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send check or money order to CERAMICS MONTHLY3494 N. High St.Columbus 14, Ohio

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1 1 " s q . x 9" $ 6 5 . 0 0 $ 3 . 0 0 1 1 " s q . x 1 1 " 8 0 . 0 0 3 . 0 0 1 2 " - s q . x 9 " 7 5 . 0 0 3 . 5 0 1 2 " sq . x 1 1 " 9 0 . 0 0 3 . 5 0 1 2 " s q . x 131/_, ' , 1 0 6 . 0 0 5 . 0 0 1 5 " sq . x 131/~" 1 2 5 . 0 0 6 .00 1 8 " sq . x 131/~" 1 3 8 . 0 0 6 . 5 0 1 8 " s q . x 1 5 " 1 8 1 . 0 0 6 . 5 0 1 8 " sq . x 1 8 " 2 1 5 . 0 0 7 .50

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FEBRUARY 1954- I

HI-LO wi,h o//CERAMICHROME'S c o n e 6 to 06

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t h f i e l d Road * Bedford , O h i o

2 CERAM ICS MONTHLY

Volume 2, Number 2 F E B R U A R Y • 1 9 5 4

SO cents per copy

c o v e r s t o r y

C o n t e m p o r a r y J apanese Ce ramics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Walter Donald Kring 16

articles

S c u l p t u r e on the W h e e l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Kenny 11

T h e W h o l e s a l e M a r k e t . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bonnie Warren 14

I ron S p o t t e d Glazes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Harding Black 20

C r e a t e w i t h Slabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thomas Sellers 26

shows Fiber , C l a y a n d M e t a l (St. P a u l ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2~

Oh io C e r a m i c S h o w ( Y o u n g s t o w n ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Le t te r s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

N e w ~4 U s e f u l . . . . . . . . . 6

Sugges t ions . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

regular reading Adver t i s e r s I n d e x . . . . . . . 33

A n s w e r s to Ques t i ons . . . 2 3

I t i ne r a ry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

EDITOR

Louis G. Farber

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Mary Elliott

BUSINESS MANAGER

Spencer k. Davis

ADVISORY EDITORS

g. Sheldon Carey

John B. Kenny

Edgar Littlefleld

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Henry Bollman

Karl Mortz

Dorothy W. Perkins

Kenneth E. Smith

COVER by Gordon Keith

Ceramics Monthly is published each month at the Lawhead Press, Inc., Athens, Ohio, by Professional Publications, Inc., 3494 N. High St., Columbus 14, Ohio. Spencer L. Davis, Presi- dent and Treasurer; Louis G. Farber, Vice President: P. S. Emery, Secretary. Price in U.S.A. and Possessions: one year, $4: two years, $7; three years $9. Canada and Pan America 50 cents a year additional: foreign add $1 a year. Current issues, 50 cents each; back issues, 60 cents each.

Advertising correspondence, copy, and cuts should be sent to the Business Manager, Ceramics Monthly, 3494 N. High St., Columbus, 14, Ohio. Entered as second-class matter at the post office at Athens, Ohio, as granted under the Authority of the Act of March 3, 1879. Printed in U.S.A.

Copyright 1956 by Professional Publications, Inc.

All rights reserved.

g l e t t e r f r o m t h e e d i t o r

It is always interesting and encouraging to learn of the continued acceptance of ceramics, and of the many schools and organizations which are adding ceramics to their other art and craft activities. With some groups, however, it is far from a new addition. The program of the Boy Scouts of America, for example, has included ceramics almost since their incorporation in 1910. And the National Headquarters informs us that from 1911 through 19S2, a total of 19,$40 Pottery Merit Badges were awarded to Scouts in the United States.

Although we were almost positive that merit badges are nat handed out as freely as were the good conduct medals during the last war, we check- ed the requirements. Our confidence was well placed!

According to the "Trial Draft of New Require- ments" dated October, 1953, a Boy Scout, in order to earn a merit badge for pottery, must:

1. Explain the scope of the ceramic industry in the United States and tell same of the items produced exclusive of craft pottery.

2. Explain the properties and ingredients of a good clay body for craft pottery.

3. Submit drawings of two pottery forms---one to be a recognized type such a¢ American Indian, Greek, or Chinese: the other to be of original design.

4. Submit a rough sketch of a potter's wheel and tell how it works.

In case that sounds too easy, the Requirements continue:

S. Do any three of the following to be approved by the counselor:

Make a flat tray or dish, a box or similar item using the slab method, a vase or jar using the call method, four different decorated tiles of original design, a human or animal figure or decorative book ends; throw a simple vase on a potter's wheel: visit a pottery brickyard, ceramic plant, trade school or workshop, take notes on the pottery processes, and describe the visit.

6. Explain the meaning of any ten of the following: bat, wedging, throwing, leather dry, bone dry, greenware, bisque ware, terra cotta, grog, slip, earthenware, stoneware, par. celaln, pyrometric cone, glaze.

