Of the many media used by companies to bring attention to their products or services, none seem to have had the overall appeal of porcelain enamel. The process of creating porcelain signs is an art in itself, and the influx of new collectors in the market place attests to porcelain enamel advertising's beauty. Few collectibles are made with such long-lasting properties or have been found in such diversity. With hundreds of full color photographs, this new book will give you an idea of the beauty and diverse graphics that can be found in this very collectible area of Americana. Discover the powerful graphics that were so effective on these signs and see the wide range of advertisers who used the medium. The book is divided by manufacturing design with one chapter devoted to gasoline pump signs, a particularly popular area of collecting. Informative captions include a description, measurements, and the approximate age of the sign. This is simply the best illustrated guide to porcelain enamel advertising ever published, and an important reference to collectors and historians alike.

This is the first book to showcase the work of acclaimed ceramic artist Jennifer McCurdy. Collectors and art enthusiasts will be delighted to gaze at these luminescent forms, lyrically accompanied by the poetry of Jennifer's sister, Wendy Mulhern. Dozens of color photographs, plus a section on evolution and process that's illustrated with forty-five color images, clearly show the depth and brilliance of Jennifer's work. In this collaboration Jennifer and Wendy celebrate art and how it holds things that can't be contained in any other way. These vessels, of porcelain and poetry, resonate with each other, engaging an intimate conversation. The evolution and process section provides insight into both the internal process of artistry and the physical and temporal dedication essential to bringing forth a life's body of work.

Presents a portfolio of creative projects designed to guide crafters to the next level in glass fusing. A quick review of glass and equipment is followed by a comprehensive look at the vast array of fresh kiln forming possibilities that have triggered a creative leap. Then embark on a journey of exploration by working through the lessons and project ideas that are sure to stimulate novice to advanced fusers alike. "Fuse It" introduces new ways to utilise the bonanza of glass forming methods & materials through 18 lessons with names such as: Wear It (Jewellery), Display It (Holders), Hang It (Mirrors and Ornaments), Screw It (Clocks and Sculptures), Drop It (Vases), Zen It (Fountain), Rake It (hot combing), Sell It (marketing your work), plus 10 more. The book will be a valuable resource for fusers of all skill levels with a desire to progress to the next step. Over 300 colour photos offer a wealth of instruction and inspiring ideas for distinctive kiln formed creations. Includes over 75 project idea images and 18 step-by-step lessons.

Dramatic social and political change marks the period from the end of the Late Bronze Age into the Iron Age (ca. 1300 700 BCE) across the Mediterranean. Inland palatial centers of bureaucratic power weakened or collapsed ca. 1200 BCE while entrepreneurial exchange by sea survived and even expanded, becoming the Mediterranean-wide network of Phoenician trade. At the heart of that system was Kition, one of the largest harbor cities of ancient Cyprus. Earlier research has suggested that Phoenician rule was established at Kition after the abandonment of part of its Bronze Age settlement. A reexamination of Kition s architecture, stratigraphy, inscriptions, sculpture, and ceramics demonstrates that it was not abandoned. This study emphasizes the placement and scale of images and how they reveal the development of economic and social control at Kition from its establishment in the thirteenth century BCE until the development of a centralized form of government by the Phoenicians, backed by the Assyrian king, in 707 BCE."

This book is a comprehensive study of visual humour in ancient Greece, with special emphasis on works created in Athens and Boeotia. Alexandre Mitchell brings an interdisciplinary approach to this topic, combining theories and methods of art history, archaeology, and classics with the anthropology of humour, and thereby establishing new ways of looking at art and visual humour in particular. Understanding what visual humour was to the ancients and how it functioned as a tool of social cohesion is only one facet of this study. Mitchell also focuses on the social truths that his study of humour unveils: democracy and freedom of expression, politics and religion, Greek vases and trends in fashion, market-driven production, proper and improper behaviour, popular versus elite culture, carnival in situ, and the place of women, foreigners, workers, and labourers within the Greek city. Richly illustrated with more than 140 drawings and photographs, as well as with analytical tables of comic representations according to different themes, painters, and techniques, this study amply documents the comic representations that formed an important part of ancient Greek visual language from the 6th through 4th centuries BC.

