Random pottery questions and answers thread!

[Potty]

Thought a Q & A thread would be useful for pottery related questions that are not worth making a separate thread for.

Please delete if you the mods do not like this idea.

I'll start

Did Springfield pottery work in stoneware? (related to the pic below)

[skay]

I have a question, what makes pottery Studio? I think its the difference between factory / small production - is that right?

If so, where is the line drawn please?

xx

[skay]

Oh and I have another, vaguely related to your's Potty

For the ignorant, may we have a description in 'laymans' of the stoneware, earthenware terms you all speak of please?

xx

[Potty]

Hard to explain the long way, but to me it means pottery hand made (thrown, coiled, slab built etc) and hand decorated.

Made after a time when mass production was most viable for domestic pottery, with the use of machines etc.

I would think this is not how most would describe it, so I’ll leave it for people more informed than myself to answer :D

Potty.

[Potty]

I'll try to answer the 2nd question.. :P

Stoneware - weight's more than earthenware (Feels like it does at least), is *usually* more of a grey(stone colour), has a different texture than earthenware. Is a tougher material.

Earthenware - Lighter than stoneware, Does not feel as dense, Often more a earthly colour (bit like terracotta). Cracks/chips more easily than stoneware.

Porcelain - usually a just off white colour, feels closer to glass than stoneware or earthenware, stronger than earthenware, will often have a nice ring when tapped. When thin enough is semi translucent.

There is hard and soft paste porcelain, hard is again more like glass and any chips will look more like chipped glass than pottery, soft paste is more grainy and chips more like earthenware, not quite such a nice ring when tapped)

There are a lot more (bone china etc) but that is the difference of the main ones, again others may be able to wite it better than I.

[bistoboy]

also difference of porosity and firing temperatures, and of course, the clay used to make it (or in the case of bone china, the addition of animal material)

[skay]

That's a good description(s) Potty, thanks. Its sort of what I thought, but gives me more confidence to question other terms the potties come out with

Great thread!

xx

[skay]

also difference of porosity and firing temperatures, and of course, the clay used to make it (or in the case of bone china, the addition of animal material)

You see Bisty - you just said porosity

xx

[Davee]

I have a question, what makes pottery Studio? I think its the difference between factory / small production - is that right?

If so, where is the line drawn please?

xx

Studio Pottery is usually for the most part designed, produced, glazed and more often than not sold, by a potter who works alone or with assistants in his/her own workshop or studio. Of course there are exceptions to the rule and also lots of the larger factories have in the past introduced 'Studio' ranges as more of a marketing ploy than a real attempt at true studio pottery. Poole potteries studio pieces fall somewhere inbetween theses 2 descriptions, so where do they belong...discuss!

[Potty]

Now for the diffrence between Art Pottery and Studio Pottery me thinks

I know what the difference is to me, but I'm not even going to try and explain it, would be hard for me to put it into words :D

[Davee]

I think Art Pottery is more about the artistic and decorative style than the manufacturing method. Studio Pottery can take many shapes, forms and have many uses, where as Art Pottery is a purely decorative medium. Well thats my thoughts anyway

[dantheman]

I have a question, what makes pottery Studio? I think its the difference between factory / small production - is that right?

If so, where is the line drawn please?

xx

the term 'studio' pottery refers to ceramics produced by one man who takes a ball of clay and single handedly produces a finished piece, if there are others involved the term should be art pottery but in reality most recognised studio potters take on hired help as the demand for their pottery increases

[Nik the collector]

I believe 'studio' is a bit of a misleading generic term, the large pottery factories all had what they referred to as 'studios', but in reality were much smaller production rooms. Charles Noke, Bernard Moore, Edward Wilkes and Howson Taylor to name a few all had their own decorating studios at Royal Doulton Burslem from about 1890 onwards, where they would develop shapes, patterns and glazes, the previousley mentioned all worked together and individually to develop the Flambe glazes of what the marketing men of the time called 'art glazes' from the 'studios' of *******.
Just before the first world war Moore,Wilkes,Taylor and others left Doulton and set up on their own with small kilns, but as I don't know enough about kilns am not sure how this worked, as I am more familiar with the process used in the large coal fired bottle kilns. I am guessing that the introduction of gas fired kilns made it possible to make them smaller?
John Butler had a studio as art director at A.J.Wilkinson from 1904 onwards, and his studio wares are always referred to as art pottery made in his studio in period articles, he had room in his 'studio' for several assistants in a factory that employed 300-400 staff.
I think after the second world war with more modern techniques used to mass produce pottery at the big factories, the termonology changed - I will have to check I have some 1950's Royal Doulton catalogues somewhere but I don't think they mention 'studio' pottery in the blurb for the new veined flambe glazes.
During the 1950's it became more common for what this thread is referring to, the introduction of smaller electric kilns meant that you could set up in your garden shed or an outhouse, and therefore a smaller room or 'studio' for a one man or woman 'band' could set up and throw the pots, decorate them and fire them.
The attachment of the word studio to art pottery probabley stems from an early marketing ploy, as traditionally artists (painters) would have a studio where they were based and would sculpt or paint. Most of the pictures of George Tinworth at work show him in a long artists overall/gown in what looks like a well lit loft room (studio) at Doulton Lambeth.
A bit long winded - but then my replies normally are after a 12 hour night shift.......

[studio-pots]

That's a good description(s) Potty, thanks. Its sort of what I thought, but gives me more confidence to question other terms the potties come out with

Great thread!

xx

It is a shame that all the "experts" on the Antiques shows are not forced to read it and memorise. It annoys me when these experts, some who say that they collect ceramics, call an earthenware vessel " a piece of china".

[Potty]

I'll start

Did Springfield pottery work in stoneware? (related to the pic below)

Bump