still uncomplicated figure could be moulded directly from the clay. As the +difficulties of moulding increase, the original clay may be first fired or +a good plaster cast made. In firing the figure a very slow fire must be +used, and the modelling must be done carefully, as free from holes as may +be, and without an armature. Air holes are apt to blow, and additions of +soft clay to the model when hard are likely to crack off in firing. + +[Illustration: FIG. 57--SIDE VIEW, FIGURINE.] + +With a plaster _original_ some retouching is possible before the final +piece-mould is made. When modelling the head and face, the modifying +effects of the glaze used must be realized, so that such detail as may be +depicted shall have its full value in the finished figure. Too much +realism in draperies with consequent under-cutting is to be avoided, and +the inclination of all but the high-temperature glazes to leave prominent +parts and pool in hollows must be heeded. Sharp edges are always bad, and +projections that are liable to crack in the fire or break at a touch are a +fruitful source of loss, and are, at the best, doubtful craft. It is quite +possible to produce delightful figures glazed with low-firing glazes, and +where a wide range of colour is desired, they are the only glazes +available. But for delicate modelling, where colour is a secondary +consideration and where refinements may be obscured by too much gloss, the +grand feu porcelain or salt glaze are the best and only alternatives. + +But each man to his taste. We will start with a simple _two-piece_ mould +for pressing. Small objects, not necessarily figures, may be modelled in +the round, being designed therefore without under-cut to _pull_ in two +halves. They should be highly finished and then biscuited. The fired +original is then shellacked or oiled and carefully bedded in clay up to +the halfway line. If the figure be first dusted with French chalk, it will +leave the clay without trouble. Little walls being built, the first half +is then cast. When set, the biscuit figure is removed, the sides of the +mould trimmed, the joggles cut, and the figure fitted back. The sides are +carefully clay washed or oiled and the second half of mould cast. When +set, the two halves are gently pried apart and a groove hollowed out all +round the inner edge of the mould. (Figs. 58 and 59.) This groove is for +the reception of any surplus clay that would otherwise squeeze between the +two parts of the mould and prevent their perfect adjustment. To make a +_press_, each half of the mould is carefully filled with clay, well +pressed in. Then they are applied and firmly squeezed together, until the +two halves fit exactly. The press is then removed and trimmed up. + +[Illustration: FIG. 58--FIGURINE FOR TWO-PIECE MOULD WITH BACKPIECE IN +POSITION.] + +The second essay might follow the lines of the statuette here illustrated +for the three-piece mould. A decorative treatment, giving stiff lines and +a simple silhouette, is chosen. The hands are concealed, and the face, the +only flesh showing, clearly cut out by the costume. The section shows the +comparative depth of the folds in the drapery. Three pieces only were used +for the mould, indicated by the illustration. (Fig. 63.) + +In moulding from plaster or biscuit the model must be absolutely +non-absorbent and should be carefully treated with shellac, beeswax +dissolved in turpentine, or parting. Beeswax is best for fine work and +should be applied very thinly and repeatedly. Clay originals need no +preliminary treatment, if the clay is still plastic. + +[Illustration: FIG. 59--SECTION OF TWO-PIECE MOULD FOR PRESSING. SHEWING +GROOVE FOR RECEPTION OF SURPLUS CLAY.] + +The divisions of the mould being decided upon, plastic clay is rolled out +thin, cut into strips, and built round the section, as shown in the +illustrations. (Figs. 60 and 61.) The exposed figure within the clay walls +is then very slightly filmed with olive oil. The plaster is then mixed and +thrown on or poured. The walls should stand out at right angles to the +circumference of the figure or so nearly as the exigencies of the figure +permit. They should be buttressed where needing support, and be deep +enough to give a good thickness to the mould. When the plaster sets, they +may be removed, and when quite hard, the plaster itself detached. This +comes away quite readily from the clay, but is apt to hold on plaster or +biscuit. A little water dropped from a clean sponge onto the cleaving line +will often release the two parts. + +[Illustration: FIG. 60--CLAY WALLS FROM FRONT--Saint George Statuette.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 61--CLAY WALLS BUTTRESSED AT BACK.] + +The model is cleaned up and the sides of the first section trimmed, +slight joggles made where they will not bind, and the edges carefully +shellacked or claywashed. (Fig. 62.) Model and section are then fitted +together and the next section made in a similar manner, except that only +one wall of clay will be built. The second section is treated in the same +way, and for the last piece the clay wall is unnecessary, the plaster +being poured directly in between the two other sections. Where the plaster +has to be sprinkled on, or there is any danger from splashes, the exposed +parts of the model should be protected with soft paper. + +[Illustration: FIG. 62--FIRST PIECE OF MOULD.] + +The last piece being set, the original is removed, the mould assembled, +trimmed, or fettled, tied up, and set to dry. The casting, or pressing if +it be large enough, is proceeded with as before described, the slip being +poured in at the base. When removed from the mould, the open base of the +cast may be closed with a thin slab of clay slip poured on to a plaster +bat and allowed to set for that purpose. When tough, the figure should be +touched up with skill and reticence. Finally, a little hole is made in +the closed base and another as inconspicuously as may be in the back of +the head, to prevent blowing in the fire. + +[Illustration: FIG. 63--SECTION OF A PIECE MOULD & RETAINING CASE WITH +FLAT TOP TO FACILITATE PRESSING.] + +With more complex figures many more pieces will be needed for the mould. +They are made in the same way, but are carefully trimmed and then encased +in an outer frame or jacket of plaster. (Fig. 63.) Large figures should be +pressed; the head first, the different sections of the mould being fitted +into the containing case as the work progresses. More retouching is needed +with pressed figures, but the time spent is well spent, for they possess a +substance, and when retouched with art, a character, that is lacking in +the more fragile cast. + +[Illustration: FIG. 64--SECTION SHEWING DEPTH OF FOLDS IN DRAPERY.