Creative and practical, Kicking Glass is a step-by-step guide for those wanting to practice the popular craft of stained glass. From simple suncatchers and boho lamps to exquisite 3D constructions and delicately-poised glass butterflies, experienced artist Neile Cooper guides you through the magical world of stained glass with a creative handbook for both the novice and more experienced crafter alike. Beautifully illustrated with photographs of Neile's own work including her glorious glass cabin in the woods as well as pieces from some of today's most stylish designers, Kicking Glass is packed with ideas to guide and inspire. This book provides comprehensive technical instruction in the copper foil method, covering everything from tools and supplies to exploratory techniques such as including foraged and found objects into your work. Skills are demonstrated through tutorials with photos, instructional drawings and 16 stunning patterns. Whether you're looking to decorate your windows, create lovely gifts for friends and family or design your own epic masterpiece, Kicking Glass is the essential modern guide to stained glass making.

Collared Urns represent a unified pottery tradition in the prehistory of the British Isles. They serve the archaeologist not only as a source for defining the Bronze Age, but as the basis for understanding regional diversities and as a context for explaining social and cultural development. In this definitive study Dr Longworth bases his new and exhaustive analysis on a complete corpus of known Collared Urns. Each surviving example has been studied; this volume presents a detailed description, notes on the archaeological context and wherever possible, an analytical drawing. The resultant catalogue will serve as a reference book for all concerned with the prehistory of Britain and Ireland, while the discussion of the urns and their prehistoric context sets a firm foundation for the understanding of the Bronze Age.

An exclusive tour of one of the most diverse and high-quality collections of Scottish Wemyss Ware. Lavish illustrations cover an impressive range of Wemyss subjects - animals, flowers, insects, birds and more. Includes an essay on Wemyss production by historian Carol McNeil, as well as an introduction by collection owner George Bellamy. Wemyss Ware is an evocative name to anyone with an interest in pottery. It conjures grinning cats and pot-bellied pigs, jugs and plates and other items of tableware, often decorated with an intricate pink cabbage rose or other such bucolic scenes. Produced in Kirkcaldy, Scotland, from 1882 to 1930 (and in Bovey Tracy, England, 1930-1952), Wemyss Ware has an illustrious history. From the Wemyss family, the patrons of this pottery line; to the Queen Mother and Prince Charles, Wemyss Ware has caught the eye of many individuals of note. Among these was George Bellamy, now a legendary collector of Scottish Wemyss, who has been seeking out his pieces since 1976. A treasure trove of Wemyss Ware, this book catalogues a collection lovingly compiled over decades. Carol McNeil's essay traces the history of the Fife Pottery where Wemyss Ware saw its debut, while Bellamy's introduction guides the reader through several of the key figures involved in the locating and preserving of these works of art. Scottish Wemyss Ware 1882-1930 celebrates the labour, design and artistry that poured into each hand-decorated pot. Often inspired by the Fife countryside where they first originated, these characterful creations are just as delightful now as when they were first produced. This book was produced with the invaluable assistance of John Mackie, Director of Lyon & Turnbull.

One out of every seven flowering plants on earth is an orchid. They are used for everything from medicine for elephants to an aphrodisiac ice cream flavoring and now for a book of stained glass projects. Interest in orchids has risen dramatically in recent years are Chantal Pare combines her considerable expertise on orchids with her natural ability for glass design. Anyone attracted to these exotic flowering plants will appreciate Chantal's careful attention to the details that facilitate a realistic replica in glass. The author has included interesting botanical facts and considerations for each orchid variety plus detailed glass suggestions to help transform your art glass orchids into authentic reproductions.

What was the impact of Romanisation on non-elite life in central Italy during the late third and second centuries BC? Focusing on the increasing spread of black-gloss pottery across the peninsula, Dr Roth demonstrates the importance of the study of such everyday artefacts as a way of approaching aspects of social history that are otherwise little documented. Placing its subject within the wider debate over cultural identity in the Roman world, the book argues that stylistic changes in such objects of everyday use document the development of new forms of social representation among non-elite groups in Roman Italy. In contrast to previous accounts, the book concludes that, rather than pointing to a loss of regional cultural identities, the ceramic patterns suggest that the Romanisation of Italy provided new material opportunities across the social scale.

