Fired Clay in Four Porcelain Clusters examines how energy use in the ceramics-making industry has evolved as a result of technological advancements and changing social norms and ideas in environmental conservation. Three main research themes are highlighted. First, the book examines how the evolving use of energy fuels has impacted the developmental history of the ceramics-making industry, especially with regard to productive output. The second theme focuses on energy use by networks of specialists and technicians in ceramics-making artistic clusters and how ceramicist communities in the world organize themselves institutionally to maximize resource-sharing. Third, at a cognitive level, the volume studies changes in production and design, environmental thinking, energy use, and aesthetic trends among ceramicists and consumers. The four cities or towns of Arita, Hong Kong, Jingdezhen, and Yingge are the settings for this research.

Souvenir plates have long been representatives of America's history, whether commemorating special events or depicting places. Souvenir plates make attractive collectibles for several reasons, including their affordability and the fact that they come in a variety of designs and shapes. Popular Souvenir Plates has captured the versatility of the souvenir plate with examples that date from the 1880s through the present. More than 530 color photographs document plates depicting all fifty states and Canada, along with a sampling of European designs, each with its current market value. The work of American firms represented are Harker Pottery, Homer Laughlin, Kettlesprings Kilns, Edwin M. Knowles China Co., Sabin Industries, Salem China Co., Syracuse China Co., Vernon Kilns, and many others. The work of noted English potters such as Staffordshire, Adams, Jonroth, and Rowland and Marsellus are present. A chapter on foreign plates shows a variety of foreign-made souvenir ware including the beauty of "Made in Bavaria" and "Made in Germany" souvenir plates. This book and price guide is a valuable reference for anyone with an interest in souvenir plates.

Presenting a study of a group of potters living in a small community in the south of Japan, this work includes a look at the problems they face in the production, marketing and aesthetic appraisal of a kind of stoneware pottery generally referred to as "mingei", or folk art. It shows how different people in an art world bring to bear different sets of values as they negotiate the meaning of "mingei" and try to decide whether a pot is "art", or mere "craft". At the same time, "Folk Art Potters of Japan" aims to reach beyond the mere study of an isolated community to trace the origins and history of "folk art" in general. By showing how a set of aesthetic ideals originating in Britain was taken to Japan, and thence back to Europe and the United States - as a result of the activities of people like William Morris, Yanagi Soetsu, Bernard Leach and Hamada Shoji - this book not only rewrites the history of contemporary western ceramics, but engages in two important discourses in contemporary anthropology: one concerned with art and aesthetics; the other with orientalism. Illustrated, and with a description of the operation of Japan's art pottery world in the afterword, "Folk Art Potters

East Greek Pottery provides a comprehensive survey of the pottery made by the Greek settlers along the western coast of Turkey. The various styles of decoration described cover the period from the eleventh century to the beginning of the fifth century B.C. Subsequently, competition from Athens pressed local potters into using very simple ornament. Chapters include analysis of Grey ware, relief ware and archaic East Greek containers (or trade) amphorae, a class of pottery which is now attracting attention for its contribution to the study of ancient economic history. East Greek pottery is a field that has been neglected, and much remains uncertain. Conjecture and fact have been clearly distinguished in this volume, and detailed references allow the evidence to be viewed and judged by the reader.

Presenting a study of a group of potters living in a small community in the south of Japan, this work includes a look at the problems they face in the production, marketing and aesthetic appraisal of a kind of stoneware pottery generally referred to as "mingei", or folk art. It shows how different people in an art world bring to bear different sets of values as they negotiate the meaning of "mingei" and try to decide whether a pot is "art", or mere "craft". At the same time, "Folk Art Potters of Japan" aims to reach beyond the mere study of an isolated community to trace the origins and history of "folk art" in general. By showing how a set of aesthetic ideals originating in Britain was taken to Japan, and thence back to Europe and the United States - as a result of the activities of people like William Morris, Yanagi Soetsu, Bernard Leach and Hamada Shoji - this book not only rewrites the history of contemporary western ceramics, but engages in two important discourses in contemporary anthropology: one concerned with art and aesthetics; the other with orientalism. Illustrated, and with a description of the operation of Japan's art pottery world in the afterword, "Folk Art Potters