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 65--Early Greek Kiln.] + + + + + CHAPTER XV + + KILNS + + "By many long, laborious, and chargeable experiments he hath found + out." + + --Extract from an old potter's patent. + + +What must be the first representation of a kill, or kiln, is found at Beni +Hassan. It appears to be square in form, and the potter is shown feeding +the fire at the base. In the same illustration he is depicted unpacking or +drawing the ware from the top. The cut from the Greek Hydra gives a very +similar kiln, but a vessel in the museum of Berlin shows one with a +beehive shape. + +The kilns left scattered about Europe by the Romans were usually of this +domed kind, circular in plan, with one fire hole. The floor of the kiln +was of pierced slabs, and the flames issuing thence enveloped the ware +piled within and escaped through a vent in the top. The packing and firing +is described in _Ceramic Art in Great Britain_, by L. Jewitt, F.S.A. It +fully explains the trepidation of the old potters, who, before each +firing, were wont to consult the moon and stars and evoke the aid of the +gods. This is happily set forth in Cowper's translation of one of Homer's +epigrams, wherein he expresses the pious hope that if the false potter +"stoops to peep into his furnace, may the fire flash in his face and +scorch it"; a risk often faced by potters, false or true! + +The smothering, or reducing, as then practised, was similar to the +_lustring_ methods used in Italy in the sixteenth century, or in the +manufacture of the _blue_ bricks to-day. The Japanese and Chinese built +small kilns in tiers on the side of a hill. Starting with the lowest, the +waste heat was utilized to warm up the kiln above, thus saving time and +fuel. The Chinese used heavy saggars, and specimens of these with portions +of melted pots still adhering to them attest the enormous heats to which +they frequently attained. + +Modern kilns subdivide roughly into biscuit, glost, and enamel. The first +is used for firing the green or clay shapes, the second for the hard fire +of the glazed ware, and the last-named for fixing on the added decoration. +Sometimes a kiln is used for the double function of biscuiting and +glazing. + +Of modern kilns the one still most widely used approximates to the +bottle-shaped, simple, up-draught kiln. It contains one or two chambers +with hatch for entry, flue or chimney, and anything from three to nine +fire holes. The section of such a kiln is here shown and represents a fair +average up-draught kiln (Fig. 66), variants of which type are working in +most pottery districts to-day. In these kilns the flames rush in at the +fire holes, play on the built-up _bungs_ of saggars, and escape through +the top vent. In a two chamber kiln, as sometimes used for porcelain, the +glaze is put in the lower chamber to receive the hottest fire, the biscuit +in the upper getting a gentle fire. Where the fire enters directly into +the kiln in any large volume, _bags_ or small chimneys are built up inside +the mouths to save the saggars from the worst of the fire. Of late the +single-chamber, down-draught kiln has come into favour, as it is easily +packed and economical of heat. Bags of firebrick protect the saggars from +the roughest fire and direct the flames to the crown of the chamber, from +which point they descend to pass out through flues in the floor of the +kiln. (Fig. 67.) Biscuit ovens are often of this type, either domed or +flat arched. + +[Illustration: FIG. 66--UP-DRAUGHT KILN.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 67--DOWN-DRAUGHT KILN.] + +The most recent innovations are gas and oil kilns. They require +comparatively little manual labour in the firing, are easily regulated, +and the waste heat is frequently used for secondary purposes. Their +freedom from smoke and their economy of labour and money must eventually +render the other types obsolete. + +These large kilns are strongly banded with iron supports designed to +prevent too much loosening of the walls when expanded by the great heat. A +very important point is the draining of their site, as large kilns tend +to attract moisture, and the presence of steam in a kiln is productive of +much damage. + +[Illustration: FIG. 68--ENAMEL OR MUFFLE KILN.] + +Enamel kilns are used for the final processes where the glazed pot is +painted with over-glaze or enamel colours. They are of no great size and +are made of fire-clay slabs or even iron plates when the enamel is soft. +The flames play all round the muffle or fire-clay box during the firing, +but no flame or fume is allowed access to the inside. (Fig. 68.) + +In packing a kiln with biscuit or glaze much care, thought, and expedition +have to be exercised. An experienced setter is essential in a factory if +the pots are to have every chance in the fire, for all kilns vary and have +their hot and _cool_ corners. First, the floor is well bedded with quartz +sand or flint that will not vitrify but will provide a good setting for +the bottom saggars. These saggars are fire-clay _boxes_, round or oval, +rarely square, and without lids, in which the pots are placed. Piled one +above another they form the _bungs_, the bottom of one supplying the top +of that beneath. These bungs are built at intervals that permit the flames +to penetrate between them and give a good even fire all over the chamber. + +In actual practice some parts of a kiln are hotter than others, and it is +here that a good setter shows his capabilities, setting the thin wares in +the softest places and putting the heavier biscuit or hard glaze in the +hottest corners. With biscuit the setting is not difficult except where +delicate or friable ware may need very careful bedding and propping. With +clean saggars the biscuit may touch the sides, and a competent man will +pile an enormous amount of biscuit into a kiln without risk. In the glost +kiln the ware requires gentle handling and must touch nothing but the spur +or support. The saggars are usually given a saggar wash of lead and stone +to prevent them absorbing glaze from the wares, for a glazed pot placed +too near a raw saggar is very likely to come out with a thin or dry patch. + +When the pot is firmly placed on its stilt, a roll of _pugging_ is placed +round the rim of the saggar; this provides a firm bed for the next above +it and also stops the entry of dust and flame. This pugging is made from +clay or marl mixed with ground sherds, sieved gravel, or some non-vitreous +dust to prevent it sticking to the saggars. The plugging is made malleable +with a little water and rolled out by hand or pressed through a die. It +will readily be seen that a carelessly built bung of any height may slip +in the stress of firing, and its fall would most likely involve others, +whilst any slight movement may be sufficient to cause a vase to topple off +its stilt. In a down-draught kiln the bungs over any vent must be raised +on fire tiles to permit the escape of the flames. When all the bungs are +filled up and piled in position, the trials and cones placed, the hatch is +bricked up. Spy holes are left where necessary, and the whole well clammed +to prevent the loss of heat during firing. When fired, the hatch may be +very gradually loosened to accelerate the cooling. + +[Illustration: FIG. 69--DOWN-DRAUGHT KILN.] + +The fireman's job is one of the most arduous and important of all the +prolonged processes of potting. Coming as it does at the end, it may make +or mar kilns of great value, and it requires more than ordinary judgement +and nerve. The chief troubles arise from bad or irregular draught or +impure fuel. They express themselves in the form of clinkered holes, +excessive smoke, and irregularly fired or sulphured ware. The term +_sulphured_ is applied to pots that come out gloomy or dulled and is said +to be equally due to a reducing fire or an oxidizing one. In the former an +insufficiency of air causes excess of carbon in the kiln and the +absorption of oxygen from the glaze. In the latter an excess of air +(oxygen) allows sulphur vapour, if present, to attach itself to the glaze. + +The fire bars, fire holes, and flues must be kept clear and the fuel +carefully selected if these things are to be avoided. The aim, as +previously stated, is a gradually increasing fire, sharper towards the +finish. For this purpose some potters finish off with wood which gives a +long flame free from sulphur and clears the glaze. Even when sulphured, a +clear flame at the finish will remove many ill effects. The baiting should +be fairly heavy at the start, lighter and more frequent towards the +finish, when smoke in any quantity should be avoided. + +For temperature gauges, the cones previously described are used and should +be placed in an average place, screened as much as possible from draught +or flame. Small sight pots and glaze rings placed near the spies can be +hooked out and examined and are valuable aids, but their exposed position +and the corrosive action of the flames must be taken into account. +Pyrometers are also used, but with all these aids the experienced fireman +pays due regard to sight and colour. + +For a craftsman, the kilns that have been described are unsuitable on +account of their size, if they are not altogether beyond his means. But a +kiln of some sort is indispensable to a potter. The craftsman is nothing +if not inventive. Small trials can be fired in crucibles in an open fire +or on a gas ring. I have heard of some preliminary success with a gas +cooker, discounted later by a frontal attack from the cook. Considerable +knowledge can be gained from small, easily constructed, experimental +kilns. + +The small trial kiln shown (Fig. 70) was constructed with a stout old +_crock_, over which was built a core of bricks plastered with marl. The +fire was started at each corner at the bottom, and when well alight, fed +from the top with coke. A small spy at one corner closed with a piece of +biscuit gave some idea of the progress of the firing. This, of course, had +to be practically rebuilt at each firing, but as a makeshift was quite +satisfactory. + +[Illustration: FIG. 70--CROCK WITH IMPROVISED SPY HOLE. CONE INSIDE.