This book is the culmination of nearly thirty years' work in caring for, studying, and developing the collections in this Museum by Timothy Wilson, long-time Keeper of Western Art. Wilson is well-known as a specialist in the study of European Renaissance ceramics. The Ashmolean collections have their origins in the collection of C.D.E. Fortnum (1820-1899), but have been developed further in the last quarter-century, so that they can claim to be one of the top such collections of Renaissance ceramics worldwide. This book, containing 289 catalogue entries, will completely encompass the Museum's collection of postclassical Italian pottery, including pieces from excavations. In addition it will include catalogue entries for some seventy selected pieces of pottery from France, the Low Countries, England, Spain, Portugal, Germany, and Mexico, in order to present a wide-ranging picture of the development of tin-glaze pottery from Islamic Spain through to recent times. It will also include an essay by Kelly Domoney of Cranfield University, and Elisabeth Gardner of the Ashmolean's Conservation Department, on the technical analysis and conservation history of some pieces in the collection.

Greek Vases is a discussion of the painted vases which were an ever present but understated feature of life in the Greek world between the end of the Bronze Age and the rise of Rome, and, in the modern world, an important component of museum collections since the 18th century. The book uses specific illustrated examples to explore the archaeological use of vases as chronological indicators, the use of the various shapes, their scenes of myth and everyday life and what these tell us, the way in which we think about their makers, and how they are treated today as museum objects and archaeological evidence. This is a brief, accessible introduction to the vases with school and university students in mind.

The range of extraordinary effects that can be achieved in a kiln is infinite. However, the technical requirements of different firing processes and equipment can often seem intimidating, particularly for those new to ceramics, and this can limit artists' confidence to explore and experiment.In" Firing""Kilns," wood-fire potter Benedict Brierley demystifies the firing process, explaining key methods and effects in simple, straightforward language. Beginning with the basic principles, including heatwork, firing schedules and cones, the book goes on to cover the various types of kilns and kiln packing, oxidation and reduction firing, and then special firing methods such as salt, soda, wood, pit, smoke and raku. Finally, it covers common firing faults and how these can be avoided to achieve consistent, successful results."Firing""Kilns" is a comprehensive handbook for anyone new to firing their work or for established ceramicists wishing to experiment with different firing effects.

In addition to her life's work in ceramic art, the artist, gallerist and collector Lotte Reimers (b. 1932) has compiled a fascinating collection of applied art from other disciplines. With 132 objects, Die Sprache der Dinge (The Language of Things) presents jewellery, metal and textile design, leather- and woodwork, paper art, and one-offs in glass. The collection, which has grown over decades, reflects Lotte Reimers' own unique collecting style: aside from personal taste, quality in form and craftsmanship is an essential criterion for inclusion. The things themselves enter a polyphonic and exciting dialogue in their multiplicity and individuality. Die Sprache der Dinge is an invitation to all aficionados of applied art to enter Lotte Reimers' world of collecting. Text in German.

Powdered tobacco, originally used in Europe as a medicine, became a fashionable stimulant in high society during the eighteenth century. Precious little containers, known as tabatieres (snuffboxes), were important accessories for elegant ladies and gentlemen. The publication presents 124 of the finest snuffboxes.