The Austrian ceramic artist Thomas Bohle is an extraordinary figure in the field of ceramic vessels. His double-walled objects, created at the wheel with technical perfection, effortlessly transcend the boundaries between ceramic and free art. Their interior and exterior forms create an accentuated contrast which opens up an exciting dialogue between the vessel and the space. They appear as a consequence of the will for clear form and design, which is underscored by the sensual, haptic quality of the reduced burnt oxblood and celadon glazes. With clear elements and exciting correlations, Thomas Bohle opens up new dimensions for the art of the vessel as a fundamental possibility of abstract sculptural design. Numerous illustrations of individual objects, group photos and details are included, as well as expert essays to uncover the beauty of precise geometry combined with painterly glazes.

Not long ago, porcelain, glass and ceramics were almost exclusively used to make ostentatious objects best suited for display in grandmother's cabinet. But now these classic materials are experiencing a renaissance. Today, they are increasingly being utilised in playful ways by a new wave of designers and artists, who are inspired by Modernism's clear forms as well as an ironic depiction of figures, kitsch and the Romantic. Armed with these influences and an expanded repertoire of forms made possible by technological developments such as rapid prototyping, these designers and artists are manifesting their creative visions in unconventional objects made of these fragile materials. Fragiles is an eclectic collection of such contemporary work. This book presents industrial applications made from porcelain, glass and ceramics such as the exclusive, futuristic tableware now in use in avant-garde restaurants around the world. It also features artistic glass objects by Arne Quinze and Jerszy Seymour as well as striking porcelain products by Jurgen Bey, Marcel Wanders and Jaime Hayon. In addition to these projects by renowned creatives, Fragiles also contains an exciting selection of recent cutting-edge work by emerging talents. The examples shown in Fragiles range from the experimental to evocative retroinspired reinterpretations. The spectrum and quality of these innovative projects shows a current generation of designers and artists just how relevant and challenging working with these traditional materials can be.

Between the 12th and 14th centuries, the Hedingham pottery industry produced decorated and glazed finewares, mainly jugs, and grey-firing coarsewares. This study provides a synthesis of Hedingham Ware production and explores its distribution within East Anglia. A gazetteer of the fourteen known production sites is provided, and the pottery is used to create a typology of fabric types, vessel forms and decoration for both fine and coarse wares. The industry appears to have evolved from the early medieval tradition, although it has similarities with Late Saxon Thetford-type ware. The coarsewares are most similar to those produced near Colchester and show some similarities to coarsewares produced in Suffolk. The Hedingham industry did not die out in the 14th century but became subsumed into the sandy orange ware tradition and lost its identity as Hedingham Ware.