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 70A--CROCK BRICKED OVER & PLASTERED WITH MARL.] + +The gas and oil kilns described in Chapter IX are excellent as far as they +go, and indeed the only practicable kind for indoor schools. But their +restricted size soon becomes irksome to a craftsman, whilst the expense of +firing makes only the finest work remunerative. For over-glaze work they +are excellent, but for some reason glazes fired in them seem to lack some +of the richness and maturity the same glazes exhibit when fired in the +slower and more soaking fire of a brick kiln. The dug-out kiln here +depicted (Fig. 71) would be quite suitable for summer schools or for a +craftsman making soft peasant pottery. The section and sketch will +indicate its construction. The materials are hard bricks and stout old +boiler plates, or sheet iron. To pack or unpack, the middle section of the +roof would have to be removed each time, and all glazed pots would need +protection from scalings and gravel from above. The roof will sag at any +big heat, and if of thin iron, will need propping. The firing would be +done with soft coal or wood; a very slow start, with a brisk draught and a +long flame at the finish. + +[Illustration: FIG. 71--"DUG-OUT" KILN OF COMMON RED BRICK.] + +Of course the front will be hotter than the back, but if saggars can be +obtained, the glaze may be placed in them to the front with the biscuit +protected behind. Clay shapes fired up at the front may bend towards the +fire, and any broken crocks should be used to screen them. + +The making of rough saggars is not difficult if a supply of fire clay is +to hand, or clay and grog will serve at a pinch. The clay is rolled out +and the saggar stuck up, much as described on page 32. Every joint must +be carefully welded and the whole thoroughly dried. Then they are fired up +in the kiln, _very_ gently at first, and carried up to a temperature +considerably above that which they will be subjected to when in use. + +[Illustration: FIG. 71A--SECTION OF "DUG-OUT" KILN.] + +For small trial crucibles ordinary clay mixed with pitchers and powdered +coke proves satisfactory; the coke when fired out renders the body porous +and the heat penetrates more swiftly. + +To construct the muffle kiln shown at Fig. 72 the aid of a competent +bricklayer would probably be required. In this kiln glaze and biscuit +would fire up without saggars, but will take rather longer. The plan and +elevation of this particular kiln are given with all reserve. The design +would probably require considerable adjustment and modification before +complete satisfaction was obtained. + +[Illustration: FIG. 72--SECTIONS OF MUFFLE KILN TO SHEW SUPPORTS. FLUES. +ETC.] + +A down-draught kiln, although more difficult to construct than an +up-draught, is more economical in the end and does its work more evenly. +For the benefit of those that may like to build a small and moderately +cheap kiln drawings are here given. This kiln was built by me when I had +very little practical experience of kilns other than gas, but it served +its purpose well. It was not banded, but this is essential if the kiln is +to stand hard and frequent fire. Firebricks were used for the fireholes, +flues, floor, core, and dome; strong stock bricks for the rest. The glazed +ware, which was fired harder than the biscuit, was saggared in bungs as +usual up to about five feet; the biscuit piled on top and protected by old +saggars and cracked pots from the roughest fire. There were no bags in +this kiln, but the saggars used were very strong and had stood a much +greater heat than that to which they were subjected in this kiln, so that +they showed very little wear or tear after twenty firings. The stack of +sixteen feet gave a good sharp draught, increased if necessary by the +addition of an iron chimney and regulated by an iron damper. A wind screen +or _hovel_ is advisable for rough nights, and some sort of roof is +necessary to protect the crown from the weather. It is important to have +the arch of the hatch very strongly built, as it has to stand a lot of +strain, and an iron support too near the fire soon corrodes and needs +replacing. Another essential is that the site be as dry as possible and +the foundation made solid with concrete; otherwise even a small kiln is +liable to settle and crack. With a little extra expense a kiln of this +kind could be banded round the impost and fireholes, thus considerably +prolonging its life. + +[Illustration: FIG. 72A--PLAN SHEWING ARRANGEMENT OF FIRE TILES FORMING +MUFFLE.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 72B--MUFFLE KILN BUILT OF FIRE TILES, FIRE BRICKS, +AND COMMON REDS.] + +[Illustration: FIG. 73--POKER. SLICE. TONGS.] + +In firing this kiln about half a ton of coke and three quarters of a ton +of good hard coal, giving a long flame, was used. Coke for the slow fire +was first started on the bottom and maintained for sixteen or eighteen +hours, lifted up on to the bars for another six or eight hours, when the +saggars would begin to show signs of colour. The coal fire was then +started about the 24th or 25th hour and continued another 18 hours, more +or less, according to the varying conditions, making in all some 40 or 45 +hours. This gave a very evenly graduated heat from cone 1 at the base to +cone .03 at the top. Bags were tried experimentally, but whilst giving a +more uniform heat, took much longer to fire up. At the finish of the +firing the fireholes were bricked up, the damper closed when the fires +died down. In about 24 hours the vent and the hatch were eased a little +at the top, and in 48 hours it was pulled down and the drawing commenced. +Packed with the hard glazes at the bottom and the soft at the top this +kiln answered excellently for the purposes for which it was required. + +[Illustration: FIG. 74--SAGGAR WITH A POT INSIDE.] + + + + + CHAPTER XVI + + THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE OF POTTERY + + "The principal point in Education is that one's knowledge of the + World begins at the right End." + + --SCHOPENHAUER. + + +The study of the fictile art of the potter, even from the theoretical side +alone, cannot fail to quicken and broaden education. The antiquity of the +craft, stimulating research amongst the records of ancient civilizations, +brings to light customs and habits bearing very closely upon the earliest +struggles of man to emancipate himself from mere brute surroundings. The +primitive decorations rudely scratched on clay vessels antedate and +forecast the hieroglyphic and sign languages of all nations. + +It would be but hyperbole to claim that without clay the Mosaic tablets +would have remained unwritten, but indubitably the clay cylinders of +Assyria gave a strong impulse to the development of ciphering and writing +and the