The Boy Scouts of America are to be congratu- lated for establishing and maintaining such a commendable set of requirements. We are remind- ed once again of the full meaning of the Scouts' slogan, "Be Prepared."

We can't help wondering how many practicing ceramists--and teachersmare as well prepared. All of us might check ourselves on the above set of requirementsmor would that be embarrassing?

Yours sincerely,

We' re starting out right with

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The quality is high enough for professionals to use; the price is low enough for beginners to buy. Take your work out of the ordinary and put it in a class by itself with V E L V A - P L Y .

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The new SPECIAL ART KIT contains 4 assorted Beachstone Glozes of 4 ounce jars each, I Decorator Frost for those lovely drip effects and brushed-on de- signs, AND our newest baby, Sweetheart Red. All for just $4.7'5 plus postage. (80c west of Miss. 60c east).

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letters " M o r e S c h o o l s S h o u l d Try . . . "

Gent lemen : T he article in the Dec. issue by Herber t

Kurtz, " 'A Ceramic Class O n A Budget ," was of part icular interest to me because we started a ceramic division in our classes this year. I believe I did better than Mr. Kurtz on my buying. M y budget was also $300, but we bought a high-fire electric kiln with an inside capacity of 15" sq. by 15l/2" high . . . .

I have two high school classes of thir ty s tudents each. I plan an over-all arts and crafts program including design, color, pa in t ing and drawing, leather, enameling on copper, jewelry, and ceramics. I allow six weeks for ceramics, a period in which we cover pinch, slab, and coil methods. A n y s tuden t f inishing early is permit ted a chance on ceramic sculpture. Each s tudent uses such f inishing mediums as colored engobes, sgraflito, underglaze paint ing, opaque or t r ansparen t colored glazes . . . .

For clay I found that 200 lbs. carried the sixty s tudents very well for the first semester. I also have in the class-room 100 lbs., each, of slip-casting clay, white model- ing clay, and plaster, all of which came in on the initial $300 order for our ceramic program.

It has been my policy, teaching in this school, to give a r un . t h rough of all arts and crafts in the first, and part of the second, semester. I then allow the s tudents to select the art or craft they liked best and re turn to it as a special project, with stress on better design, p lann ing and crafts- manship . A t this t ime the s tudents selecting ceramics as their project are given an oppor tuni ty to make original plaster molds and do some slip casting. The more expen. sive white model ing clay is also used . . . .

Later on we expect to have a potter 's wheel . . . .

Th is is the second year for the art de- pa r tmen t at Cortez High School. It was started from noth ing a year ago last Sep- tember; and if our little and financially poor school can do it, more schools should also try to include ceramics.

HATTIE L. WADDELL Cortez, Colo.

Report on Finnish Geramists G e n t l e m e n :

Those of your readers who enjoyed the article "F innish Ceramis ts" in the October issue might be interested in this excerpt from the September 12 issue of Saturday Review. It 's f rom Horace Sut ton ' s "Booked for Travel" column.

" . . . Some of F in land ' s . . . wares are among the most sophist icated in Europe. Easily the most s tar t l ing work is the ceramics, almost all of it done in a giant p lant on the fr inge of town called A r a b i a - - for no other reason than tha t the one-time peddler who started it had once lived there. Arabia makes a milky,white china after the ancient Chinese grain-of-rice technique, and I can report to you tha t we have bought half a dozen demitasse cups and saucers at $3.50 each set which sell for $10.50 each cup and saucer in New York. This, as any- one who can work an abacus can see, is a t r emendous bargain, but the trouble is that I shall be much too nervous to use them. Arabia also underwri tes the land 's best ceramists, whose work it sells, and they

have produced some of the most fantasy- filled pieces of clay you ever saw while awake. You can find it at Arabia ' s retail shop or at Stockmann's , both in Helsinki , and let's not talk about the price."

ROBERT ARMSTRONC, Orlando, Fla.

Potter's Plight Gentlemen :

I thought you might be interested in the enclosed Chris tmas card [see cut] which I received from one of your subscribers,

David W. Archie, Iron Mounta in , Mich- igan. O n the inside, he inscribed, "Mer ry Christmas. W h a t do I do now?" In reply, I sent him a washcloth, nail brush and cake of soap.

JOHN B. KENNY New York City

In Defense Gentlemen :

In reply to the letter from Dr. Koch ("Let ters ," January) , I, too, am disturbed, discouraged and disappointed to think that a person as obviously dedicated to educa- tion as Mrs. Koch, would adopt the attitude that any magazine should be directed only to the intelligentsia . . . . They who know as much about ceramics as Mrs. Koch . . . . have no need for a magazine such as CERAMICS MONTHLY. Reading what you al- ready know is a gross waste of time.

For a magazine to grow and prosper, it cannot base its appeal on one particular group of readers. The school child and the person of limited experience has as much right to additional knowledge as the higher educational group . . . .