This volume covers the major stages in the history of Greek pottery production, both figured and plain, as they are understood today. It provides an up-to-date evaluation of ways of studying Greek pottery and encourages new approaches. There is a detailed analysis of the subject matter of figured scenes covering some of the main preoccupations of ancient Greece: myth, fantasy and everyday life. Furthermore, it sets the artefacts in the context of the societies that produced them, highlighting the social, art historical, mythological and economic information that can be revealed from their study. This volume also covers a hitherto neglected area: the history of the collecting of Greek pottery through the Renaissance and up to the present day. It shows how market values have gradually increased to the high prices of today and goes on to take a closer look at the enthusiasm of the collectors.

The Red and the Black covers the major stages in the history of Greek pottery production, both figured and plain, as they are understood today. It provides an up-to-date evaluation of ways of studying Greek pottery and encourages new approaches.
There is a detailed analysis of the subject matter of figured scenes covering some of the main preoccupations of ancient Greece: myth, fantasy and everyday life. Furthermore, it sets the artefacts in the context of the societies that produced them, highlighting the social, art historical, mythological and economic information that can be revealed from their study.
This volume also covers a hitherto neglected area: the history of the collecting of Greek pottery through the Renaissance and up to the present day. It shows how market values have gradually increased to the high prices of today and goes on to take a closer look at the enthusiasm of the collectors.

eBook available with sample pages: HB:0415126606

A beautifully illustrated showcase of the rich and varied ceramic tradition of Iran Featuring a broad selection of objects from one of the most distinguished collections of Iranian art, this volume brings together over 1,000 years of Persian Islamic pottery. With more than 500 illustrations, authoritative technical treatises, and insightful commentary, Ceramics of Iran assembles a collection of rarely seen treasures from the Persian world and presents a collective history of its renowned ceramic tradition. Included among its comprehensive catalogue entries are numerous translations of the object's inscriptions, providing readers with a richer and more detailed understanding of the cultural heritage from which these items are derived. In addition, the book contains new research and material from previously unknown sites. Featuring all new photography of nearly 250 objects, Ceramics of Iran brings the extraordinary contributions of Persian art into a wider historical context, along with a wealth of images to demonstrate the full scope of its intricate beauty. Distributed for the Sarikhani Collection

Pottery tells us about religion, daily life, humour, trade, sex, folklore and creativity. Bearing the imprint of their maker more than any other crafted object, ceramics give us a unique physical link to the past, often the only evidence of long-forgotten civilizations that have otherwise crumbled to dust. From ancient Egyptian canopic death jars to ethereally beautiful porcelain, and from lewd Renaissance novelties to sleek contemporary vessels, Around the World in 80 Pots is an eclectic journey across time and cultures. Expertly selected from the unrivalled collection of the University of Oxford's Ashmolean Museum, this compendium shows that humankind's oldest craft is the perfect prism through which to view human history.

The colorful earthenwares known as Majolica are popular once again, part of the nostalgic revival of Victorian taste in interior decoration. Majolica's long history begins with Italian Renaissance tin-glazed wares; over the centuries its styles and techniques spread to France and England. With the advent of mechanization, the wares could be mass produced. Majolica became popular among the rising middle class in England, Europe, and the United States. This book presents a new analysis of Majolica set against its cultural-historical background. Hundreds of forms in dozens of patterns, especially American and British ware with a sampling of European pieces, are displayed in over 550 color photographs. The text presents new research and the examples are individually identified by style, pattern, maker, size, and date. Short histories of the manufacturers are presented as they relate to Majolica wares. The up-to-date price guide will be a valuable tool for collectors and dealers.

This book adds more than 750 color photos to the record of materials on Noritake collectibles presented in Spain's 1997 book on this subject-a work with more than 1,200 color photos. This book, like the previous one, is comprehensive. It covers non-dinnerware porcelains made by the Noritake Company between about 1908 and the 1970s. The emphasis, however, is on the 1920s and works with Art Deco characteristics. The backstamp materials have been expanded, updated, and made very user-friendly. In addition, there is a substantial and thought-provoking essay on the historical and cultural roots of Art Deco, in general, along with a thorough discussion of the distinguishing features of Art Deco Noritake fancy line porcelains of the 1920s.