spread of learning,--an impetus not to be derived from the +obstinate granite medium so generally employed by the Egyptians. + +It is this amenable ductile quality, so easily receptive of the most +emotional touch, that has made and still makes clay such an admirable +medium of expression for the young,--whether young in the history of the +world or young in actual years. And this malleability is accompanied by a +tenacity that permits slow building up, remodelling, and high finish, +suitable to work of the most painstaking character. To this is added the +fixed, unalterable quality imparted by fire, so that pottery more than any +other craft preserves an imperishable record of the ages. + +This positive chronicle is valuable alike to the savant or the student. +Indeed the most trivial child's toys of the Hellenes, the quaint water +pots of the Peruvian peasant, or the unassuming tea bowl of the esoteric +followers of Riku may chance to convey to the sincere student a clearer +idea of the habits and thoughts of their producers than many a pedantic +treatise or translation. + + "So lively shines + In them Divine resemblance and such grace + The hand that made them on their shape hath poured." + + --MILTON. + +Coming down to points in close contact with the curricula of schools, we +all subscribe to the dictum of Ruskin that "Everyone, from the King's son +downwards, should learn to do something finely and thoroughly with his +hands." What then more suitable than sympathetic clay wherein to fashion +the first fancies of the child mind. It is a medium at once attractive and +easy to mould, giving a tangibility and reality to forms and things that +can never be obtained by drawing or painting. Then the limitless uses to +which clay is put, and, with the development of hygiene, increasingly will +be put, have the closest bearing upon the everyday life of the child. They +are intimately connected with other studies that cannot fail to be +rendered more attractive by working in clay. + +But clay work is a branch now so universal that it seems unnecessary to +dwell upon its advantages to the kindergartener. + +The valuable remedial effects of clay work upon the defective are perhaps +less widely known. The manipulation induces a most beneficial +concentration and provides a fine discipline without a trace of inimical +restraint. Turning to higher grades, the use of clays should foster an +interest in the formation, composition, and disintegration of rocks, and +in the properties of the products so engendered; in short, a liking for +geology. + +With the making of simple glazes and colours will awaken an intelligent +curiosity concerning the nature of minerals and metals, their actions and +reactions in the fire; a lively sympathy only awaiting a touch to turn it +into a love for chemistry and physics. Then as power and ambition and +craftsmanship develop, there must needs be a study of the history of +ornament. This impinges too closely upon history and geography to fail to +increase the student's attraction towards these more remote but allied +fields. + +Finally, is it not in the realm of aesthetics that there looms the ultimate +reward? The proper pursuit of pottery must eventually lead us "towards +that idealization of daily life ... and the road that connects the love of +the beautiful with the love of the good is short and smooth" (President +Eliot). In the hurried curricula of to-day art plays a rather sorry part. +Little time indeed is left for contemplation, for the realization of all +that beauty and harmony in our surroundings may mean to us in our everyday +work. + +The making of a bowl, with the concentration required to shape it in a +manner at once beautiful and serviceable, must quicken the perception of +beauty and sharpen the quality of judgement, not only for things fictile, +but in far wider fields. Thus the things of everyday contact--the +tableware, the chairs, the doors, the windows, pictures, ornaments, +hangings, and fittings--will all come in for intelligent scrutiny and +criticism. This in turn will be carried on and over into matters civic. +This must result in a careful estimation, selection, and appreciation of +our surroundings, bringing them into harmony with our cultivated thoughts +and so enabling us to get through the day's work with the least amount of +useless friction and with the greatest possible measure of enjoyment, +well-being, and well-doing. + +[Illustration: PLAN OF A SMALL POTTERY.] + + + + + APPENDIX I + + + THE EQUIPMENT + +The divinity that presides over potting is an expensive as well as an +exacting mistress. The equipment of even a small pottery is, +unfortunately, a matter of considerable expense. Try it from whatever +angle we may there is the cost of the kiln to be faced, besides a host of +other small but cumulative expenses. The first essential is, of course, a +roomy workshop with if possible a top as well as a side light. If the +craftsman means business, he should remember that the initial cost of a +kiln is often in inverse ratio to its upkeep. If he would aspire to big +things, full-bellied pots, plaques, reliefs, and figures,--and every +craftsman would,--a brick kiln will be wanted. One holding a dozen saggars +could be built, but where some experience has been obtained with materials +and processes, a larger one would be more economical. With oil or gas +kilns of the ordinary school size the cost of firing and the extra time is +proportionately too great to permit of any but comparatively high-priced +pots being turned out. This may serve in some cases, but usually it is not +practical potting where a livelihood has to be obtained. Where only the +painting is to be fired on, an oil or gas kiln is exactly what is wanted. + +In this appendix is given a plan of a workshop that has all the equipment +necessary for the whole-hearted pursuit of the craft. In such an one a +good craftsman, capable of modelling and painting decently a figure or a +panel, a good thrower, and a handy boy could work wonders. They would be +capable of turning out a surprisingly wide range of "pots": jugs, mugs, +pots, bottles, bowls, buttons, dishes, plaques, panels, vases, tiles, and +statuettes,--useful and beautiful things. Anything in fact worth doing can +be done except fine tableware or those articles that by their nature +demand more mechanical accuracy than is possible, or even desirable, for a +craftsman to exhibit. Where much plaster turning for moulds was attempted, +a lathe would be required; ordinarily the hiring of one should be +practicable and expedient. Where only built or cast shapes were attempted, +the wheel and its long years of drill might be dispensed with, and it is +possible, with strong individual work of high finish and fine quality and +the consequently restricted output, that an oil or gas kiln would give +economically practicable results. Between the kiln for firing decoration +simply painted on the ready-made shape to the full equipment here +described will be found several modifications, but to try the craft +without a kiln of some sort is an imbecile proceeding. + + Small brick kiln supplied with saggars. + Small muffle kiln--oil or gas--for over-glaze and lustres. + Small enameller's kiln for firing quick trials. + Kick wheel, and tools for throwing. + Clay bin, zinc-lined. + Damp-box. + Drying cupboard. + Plaster bin. + Pot boards and brackets. + Table, strong and heavy. + Clay: white, red, buff. + Plaster. + Glaze materials. + Oxides, lustres. + Under- and over-glaze colours. + Modelling tools, callipers. + Painter's outfit. + Brushes, straight-edges. + Shellac, beeswax, French chalk. + Gum arabic and tragacanth. + Glaze tubs, teak. + Sieves, glaze and slip, Nos. 80, 100, 120. + Buckets. + Bowls, enamelled and earthenware. + Small porcelain ball mill, hand or power. + Spray and pump (respirator). + Small outfit for carpentry. + Files, sheet iron, and zinc, wire