Pioneers in fused studio and production glass since the 1940s, Michael and Frances Higgins continue to create some of today's most collectible glass objects. Higgins: Adventures in Glass chronicles their careers and accomplishments in the studio, at Dearborn Glass Company and at Haeger Potteries. A must-have for glass collectors and 1950s/1960s fans alike, this new book features 645 full-color photos, company catalog, vintage advertising, interviews with the artists and price guide. The Higgins' "modern miracles with everyday glass" will appeal to all with an interest in mid-20th century design and collectibles.

This book examines how Romans used their pottery and the implications of these practices on the archaeological record. It is organized around a flow model for the life cycle of Roman pottery that includes a set of eight distinct practices: manufacture, distribution, prime use, reuse, maintenance, recycling, discard, reclamation. J. Theodore Pe??a evaluates how these practices operated, how they have shaped the archaeological record, and the implications of these processes on archaeological research through the examination of a wide array of archaeological, textual, representational, and comparative ethnographic evidence. The result is a rich portrayal of the dynamic that shaped the archaeological record of the ancient Romans that will be of interest to archaeologists, ceramicists, and students of material culture.

When digging for clues about an ancient society's culture, nothing is more valuable to an archaeologist than ceramic remnants. Dawn Whitehand explains why. Her text is the first to comprehensively explore the complex nature of pit firing based on historical evidence and the artistic perspectives of contemporary ceramicists. Many specialist texts discuss ceramics from an artistic, craft-based, anthropological, archaeological, or historical viewpoint. This book draws information from all these sources and presents it in an informative and accessible manner. Included is a historical chapter, a how-to chapter, and a series of artist profiles that showcase the pit fired ceramics of contemporary practitioners. The book contains detailed photographs of the process and a glossary for those who wish to further explore pit firing and ceramics. It will appeal to everyone from the novice ceramicist to the serious art historian and collector.

Clay is an exciting material that has been used to make both practical and decorative items since prehistoric times. With this practical guidebook, learn all the skills you need to start creating your own beautiful ceramics. Step-by-step photographs and clear instructions will guide you through the core techniques, including pinching and coiling and throwing and trimming. Discover inspirational projects as your skills progress, from simple coiled vases with painted decoration to marbled clay boxes with transparent glazes. Learn how to decorate and fire your clay vessels with myriad textures, using methods such as inlays, slips, sgraffito, feathering, burnishing and resist. Following the impressive projects inside, you can put your new-found skills into practice and develop your creativity.

Lino Tagliapietra is arguably the world's finest living glassblower. Raised on the island of Murano, the Venetian glass center, Tagliapietra began learning the trade at the age of 11 from Muranese masters and had earned the title of maestro by age 21. He first came to Seattle in 1979, and openly shared his unsurpassed experience, understanding, and knowledge of traditional Venetian glassblowing techniques with artists in the United States. In return, he gained an appreciation for the American artists' quest for creative expression through experimentation and individual creativity, pushing him beyond his excellence in execution and into the realm of studio art.

Claudia Gorbman explores Tagliapietra's current work in "Maestro," which presents masterpieces created during the past decade (2002-2012). Her essay investigates the medium of glass as alchemy (its dichotomies, pleasures and properties) as well as the artist himself and his role in universally elevating the art and craft of glassmaking and changing the course of contemporary glass worldwide.

Claudia Gorbman is professor of film studies at the University of Washington Tacoma. She is the author of "Unheard Melodies" (a book on film music), the translator and editor of five books by the French critic and composer Michel Chion, and co-editor of the forthcoming "Oxford Handbook of New Audiovisual Aesthetics."