The Conservation and Restoration of Ceramics brings together the wide range of current information relevant to the practising conservator. The book opens with a discussion of the fundamental nature of the ceramic medium, information which is of primary importance when selecting treatments or considering preventive conservation measures. Details on techniques are given in a series of chapters covering the restoration and conservation processes, but the emphasis is on the basic principles involved in the choice of materials and methods. The nature and properties of materials commonly in use are fully discussed and guidance is given on the facilities and equipment needed. Also covered in the book are old restoration materials and methods, the ethics of ceramics conservation, examination and recording, display treatments and emergency procedures. Now in paperback, this book will be invaluable to practising conservators and readers of conservation as well as of interest to museum curators and collectors.

From drippy and crackle to ash and lichen glazes, experienced ceramicist Linda Bloomfield guides you through the world of special effect glazes. Beautifully illustrated with pieces from both emerging and established potters that showcase stunning copper oxide-blues, metallic bronzes and manganese-pink crystal glazes, Special Effect Glazes is packed full of recipes to try out: from functional oilspot glazes using iron oxide, to explosive lava glazes. In this informative handbook discover how you can create these fantastic effects and learn the basic chemistry behind glazes in order to adjust and experiment with your unique pieces. Discussed are materials and stains, how to find them and how they affect the colour and texture of the glaze, alongside practical fixes to familiar glaze-making problems. Special Effect Glazes is essential for any ceramicist interested in creating eye-catching glazes and wanting to develop their knowledge of glaze-making, or experiment with their own formulas to achieve the perfect finish.

This text explains simply, step-by-step, how even inexperienced amateurs can achieve excellent results when they embark on porcelain restoration. Would-be restorers are introduced to the many options available and encouraged to discover which techniques suit their individual circumstances.;Each stage in the process is illustrated and there is advice on the functions and uses of specialist tools. The book should prove of use to the experienced professional restorer as well as the novice.

The Uncommon Denominatorpresents a spectrum of aesthetic eloquence and technical mastery in the ceramic arts.Hirsch has achieved professional recognition both as a ceramic artist and teacher. The Uncommon Denominator: A Tribute to Richard Hirsch presents a spectrum of aesthetic eloquence and technical mastery in the ceramic arts. Originally published to coincide with a traveling exhibition, this catalog celebrates the career of Hirsch through the work of a selection of his alumni. He has achieved professional recognition both as a ceramic artist and teacher. During his teaching career, which has spanned over thirty years, he has been a faculty member of two prominent craft programs: the Program in Artisanry at Boston University, and currently, the School for American Crafts at Rochester Institute of Technology. Many of Hirsch's former students have established their own outstanding careers in the contemporary ceramics field. Represented in The Uncommon Denominator are notable examples of the renaissance in utilitarian pottery, continued interest in the vessel aesthetic, and the investigation of both figurative and abstract sculpture.

This book presents a thorough look at the multitude of fascinating and beautiful ceramic forms produced by the British potter George Jones and his firm, including majolica wares and "Abbey" blue and white transfer printed ceramics. Over 700 color photographs amply display the diverse table, tea, toilet, and ornamental ware types produced by George Jones and his manufactory from the mid-nineteenth century well into the twentieth. A detailed history recording George Jones's life as a potter, the contributions of his family members, and those of a number of artisans who designed and decorated the firm's distinctive wares provides hours of absorbing and enlightening reading as well. To help readers determine the age of their George Jones wares with accuracy, registration dates for many of the patterns and ceramic shapes are provided, along with the various manufacturer's marks and their dates of usage. Values for the wares, a detailed bibliography, and several appendices round out the book Geoffrey Godden has called "...the ultimate work on this Stoke firm."