and cutters, cords, sandpaper. + Benches and shelves ad lib., odd cupboards, chairs, etc., + Shovels and slicer for firing, tongs for trials. + Two large tubs and rubber tubing. + Sand and flint. + Spurs, props, fire tiles. + Tile boxes. + Disc (emery) for grinding. + Small pestle and mortar. + Jugs and funnel. + Potter's knife, sponges. + Whirler. + Turning tools and lathe. + Temperature indicators. + Oil can, oil, waste. + Callipers and compass, rulers. + +Most of this equipment has been previously described and needs no further +comment. + +The pot boards and brackets are simple but indispensable devices. The +boards are about six feet long, iron shod or cross battened to prevent +warping, and six or nine inches in width. The brackets of any serviceable +kind are fixed to the wall at convenient distances. When throwing, +turning, or glazing, the pots are stood on one of these boards to dry, and +each board as filled is slipped onto the brackets. Thus the pots may be +carried about to the kiln, drying cupboard, or glaze tubs without loss of +time or frequent handling. + +The table must be stout enough to withstand the heavy work of wedging and +should have a top of hard wood. Teak or hard-wood glaze tubs have the +advantage of not breaking either themselves or pots accidentally knocked +against them. Further, some glazes stick badly to porcelain or enamel +tubs. + + + EQUIPMENT FOR A SMALL POTTERY + +In the small pottery plotted here, the equipment and arrangement were as +follows: + + An anthracite stove with the pipe running into the large room + warmed the workshop in winter, but no wet or half-dry pots were + left where the frost could get at them. + + The glaze materials, oxides, colours, painting paraphernalia, + finished pots, trials, and trial kiln were in the small room. + The wheel had a good top and side light. + + The drying cupboard, plaster bin, and moulds were at the end + nearest the stove; the clay bin, damp-box, and sink farthest + away. + + All the walls were copiously supplied with brackets and shelves + and handy benches. + + Outside, in a well-built lean-to, was the muffle kiln for onglaze + and lustre decoration. + + This was well bracketed and shelved for the biscuit, and here was + done the glazing, handy for packing in the brick kiln just + outside. This was protected from the weather and other lean-to's + held the saggars, coke, and coal. + + + EQUIPMENT FOR SCHOOLS + +The teacher with ample funds and a free hand will find the previous +chapter all-sufficient, but in many cases the purchase of a kiln will +nearly exhaust the allowance and the rest of the equipment becomes +sketchy. + +The indispensable appliances are as follows: + + A kiln, with fire tiles or shelves, props, spurs, and stilts, + etc., for packing. A good clay bin and sieve for slip (No. 80) + with a tub and two pails. + + Scales and weights, pestle and mortar and glaze lawn (No. 100), + shot for weights. + + Plaster, for drying bats and working discs. + + Large drip pan and three round pans. + + Several jugs and bowls. + + Spoons (wooden), knives, and big brushes. + + Oil, gum, boards, strips, rolling pin. + + Hammer, saw, iron straight-edge, sponges. + + Glass slab and muller, palette knife and brushes for painting. + + An atomizer or spray pump. + + Glaze materials: + + Kaolin, China stone, flint, silver sand, whiting, felspar, borax. + A supply of ground pitchers and grog, cones. + + Metallic oxides: + + Tin, white, oxide of, iron, copper, manganese, cobalt, etc. + + Under-glaze colours to taste. + + Glass jars with lids to contain materials. Gummed labels, India + ink. + +For a school in the country or where ground is available, a kiln like the +one shown at p. 164 should be practicable. It costs very little to build +or to fire. Next comes the question of the clay. This is one of the most +abundant of nature's materials, and almost any river bank or creek will +supply clay of some kind. Any sort of clay near to hand should be +thoroughly tested before going to other or distant sources. + +The clay should be dried, then broken up with a hammer, and mixed with +water, and the resultant "slurry" passed through a sieve (No. 80). The +slip is allowed to settle and the water siphoned off. The thick slip is +then dried on the plaster bats until stiff enough to work up between the +hands. From this clay a tile, a plate, and a vase should be made and +fired. If the pieces stand a fire of about 1100 deg. (cone .03) without +buckling, splitting, or crumbling, the clay should do quite well for +school work. Possibly when screened fine enough for working, the clay may +be too rich or _long_ and will split at a moderate fire. Then the +screenings might be pounded in the mortar, passed through the sieve, and +added to the slip. Again, ground pitchers, fine grog, kaolin, or calcined +flint could be tried as stiffening agents. In the unlikely event of the +clay being too refractory or _short_, a portion of rich, fusible, or _fat_ +clay might be added, or the addition of powdered spar tested. (See chapter +on Clays.) The colour of the body will hardly matter for schools; indeed +a brown, red, or cane-coloured clay will give better results than a +staring white paste, when working out simple school problems. + +Where necessary, tin glaze could be used for a white ground, or an engobe; +that is, a dip of white clay slip over the coloured body. For glazing, a +leadless glaze is strongly to be advised. Lead is often indispensable to +the craftsman, and with care need not become a danger; but in schools a +lead glaze is positively harmful. + +A glaze with a borax base, if ground dry and mixed with water and +re-ground before sieving, will give little trouble if used immediately. It +will answer for all grade work and may be used for spraying, dipping, +pouring, or painting, with absolute safety. + +The ground pitchers and grog may be obtained by pounding up broken biscuit +and pieces of fire tile, respectively. This, and the glaze grinding, is, +of course, laborious work, and suggests correlation with the Physical +Education Department. The drip pan and the round tins make excellent +moulds for casting drying bats and working bats. + +For casting purposes plates and shallow bowls may be moulded in one piece +as described, p. 26. If no lathe be handy, glazed vases may be used as +substitutes, the "waste" being added in plasticine to the neck and base. + +For tile-making, strips nailed on a stout board will serve in place of +tile boxes. The clay is rolled out on cheesecloth with a rolling pin. +Various other expedients for drying cupboards, damp-box, etc., will +suggest themselves as the course develops. + +The above equipment need not be very costly. With it the students should +be capable of producing all kinds of tiles, built, pressed, and cast +shapes, decorated in relief, with inlays or in colours or glaze. + + + SIMPLE RAW GLAZES. COLOURLESS + + =================================================================== + NO. |MATERIALS |PARTS| SIEVE NO.