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Like clay, all glaze materials come from the earth. Traditionally, stones, plants, and other natural materials provided the elements for ceramic surface decoration. In an age of synthetic and mass-produced glazes, handmade glazes from locally sourced ingredients allow artists to produce unique pieces that reflect their surrounding landscapes. In Natural Glazes, Miranda Forrest guides readers through the process of experimentation and discovery to make amazing hues from organic materials. Whether...

This delightful book examines the graphics found on all kinds of children's alphabet ware, along with fascinating histories of the firms that produced it. Primarily made in nineteenth century Britain, America, and Germany, these ceramic plates, metal table and flatware, glass dishes, and mugs are considered a reflection of the technologies, values, and styles of the Victorian era. Alphabetically arranged, the twenty-six lettered chapters each tell part of the story: A begins the tale with a bit...

This comprehensive guide displays many of the impressive artwares produced by Gonder Ceramic Arts of Zanesville, Ohio, in over 540 beautiful color photographs and 37 black and white catalog pages. The featured artwares range from baskets and bells to pitchers and vases. Over 30 experimental pieces are shown. The wide spectrum of glazes that won professional praise for the company's founder, Lawton Gonder, are prominently featured. A history of the company, from its founding in 1941 to its sale i...

This volume tells the history of the production and reception of the Hickey Collection, while showcasing one of the finest collections celebrated ware.

How does a craft reinvent itself as `traditional' following cultural, social and political upheaval? In the township of Dingshu, Jiangsu province of China, artisans produce zisha or Yixing teapots that have been highly valued for centuries. Yet in twentieth-century socialist imagination, handicrafts were an anomaly in a modern society. The Maoist government had clear ambitions to transform the country by industrialization, replacing craft with mechanized methods of production. Four decades later...

Introducing a series quite unlike any other on the market. Miller's Treasure or Not? series is a clear, accessible, easy-to-follow guide to developing an appraiser's eye and a connoisseur's knowledge of American Art Pottery. At the heart of each volume are 61 full-colour, 2-page spreads in which pairs of related objects are analyzed, compared, and evaluated, with the object of answering the question why is one item more valuable than the other. The factors involved may be age, rarity, intricacy...

This book presents a detailed study of the depiction of Zeus in one particular classical Athenian art-form, the red-figured vase. The author offers a close comparison of artistic and literary versions of the myths surrounding Zeus, including the Gigantomachy and the birth of other gods. He also discusses the artistic portrayal of Zeus in the light of contemporary religion and politics and examines vase-painting alongside other art-forms to distinguish the function of the different social context...

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 speciali...

Large, dramatic pictures are in the great mosaic tradition. Choose from 50 unique mural designs in a wide range of styles and sizes and create stunning permanent feature or a picture panel that can be moved and re-hung. Organized into sections tailored to different areas of the home, this book makes it easy to find the perfect project for kitchens, living areas, bathrooms, playrooms, conservatories and outdoor spaces. Create magical nursery murals featuring castles, jungles and pirate ships; bat...

The first in our new Simple Home Crafts series which is targeted at beginners interested in developing their craft skills, Painting on Ceramics taps into the trend started by the proliferation of Ceramics Cafes in the US, UK and Australia. More and more people are turning to this craft but there is a lack of inspiring published material available to provide them with basic techniques and ideas for contemporary designs. This book offers 8 step by step projects to copy designs for a wide range of...

A reference book on glaze technology and practice. It discusses not only the calculation of glaze composition and formulae, but also glaze preparation from the initial crushing and grinding of raw materials through the actual making of the glaze. It also includes information on the use of gums and binders, flocculation and the use of suspending agents. The author also talks about application methods as well as how to remedy faults that may occur. A new chapter on health and safety has also been...

This comprehensive new reference focuses on the variety of animal figures produced in Staffordshire during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Characterized by a cottage industry quaintness, Staffordshire figures were known as "image toys" and "chimney ornaments" in their day. Countless subjects were produced but the animal models comprise a Noah's Ark of some of the most charming and endearing figures. Today, Staffordshire animals are among the bestselling and most widely collected antique...

Charlot Byj created her famous redheaded children and other figures as greeting card illustrations. In the mid 1940s her work caught the attention of the Goebel Company, the makers of Hummel figurines. At Goebel her characters took on three dimensions, and now they are sought by collectors around the world. The Redheads, the blonde series, and other Byj creations for Goebel are presented here, making this a comprehensive volume. Nearly every figure is shown in a beautiful color photograph. Curre...

Of all the ceramic processes, Maiolica truly requires a painter’s touch. Combining a confident sensitivity of brushwork and a vision of what might be once the subtle blends of oxides fuse with the tin glaze in the firing, it is both a rewarding and unforgiving art form. A Journey Painted in Clay celebrates the ceramic work of Agalis Manessi through its various forms of expression over a career spanning fifty years. Inspired by many historical and contemporary sources, her work is a fusion of her...