Bucchero is a very common type of fine pottery that was made by the Etruscans when their civilization was at its height, from the seventh to the fourth century BC. This study concentrates on the products of South Etruria, where the earliest and finest bucchero was made, and where the tradition lasts longest. Until recently bucchero has been little studied, and the aim of this book is to present a sequence of pottery from archaeological contexts, so that the development of the ware can be seen as a whole within a chronological framework. Many of the tomb-groups catalogued are published here for the first time. In studying the shapes careful consideration is given to the affinities with Greek and with other Etruscan wares. A full survey of the decorative techniques is included, and the pattern of distribution both within Etruria and further afield is discussed. An important feature of the book is a series of sixty pages of drawings of the profiles of every shape of bucchero pot studied. Bucchero is of considerable importance as a dating tool, and although the book is directed primarily at specialists, it will also be of interest to anyone who is curious about Etruscan art and archaeology.

The most comprehensive monograph available on the greatest living glassblower, Lino Tagliapietra. Lino Tagliapietra has been described as the world's greatest glassblower, a figure born from the five-hundred-year-old culture of Venetian glass, but one who also revolutionized glass as a discipline, inventing new techniques to create his masterful works. Even more astonishing, as Tagliapietra hit his full stride, he has become a notable figure in the unfolding story of modern sculpture - an artist whose distinctive works are coveted by collectors of contemporary abstract art and whose vision makes us think about art history in new and profound ways. This is the most comprehensive monograph available on his work and features insightful texts by Glenn Adamson and Henry Adams, as well as hundreds of new photographs, which showcase the impressive breadth and depth of Taglipietra's repertoire.

Born in 1965 about 100 kilometres from the former imperial porcelain factories of Jingdezhen in China, Bai Ming is a multi-facetted visual artist. A professor and lecturer, he is director of the Department of Ceramics at the Academy of Art and Design of Qinghua University in Beijing, and of the Shangyu Celadon International Art Centre of Contemporary Ceramics. He also heads two workshops, where he boldly mixes ancestral techniques, traditions and practices with those of international contemporary art. The delicacy of his technique in ceramics, painting and lacquer has revitalised Chinese porcelain, freeing it from its archaic forms. His creations have won major Chinese awards and are recognised by collectors around the world. Christine Shimizu, curator of the exhibition devoted to the artist at the Keramis Centre in Belgium, brings together various authors in this book: Mael Bellec, Antoinette Fay-Halle, Jean-Francois Fouilhoux, Catherine Noppe and Ludovic Recchia. All testify, each in their own way, to their perception of Bai Ming's multifaceted work. The book follows an exhibition that will take place at Keramis from 16 November 2019 to 15 March 2020. Text in English and French.

Dan Klein and Alan J. Poole began collecting in the late 1970s and over the subsequent thirty years assembled on the most comprehensive collections of modern British and Irish glass. The book includes work by over one hundred makers at the very cutting edge of their art. This dazzling collection was gifted to National Museums Scotland in 2009.

The Attic white lekythoi, funerary vases long appreciated for their beautiful polychrome images, evoke the style of lost classical wall and mural paintings. This richly illustrated volume closely examines the four major types of scenes: domestic pictures; the mythological conductors of the soul; the prothesis (wake); and visits to the grave. John Oakley analyzes these pictures in context, documenting relationships between the "rites of passage," Athenian history, and the changing perceptions of death in fifth-century Athens.

Focusing on the pottery surface, Carve Your Clay covers a wide range of decorative carving techniques, from piercing, etching, inlaying to sgraffito, faceting, and fettling. The techniques are taught through 20 projects in Hilda's signature style, with clear, step-by-step photography and easy-to-follow instructions to achieve beautiful results. With easy guides on how to create form as well as glazing and firing, this is a comprehensive guide suitable for new and practising potters alike.

Learning from others' mistakes is always more efficient and less costly than committing them yourself. This book is packed with practical information that will enable potters to successfully complete the many steps in pottery production. Making functional pottery or ceramic sculpture entails different skill sets and processes in forming clay, drying clay, glazing, and firing. Any one of these steps can cause failures. As ceramics consultant Jeff Zamek points out, under ideal conditions a beginning or advanced student would be guided by a teacher at every step; mistakes and bad habits would be caught as they occurred and corrected. While such learning situations are rare today, this book fills the gap. As Zamek says, "This book offers you forty years of wisdom, generated by my students' and my client ceramics companies' issues with clays, glazes, and kiln firing." With its solutions to common problems, this guide helps potters to succeed.