|CONE| METHOD OF USING + ------+---------------+-----+----------+----+---------------------- + I |Lead oxide, red| 50 |100. Mesh |.03 |Applied evenly + Glossy|China stone | 30 | | |with a brush to + |Flint | 10 | | |the _green_ + | | | | |shapes. Fired very + | | | | |slowly. Earthenware + | | | | |body. + | | | | | + II |Borax | 70 | 80. Mesh | 2 |Green shapes + Glossy|China clay | 10 | | |dipped thick + |Felspar | 75 | | |and slowly fired. + |Flint | 20 | | |Stoneware body. + |Whiting | 25 | | | + | | | | | + III |Borax |360 |100. Mesh |.03 |Ground dry for + Glossy|Silver sand |160 | | |1/2 hour Wet for + |China clay |120 | | |1-1/2 Used when + |Whiting | 20 | | |fresh on biscuit + |Flint | 10 | | |(earthenware + | | | | |body) for under-glaze + | | | | |painting. + | | | | | + IV |Lead carbonate |130 | 80. Mesh |.04 |Used with metallic + Glossy|Calcined kaolin|150 | | |oxides for + |Flint | 50 | | |simple colours on + |Felspar | 50 | | |earthenware + |Whiting | 10 | | |body; both green + |Zinc oxide | 10 | | |and biscuit. + | | | | | + V |Lead carbonate |375 |120. Mesh |.04 |Used thick on + Matt |Kaolin |210 | | |hard white + |Felspar |175 | | |earthenware (CC) + |Flint |120 | | |body. + |Whiting |105 | | | + |Zinc | 25 | | | + VI |Lead carbonate |120 |100. Mesh |.02 |Used thick on + Matt |China clay | 50 | | |stoneware body. + |Felspar | 80 | | |Coloured with 3 + |Flint | 15 | | |to 7 per cent of + |Whiting | 45 | | |glaze stains or + | | | | |U. G. colours. + | | | | | + | | | | |The proportion + | | | | |of lead and whiting + | | | | |may be varied + | | | | |as found + | | | | |expedient. + | | | | | + VII |Borax | 70 | | | + Enamel|Lead carbonate |300 | | | + |China clay | 50 |80. Mesh |.07-| Used with various + |Felspar |120 | |.05 | combinations + |Lynn sand | 50 | | | oxide, and iron + |Tin | 40 | | | oxide and copper + | | | | | carbonate, giving + | | | | | wide range of + | | | | | blues and greens. + | | | | | On stoneware + | | | | | body. + +All the above colourless glaze masses may be coloured with combinations of +the various metallic oxides, or from 3 to 7 or even 10 per cent of glaze +stains or under-glaze colours. + + + + + APPENDIX II + + + GLOSSARY + + =Alumina, or Oxide of Aluminium=, is one of the most abundant of + earths. Combined with silica it is the chief constituent of + kaolins and China clays. It imparts refractory qualities to + clays and is an indispensable ingredient of pure glazes. Pure + alumina or calcined Aluminium is a chemical product. + + =Ammonia.=--A volatile gaseous matter, found in some clays. + Alkaline in action. + + =Antimony.=--A silver-white metallic element, used with other + oxides as a colourant or to give opacity in glazes. + + =Arsenic.=--A non-metallic volatile element, used in glaze making. + + =Barytes.=--A heavy spar used with clays to introduce density and + vitrescence. + + =Bauxite.=--A very aluminous earth, used in preparation of pure + alumina and to render clays refractory. + + =Boracic Acid.=--The natural and, usually, impure product (boric + acid being free from chemicals). + + =Borax.=--The combined chemical product of soda and boracic acid. + Used as a strong flux in glazes. + + =Calcined Bones.=--The residuum of burned bones, used to stiffen + artificial porcelain. + + =Calcined Kaolin.=--Kaolin after it has been subjected to heat to + drive off the water combined with it. + + =Calcium Carbonate (Whiting).=--Found as a white rock, and ground + to pure powder. Used with clays for soft bodies. Gives + durability to glazes. + + =Calcium Oxide (Lime).=--A widely distributed earthy matter. + Imparts fusibility to clays, in nearly all of which it is + present in varying proportions. + + =Chrome, Oxide of.=--Used in making greens, browns, and blacks. + Stands a high fire. + + CLAYS: + + =Ball Clay.=--Blue and black. Very plastic clays. Used with + non-plastic materials, such as flint, stone, felspar, or + whiting, to form fine earthenwares. + + =Cane and Red Clays.=--Clays coloured by the presence of ferric + oxide, and used extensively for bricks, terra-cotta tiles, and + common pottery. + + =China Clay.=--A yellowish-white, non-vitreous clay, product of + the decomposition of granitic or felspathic rocks. Cornish China + clay is exceptionally white, pure, and plastic. It is widely + used with China, or Cornwall stone and calcined bones, to make + bone porcelain. Felspar is added to render it vitreous. Mixed + with ball clays, pipe clays, flint, and stone, it makes the + various classes of earthen and stone wares. + + =Pipe Clay.=--A very white, smooth clay. Less plastic than ball + clays. Much used for making slips, engobes, and enamels. + + =Saggar Clays or Fire Clays.=--Coarse refractory clays + strengthened by the addition of grog, used for saggars, fire + tiles, and bricks. + + =Cobalt Oxide.=--The oxide of the steel-grey hard metal. Extremely + valuable in pottery, making all shades of blue for under-glaze + printing or staining. With iron or copper gives blue-greens. + + =Copper, Oxides of, and Carbonate.=--Red, green, and black oxides + of copper have been of the utmost value to potters. They are + used to produce green, blue, turquoise, red, and crimson. Its + extraordinary changes in reducing or oxidizing fires are of the + greatest interest to the experimenter. + + =Cornish or China Stone.=--A rock composed of felspar and quartz. + Its vitrification (about 1400 deg. C.) imparts hardness and density + to China clays. It is a valuable constituent of glazes. First + known as "moorstone" or "growan." + + =Earthy Colourants.=--Rarely used in modern commercial pottery, + except for salt-glazed jars, crocks, and peasant pottery. + + =Felspar.=--A fusible rock found almost pure or in combination + with potash and soda, the greater the percentage of alkalies the + more fusible being the spar. It is used to replace more + refractory materials in clay and to stiffen glazes. + + =Flint.=--A pure silica with slight traces of calcium. Found in + pebble form on seashores. Calcined and ground to a white powder, + it is widely used to impart whiteness and strength to clays. + Invaluable for bedding and packing in kilns. Used with the + fluxes,--lead, borax, potash, and soda,--to make glazes and + glass. + + =Fluorspar.=--A combination of fluorine and calcium, more fusible + than felspar, and of a white colour, felspar being pink. + + =Galena.=--Lead sulphide, a highly poisonous material used on + "peasant" pottery, giving a soft, yellowish, transparent glaze. + + =Gold.=--Used in solution for delicate purples and lustres. + + =Gypsum.=--When calcined gypsum becomes plaster of Paris, these + two materials, together with the allied marble, limestone, and + alabaster, are widely used in pastes (such as Parian), slips, + engobes, and variously to impart fusibility or colour properties + to glazes. + + =Iron, Oxides of.=--Have a wide range of colour, from yellow to + purple. They are used to stain glazes and colour bodies. They + impart fusibility to clays and are carefully excluded from fine + white bodies. + + =Kaolin.=--A fine, white, very pure, and infusible China clay, + almost pure alumina and silica. Chiefly used in the manufacture + of porcelain and fine earthenware. + + =Lead (Oxides and Carbonates of). White Lead, Red Lead, + Litharge.=--Are very widely used as a safe and cheap flux. + Poisonous. It cannot be used in those glazes that have to stand + a high fire. + + =Lime.= (_See_ =Calcium=.) + + =Lynn Sand.= (_See_ =Quartz Sand=.) + + =Magnesia.=--A white metallic element present in small quantities + in most clays. + + =Manganese.=--The black and brown oxides of this hard metal are + much used to stain slips and bodies, and to colour glazes brown + or purple. + + =Marls.=--Amorphous deposits of lime, sand, and clay, very coarse + in texture. Used in making saggars, drain pipes, and similar + appliances. + + =Nickel.=--A hard metallic element, the oxides of which are found + useful in preparing blacks, greys, and greens. + + =Nitre or Potassium Nitrate, or Saltpetre.=--A vitreous and + aqueous compound, used in some glazes. + + =Plaster of Paris.= (_See_ =Gypsum=.) + + =Potash.=--Potassium carbonate or the leached ashes of plants. + Used from earliest times as a powerful alkaline flux. + + =Potash, Bichromate of.=--Used for pinks and crystalline effects. + Poisonous. + + =Quartz or Quartz Sand.=--Like Lynn or silver sand. This mineral + is pure silica and free from lime, although the sands may + contain some small percentage of iron. Used much like flint for + bedding or with alkaline fluxes for the finest glazes. + + =Rutile. Oxide of Titanium.=--Used variously to impart a yellow + tinge to porcelain, and colour and irregularity to some glazes. + + =Salt.