American Stonewares: The Art and Craft of Utilitarian Potters (Schiffer Book for Collectors)

This entirely different book on American Stonewares presents the history and the technology of production. Complete chapters describe the method of turning clay into pots, common and uncommon forms in which pots were made, the meaning of various marks and the varieties of decoration, the glazes employed, and the firing process. Never before have the various forms manufactured been so completely described and pictured. Temporal and regional variations are presented. Pots from different areas of the United States and Canada and dating from the earliest eighteenth century pieces into the twentieth century are included. A detailed chapter on glazes describes the characteristics of the four major forms of glaze used upon American Stonewares, including the curious Southern Alkaline form of glaze. The manner of preparation, components, characteristics and defects of these glazes are fully presented. A chapter on firing includes a description of various methods of stacking and furniture for this as well as a discussion of the effects of firing upon the body clay and the glazes.