This book explores the great interest that Pablo Picasso had in ceramics, which he certainly didn't consider a minor art, but a means of artistic expression in its own right, like sculpture, painting and graphics. In Vallauris, at the Madoura ceramic laboratories, Picasso dedicated himself to working clay for a period of 25 years, from 1946 to 1971, producing thousands of unique pieces. This volume retraces this exceptional chapter of the Picasso's art, through 50 ceramics from the Picasso of the Musee National Picasso in Paris - a core of inestimable value, which represents almost half of the museum's large collection - placed in a fertile and unprecedented dialogue with the direct sources of his inspiration: classic ceramics with red and black figures, the Etruscan buccheri, Spanish and Italian popular ceramics, 15th century Italian graffiti, and examples of the Mediterranean area with iconographies of fish, fantastic animals, owls and birds, as well as terracottas from Mesoamerican cultures. A chapter is dedicated to the relationship between Picasso and Faenza through unpublished documents from the historical archive of the MIC, and to the historical video by Luciano Emmer of 1954 (Picasso a Vallauris). Text in English and Italian.

The industrial pottery at Abingdon, Illinois, made artware from 1934 to 1950 before returning to its mainstay, plum-bingware or sanitary-ware, as it was called at "The Pottery." Yankee ingenuity was used to cope with the Great Depression when managers came up with the idea of making artware using their usual "industrial strength" materials and processes. This decision resulted in artware with unusually strong bodies and glazes. For the veteran collector of Abingdon Pottery as well as the novice, this is an Encyclopedia of Shapes, a Dictionary of Colors, a Holy Grail of Collecting, richly illustrated in over 700 photographs and painstakingly researched. It also has a detailed value guide according to mold number and mold type.

Potters and Patrons in Edo Period Japan: Takatori Ware and the Kuroda Domain traces the development of one of Japan's best-documented ceramic types, from its beginnings around 1600 until the abolition of the domain system in 1871. Using historical records, archaeological material from early kilns and consumer sites, and the results of comparative chemical analysis, this study explores the operation of Takatori as the official ceramic workshop of the Kuroda, lords of one of the largest domains in Japan. Spanning cultural, aesthetic, economic and practical aspects, this book presents Takatori ware as an ideal archetype with which to compare developments in elite ceramics in other parts of Japan throughout the Edo period. In addition to its scholarly examination of the operation of a domain-sponsored ceramics workshop over more than 250 years, the book includes illustrations of examples from each of the seven Takatori workshop locations, including beautiful pieces that have never before appeared in print.

The Benaki Museum of Islamic Art in Athens has a substantial collection of Iznik ceramics (tableware, tiles and sherds). Although well-known to those who visit the museum, this collection has never been fully published. John Carswell first studied the objects in the 1980s and started cataloguing them with a view to publication. The project was revived and guided to fruition by the curator of the museum, Mina Moraitou. She has contributed a chapter on Antonis Benakis and the formation of the Iznik collection as well as working on the catalogue which includes 111 objects, 83 tiles and 143 sherds. All the objects are illustrated in colour, some with line drawings.

With such a large variety of styles, patterns and series to choose from, Lefton china has fast become one of the most desirable, sought-after ceramic collectibles on the secondary market today. This new volume spans the history of the Lefton China company, founded by George Zoltan Lefton in the late 1930s in Chicago, Illinois. 743 photos document his creations, including figurines, planters, vases, and other decorative items. Complete descriptions, identifying markings, current pricing, cleaning suggestions, and a large list of Lefton patterns not found in any other published book on Lefton China make this an invaluable guide, whether you are new to collecting Lefton or have been on the hunt for many years.

Distinctive and extraordinary porcelains from the potteries of Limoges, France, are examined and illustrated in over 1,000 beautiful color photographs. These porcelain wares range from nineteenth century cake plates and teacups to striking vases and contemporary boxes. Included among the featured wares are items hand painted by famous decorating firms and others that were offered entirely without adornment. Also included are the manufacturers' marks and histories of many Limoges potteries, including Haviland & Co., ThA (c)odore Haviland, Pouyat, GuA (c)rin, Raynaud and Bernardaud, as well as an extensive bibliography and index. Current values are conveniently located in the captions. This book is a must for anyone with a love of porcelain and an appreciation for true artistry.