=--Sodium chloride. Sometimes used in glazes, but best known + in connection with salt glazing. It vaporizes at about 1200 deg. C., + forming a silicate or hard, thin skin of glaze over the clay. + + =Silica.=--A hard, colourless crystalline element; found pure, as + in quartz, or in combination with alumina and alkalies, as in + all clays. Present in all glazes. + + =Soda. Sodium Carbonate.=--Product of the decomposition of salts + with acids. It is a strong alkaline flux and much used in glaze + and glass-making. + + =Silver Sand.= (_See_ =Quartz=.) + + =Tin, Oxide of.=--Used from the earliest times to impart opacity + to glazes. + + =Tincal.= (_See_ =Borax=.) + + =Titanium.= (_See_ =Rutile=.) + + =Whitening.= (_See_ =Lime=.) + + =Zinc, Oxide of.=--A white metallic oxide; used to brighten and + stabilize glazes and colours. + + + POTTER'S TERMS + + =Bags.=--Chimneys or walls of fire bricks built to protect the + ware from flame. + + =Baitings.=--The feed of fuel during firing. + + =Bat.=--Any flat slab of plaster, biscuit, or fire clay. + + =Biscuit.=--The fired but unglazed clay. + + =Blowing.=--The shattering of the clay shape when biscuiting. + Usually due to hurried firing or the sudden access of heat, and + the consequent generation of steam. + + =Blunger.=--A machine for mixing clay. + + =Bungs.=--Piles of filled saggars. + + =Chuck or Chum.=--The cone or cap used to support shapes during + turning on the lathe. + + =Clamming.=--The wet marl, sand, or siftings applied to cracks in + the hatches or doors of kilns to retain the heat during firing. + + =Craze.=--The minute cracks that appear in a badly fitting glaze. + When arrived at by design, as in some Chinese work, it is termed + a crackle, but there is then no fissure. + + =Drawing.=--Unpacking the kiln after firing. + + =Engobe.=--A dip or outer covering of slip; usually applied to + inferior bodies to improve their appearance. + + =Fat.=--Clays that are sticky or greasy are sometimes termed fat + by potters. + + =Fettle.=--To touch up, and remove traces of seams, cast lines, + etc. + + =Fluxes.=--Those materials which by their addition to paste or + glaze render them fusible, although they may not always be + fusible themselves. + + =Glost.=--The glazed ware, usually applied to the glaze in firing, + as glost-oven. + + =Green.=--The clay shapes before biscuiting. + + =Jigger.=--The wheel on which shapes are moulded with the aid of a + jolley or profile. + + =Joggle.=--The natch or key in a mould to insure correct + adjustment and prevent slipping. + + =Lawn.=--The fine mesh gauze through which glazes are strained. + + =Long.=--A clay is termed long if very ductile and tenacious. + + =Muffle.=--Usually the fire-clay box or interior of a small kiln, + but applied to any kiln to the inside of which the flames have + no access. + + =Natch.= (_See_ =Joggle=.) + + =Oxidizing.=--The ordinary method of firing gives an atmosphere in + which there is always sufficient oxygen to consume all the + carbon or combustible gases. If oxygen is present in excess, it + causes reactions known as oxidizing. + + =Pitchers.=--Finely ground biscuit. Added to some clays to + increase refractories or porosity. Moulds made in such clays and + fired are termed pitcher moulds. + + =Potsherds.=--Any broken biscuit or pot, sometimes used for + pitchers. + + =Potting.=--A colloquialism used to designate the ceramic + industry. + + =Pugging.=--The roll of infusible clay placed between each saggar + when building bungs. + + =Reducing.=--The reaction that accompanies the introduction of + smoke or gas containing carbon in a very finely divided state + into a kiln during the process of firing glaze. Reduction is now + widely employed in obtaining fine lustre effects. + + =Refractory.=--Hard, infusible. + + =Rich.=--Used of clays that are long and fusible, such as red + clays. + + =Riffle.=--A grooved and toothed plaster tool of steel. + + =Saggars.=--Or seggers. The fire-clay receptacles in which the + glazed ware is set during the firing. + + =Setters.=--Supports used when packing friable biscuit. + + =Short.=--A word used to denote a clay that crumbles or is + difficult to pull up on the wheel. + + =Sieve.=--Sometimes called a lawn, more correctly a screen for + clay or slip. + + =Slip.=--The sieved clay or paste in creamy liquid condition as + used for slip decoration, engobes, or casting. + + =Slub or Slurry.=--Clay mixed with water but not sieved, as with + slip. + + =Spy.=--The small hole, kept plugged, through which tests and + cones are observed. + + =Stunt.=--Or dunt. To crack or split on cooling. + + =Turning.=--The shaving down of the clay shape on a lathe, to + impart lightness and finish. + + =U. G.=--Under-glaze (applied to colours). + + =Vent.=--A hole to aid the even distribution of fire in a kiln or + to accelerate the cooling off. + + =Waster.=--Commercially, a spoiled pot; defective ones are termed + "seconds." + + =Wedging.=--The beating or slamming operation usually employed to + expel air or correct inequalities just before clay is used by + the thrower. + + =Whirler.=--A circular support pivoting on its centre, used in + casting or banding; similar to a banding wheel, but usually + heavier. + + + MATERIALS, TERMS, ETC. + + C = COMBINING WEIGHT + E = EQUIVALENT WEIGHT + ------------------------------------------------+------+-------------- + SYMBOL |C OR E| FUSING POINT + ------------------------------------------------+------+-------------- + Alumina (calcined) Al_{2}O_{3} |C 102}|Very infusible + Alumina (hydrated) Al_{2}O_{3}.3H_{2}O |C 156}| + Aluminium Al |E 27 |627 deg. C. + Ammonia NH_{3} | |Volatile + Antimony Sb |E 120 |432 deg. C. + Antimony oxide SbO | | + Arsenic As |E 75 |500 deg. C. + Barium (metallic Ba |E 137 |Fuses above + element) | | red heat + Barium carbonate BaCO_{3} |C 197 | + Barytes BaSO_{4} |C 233 |Fuses about + | | white heat + Bauxite | | + Bismuth Bi |E 28 | + Borax (crystals) Na_{2}B_{4}O_{7}.10H_{2}O |C 382 |Very fusible + Boric acid (crystals) B_2O_3.3H_2O |C 124 | + Boric acid (dry) B_2O_{3} |C 70 |High fusing + Boron (metallic B |E 11 | point + element) | | + Calcined bones | |Infusible + Calcined kaolin} Al_2O_3 . 2SiO_{2} |C 222 |Very infusible + China clay (fine)} | | slightly + | | vitreous + | | at highest + | | fire + Calcium oxide (lime) CaO |C 56 |Very refractory + | | if alone + | | but fusible + | | with clays + Calcium carbonate CaCO_{3} |C 100 | + China stone} 8SiO_{2}.2Al_{2}O_{3}.K_{2}O| 1379 |1300 deg. C. about + Cornish stone} | | + Chrome oxide Cr_{2}O_{3} |C 79 | + Chromium Ca |E 51 |Above platinum + Cobalt Co |E 59 |1500 deg. C. + Cobalt oxide Co_{2}O_{3} |C 165 | + Cobalt oxide (black) Co_{2}O_{4} |C 240 | + Copper Cu |E 63 |1054 deg.-1084 deg. C. + Copper oxide (black) CuO |C 79.5| + Earthy colourants | | + Ochres | | + Siennas | | + Umbers | | + Felspar 6SiO_{2}.Al_{2}O_{3}.K_{2}O |C 556 |1200 deg.-1300 deg. C. + | | about, + | | according + | | to purity + Flint (calcined) SiO_{2} |C 60 |1830 deg. C. about + Fluorspar CaF_{2} | |Much lower + | | than felspar + Galena (lead sulphide) PbS | |Very fusible + Gold Au |E 147 |1054 deg.-1075 deg. C. + Gypsum (plaster of | | + Paris, if calcined) CaSO_{4}.2H_{2}O |C 172 | + Iron Fe |E 56 |1530 deg.-1600 deg. C. + | | about + Iron oxide Fe_{2}O_{3} |C 160 | + Iridium Ir |E 193 |1950 deg. C. about + Kaolin (see calcined | | + kaolin) Al_{2}O_{3}.2SiO_{2}.2H_{2}O|C 258 |Infusible + Lead (metal) Pb |E 206 |326 deg. C. + Lead carbonate PbCO_{2} | | + Lead, red oxide of Pb_{3}CO_{4} | | + Lime (see calcium oxide | | + or carbonate) CaO | | + Lynn sand (see silver | | + sand) SiO_{2} | | + Magnesia (calcined) MgO |C 40 |430 deg. C. + Magnesia (carbonate) MgO.CO_{2} | | + Manganese, carbonate MnCO_{3} |C 115 | + Manganese (metal) Mn |E 55 |1670 deg. C. about + Manganese oxide (or | | + black) MnO_{2} |C 87 | + Nickel (metal) Ni |E 58 |1427 deg.-1450 deg. C. + Nickel oxide NiO |C 75 | + Nitre KNO_{3} | | + Pearl ash or potash KOH | | + Plaster of Paris | | + (calcined gypsum) CaSO_{4}.1/2H_{2}O |C 145 | + Platinum Pt |E 197 |1710 deg.-1775 deg. C. + Potash, bichromate of K_{2}Cr_{2}O_{7} | |Fuses dull-red + | | heat + Potassium carbonate K_{2}CO_{3} |C 138 | + Potassium oxide K_{2}O |C 94 | + Quartz} SiO_{2} |C 60 |1830 deg. C. about + Quartz sand} | | + Rutile (see titanium) | | + Salt NaCl | |776 deg. C. + Silica SiO_{2} |C 60 | + Silver sand (or quartz | | + sand) SiO_{2} | | + Silver (metal) Ag |E 107 |945 deg.-962 deg. C. + Soda ash (calcined) Na_{2}CO_{3} |C 106 | + Soda crystals Na_{2}CO_{3}.10 H_{2}O |C 286 | + Sodium oxide Na_{2}O |C 62 | + Tincal (see borax) | | + Tin (metal) Sn |E 119 |233 deg. C. + Tin oxide (white) SnO_{2} |C 150 | + Titanium oxide (rutile) TiO_{2} | |Infusible + Uranium (metal) U |E 239 |1800 deg. C. about + Uranium, oxide of U_{3}O_{8} | | + Whitening (see lime | | + carbonate) | | + Zinc (metal) Zn |E 65 |443 deg. C. + Zinc oxide (white) ZnO |C 81 | + ------------------------------------------------+------+-------------- + + + SEGER CONES. (STANDARD CONES. ABOUT 10 deg. HIGHER.) + + NUMBERS. TURNING POINTS. COLOUR, ETC. + + APPROXIMATE + DEGREES OF + COLOUR IN KILN CONE HEAT AT WHICH MATERIALS SUITABLE TO BE + NUMBER CONE TURNS FIRED AT THESE TEMPERATURES + OR BENDS (APPROXIMATE) + + _Centigrade_ + + .022 600 deg. + Commences to .021 650 deg. Soft enamel or over-glaze + show colour .020 670 deg. colours. + .019 690 deg. + .018 710 deg. + Dull red .017 730 deg. Enamels on metals. Fluxes + .016 750 deg. and lustres. + .015 790 deg. + .014 815 deg. + .013 835 deg. Very soft glazes and hard + Red to cherry .012 855 deg. enamel colours. Some + .011 880 deg. lustres. Gilding. + .010 900 deg. + .09 920 deg. + .08 940 deg. + .07 960 deg. + Dull cherry to .06 980 deg. Majolica glazes or coloured + light cherry .05 1000 deg. glazes and stanniferous + .04 1020 deg. or tin glazes. + .03 1040 deg. + .02 1060 deg. Earthenware glazes. Soft + .01 1080 deg. China glazes. + 1 1100 deg. + Dark orange to 2 1120 deg. Soft to hard or fine + pale orange 3 1140 deg. earthenware biscuit. + 4 1160 deg. + 5 1180 deg. Sevres soft bisque. + 6 1200 deg. + 7 1230 deg. Vitreous ware. Granite ware. + Yellowish white 8 1250 deg. Salt glaze. Stoneware. + 9 1280 deg. English bone porcelain or + 10 1300 deg. China biscuit. + White 11 1320 deg. + 12 1350 deg. + Intense white 13 1380 deg. German & Chinese porcelain. + 14 1410 deg. Sevres porcelain. + 15 1430 deg. + Bluish white {16} 1460 deg. + {17} 1480 deg. Copenhagen porcelain. + +To convert temperatures: + +Centigrade into Fahrenheit.--Divide by 5, multiply by 9, and add 32. + +Fahrenheit into Centigrade.--Subtract 32, divide by 9, and multiply by 5. + + + MEASURES, WEIGHTS, ETC. + + APOTHECARIES + + 1 grain = .0648 gramme. + 20 grains = 1 scruple = 1.296 grammes. + 3 scruples = 1 drachm = 3.888 grammes. + 8 drachms = 1 ounce = 31.103 grammes. + + TROY + + 1 grain = .0648 gramme. + 24 grains = 1 pennyweight = 1.555 grammes. + 20 pennyweights = 1 troy ounce = 31.1035 grammes. + + AVOIRDUPOIS + + 16 drams = 1 ounce. + 16 ounces = 1 pound. + 14 pounds = 1 stone. + 28 pounds = 1 quarter. + 112 pounds = 1 hundredweight (cwt.). + 20 hundredweight = 1 ton (2240 lbs.). + + + CAPACITY (WET) + + 1 gill = 1.42 decilitres. + 4 gills = 1 pint = .568 litre. + 2 pints = 1 quart = 1.136 litres. + 4 quarts = 1 gallon = 4.545 litres. + 2 gallons = 1 peck = 9.09 litres. + 4 pecks = 1 bushel. + 8 bushels = 1 quarter. + + + BOOKS OF REFERENCE + + TECHNICAL + Chemistry of Pottery. Langenbeck, Karl. + Chemistry of Pottery. Shaw, Dr. S. + Clays. Occurrences, Properties, and Uses. Ries. + Colouring and Decorating of Ceramic Ware. Brongniart, A. + Ceramic Technology. Binns, C. F. + Notes on the Manufacture of Earthen Ware. Sandeman, E. A. + Notes on Pottery Clays. Fairie, Jas. + Pottery Decoration. Hainbach, R. + + TECHNICAL AND HISTORICAL + Leadless Decorative Tiles. Furnival, W. J. + Faience and Mosaic, and other volumes. Furnival, W. J. + + MANUAL + Pottery. Lunn, Richard. + Grand Feu Ceramics. D'oat, Taxile. + The Potter's Craft. Binns, C. F. + Practical Keramics for Students. Janvier, C. A. + + HISTORICAL AND ARTISTIC + Art of the Old English Potter. Solon, L. V. + Chinese Porcelain. Gulland. + Chinese Porcelain. Monkhouse, Cosmo. + Ceramic Art in Great Britain. Jewitt, L. + History of Pottery and Porcelain. Marryat. + Majolica. Fortnum, C. D. E. + Potters, Their Arts and Crafts. Sparkes and Gandy. + Pottery and Porcelain in the United States (and other volumes). + Barber. + Persian Ceramic Art (and other volumes). Wallis, H. + Illustrated catalogue of the Faience of Persia and Near East. + Burlington Fine Arts Club. + + + APPLIANCES AND MATERIALS, ETC. + + SOLD BY + + BALL MILLS. Wengers, Ltd. Eng. (Hanley, Stoke + on Trent.) + + Abbey Engineering Co. 220 Broadway, + N. Y. City, U. S. A. + + BISCUIT SHAPES. Hirshberg Art Co. Baltimore, Md. + + {CHINA AND BALL. Mandle and Sant. East Liverpool, + Ohio, U. S. A. + + {CHINA AND MODELING. Stewart & Co. N. Y. City, U. S. A. + + CLAYS { Wengers. Hanley, Great Britain. + + {MODELLING AND Western Stoneware Co. Monmouth, + {STONEWARE Ill., U. S. A. + + {SAGGAR AND STONEWARE. W. H. Cutter, Woodbridge, N. J., + U. S. A. + + CONES. Wengers, Ltd. Hanley, Eng. + + Drackenfeld & Co. Murray St., N. Y. + City, U. S. A. + + Professor Ed. Orton. Columbus, Ohio. + + GLAZES. Wengers, Ltd. Hanley, Eng. + + Drackenfeld & Co. Murray St., N. Y. + City, U. S. A. + + Roessler, Haslacher Chemical Co. + William St., N. Y. City, U. S. A. + + KILNS. GAS. Fletcher, Russell. Warrington, Eng. + + KILNS. GAS AND OIL. Bellevue Perfection. Detroit, Mich., + U. S. A. + + KILNS. OIL. Caulkins Revelation. Detroit, Mich., + U. S. A. + + KILNS. TRIAL. Wengers. Hanley, Eng. + + LAWNS AND SIEVES. Drackenfeld & Co. 50 Murray St., + N. Y. City. + + A. Sartorious & Co. Murray St., N. Y. + City. + + Wengers. Hanley Staffs, Eng. + + PLASTER. Wengers. Hanley, Eng. + + Drackenfeld & Co. N. Y. City. + + Calvin Thompkins. Battery Pl., N. Y. + City. + + QUARTZ, FLINT, FELSPAR. Wengers, Ltd. Hanley, Eng. + + Drackenfeld & Co. Murray St., N. Y. + City, U. S. A. + + Golding & Sons. Trenton, N. J., + U. S. A. + + SCALES. Wengers. Hanley Staffs, Eng. + + Hy. Troemner. Philadelphia, Pa., + U. S. A. + + STILTS, ETC. Trenton Stilt & Spur Co. Trenton, + N. J., U. S. A. + + Wengers. Hanley, Eng. + + U. G. COLOURS, ETC. Wengers. Eng. + + Drackenfeld & Co. N. Y. City, U. S. A. + + WHEELS. Crossley Mfg. Co. Trenton, N. J., + U. S. A. + + T. S. Nickerson. Newburyport, Mass., + U. S. A. + + * * * * * + + + TRANSCRIBER'S AMENDMENTS + +Transcriber's Note: Blank pages have been deleted. On pages that remain, +some unnecessary page numbers may have been deleted when they fall in the +middle of lists. Some illustrations may have been moved. When the author's +preference can be determined, we have rendered consistent on a +per-word-pair basis the hyphenation or spacing of such pairs when repeated +in the same grammatical context. The publisher's inadvertent omissions of +important punctuation have been corrected. + +The following list indicates any additional changes. The page number +represents that of the original publication and applies in this etext +except for illustrations since they may have been moved. + + Page Change + + 20 the highest fire (around 17000 deg.[1700 deg.] Centigrade). + 91 but it is [a] waste of time to attempt it + 181 The slip is allowed to settled[settle] and the water siphoned off. + 193 AL[Al]_2O_3 . 2SiO_{2} + 193 Cobalt | C_{6}[Co] + 194 Felspar |6SiO_{2}.Al_{2}O_{3}.K^{2}O[K_{2}O] + + * * * * * + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Pottery, for Artists Craftsmen & +Teachers, by George J. Cox + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POTTERY, FOR ARTISTS *** + +***** This file should be named 38248.txt or 38248.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/2/4/38248/ + +Produced by Mark C. 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