I refer Mrs. Koch to page 81 of Lin Yutang ' s " T h e Importance of Living." It is his opinion tha t simplicity in writing is the sign of intelligence. Only the neophyte expounds in pedantic language; the learned ones present the subjects in few and simple words . . . .

PEf;gY DAMERELL Exton, Pa.

Gent lemen : [Dr . Koch 's] criticism of the luster

articles (October, November, December) was unjust . . . The articles were well done • . . my only comment being that too strong a point was made about the irritating effect of the lusters on the eyes• It should be men- tioned, of course, but no more emphatically than you would make the comment about soap, perfume . . .

H:XRRIeT FOR'rE ~, New York City

CERAMICS MONTHLY

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FULL LINE of kilns available for immed- iate shipment from stock. Pottery kilns (2000 deg. F. max. temp.) priced from $31.00 (crated) up. Porcelain kilns (2300 deg. F. max. Temp.) priced from $99.00 (crated) up. All shipments in approved crating for fast insured service to all points.

It is to YOUR ADVANTAGE to get the "Know-how" and experience that have made Paragon the fastest selling portable electric kiln.

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FEBRUARY 1954 5

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new & useful N E W BRUSHES for flat lacquering and touch-up are announced by Bergen ~ f Brush Supplies. Called the series 90G, r they are available in packages of four dozen assorted, or as open stock. For ~ details, write Bergen at 110 Stuyvesant l~ Ave., Lyndhurst, N. J.

GRINDING, mixing and blending of large or small batches of ceramic ma- terials can be done quickly with More- house Mills, according to the manu- ~ ~ ~ facturer, Morehouse Industries. The [ f ~ Mills can be used for wet or dry mill- b ing and by making a simple adjustment the material can be ground to a specific particle size. Easily cleaned, change- over from one color to another can be done rapidly without contamination.

Applicable to the preparation of glazes, casting slips, engobes, colors and ceramic inks, the Mills will be of par- ticular interest to manufacturers of ceramic materials as well as studios,

If you have a product or a service you feel will be of interest to the readers of "Ceramics Monthly," send the pertinent information and illustrations (if available) to the attention of the Editor, "Ceramics Monthly," 3494 N. High St., Columbus 14.

production potters and artware manu- facturers. For full details, write to Morehouse Industries, 1150 San Fer- nando Rd., Los Angeles 67, mention- ing CERAMICS MONTHLY.

Olin Russum suggests: An e a s y way to get t e x t u r e

when using PEMCO PA-2016 clay Smooth, white Pemco pottery clay can easily be trans- formed to an interesting rough texture. Press out layers of the clay with the heel of your hand, as Mr. Russum has done in the picture. Sprinkle l ightly with fireclay or grog. Repeat with another layer of clay and more grog. Roll up the clay and wedge. An even distribution will give a salt and pepper mixture. Now the clay can be shaped, molded or formed on the wheel. The bisqued ware is attractive glazed or left unglazed.

~ ! i ii!! ¸ ?

Write for latest price

list and name of dealer near you

==i

ii~i~< i I !)ii~ii:/it

, T I O N 24, Md.

CERAMICS MONTHLY

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

yOU ~PE invitedto attend...

T h e F i r s t A n n u a l

G r e a t L a k e s

Ceramic Hobby E x h i b i t i o n

Detroit, Michigan May 19-23, 1954

A display of an a r t . . . "as old as time; as modern as tomorrow"

You will have the opportunity to see the wedding of the old with the new and the conventional with the inspirational. You will not only have the opportunity to see the possi- bilities of ceramics, but you will be meeting the people who can help you achieve results you dream of.

You are also invited to enter the competitive field which is open to the hobbyist. This is a chance to compete against the best of the land to see how you compare.

This is going to be a field day for you--the hobbyist.

For further information write: Arthur E. Higgs, Managing Director Masonic Temple Detroit, Michigan

Phone Bay City, Michigan 2-0420

FEBRUARY 1954 7

MAYCOq America's finest and most popular ceramic c o l o r s - in liquid form m ready and easy to use. Made by European trained craftsman for: Hobby- ists and Professionals.

• 48 OPAQUE UNDER- GLAZE COLORS 41 regu lar shades. 7 ar t colors (speckled effect) for cove rage , sgra f f i fo etc.

• 24 TRANSLUCENT ONE STROKE UNDER AND OVER THE GLAZE (MAJOLICA) COLORS. 3 kits - - 8 colors each: @l basic colors, -#2 pastel colors, #3 in-between colors. For fine detail work, shading, china painting effect on greenware etc. No special trans- parent glaze necessary on any of our colors.

• 15 MAYCO SATINA One-fire satin finish cer- amic colors.

• MAYCO MATT the transparent matt glaze.

• THE NEWEST: MAY- CO MASK for masking off parts of a design. Paint on - - Let dry - - Peel off.

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• WRITE FOR YOUR FREE PRICE LIST

12 page illustrated mold cafalog--25c

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North Hollywood, Calif. Mailing address: P.O. Box 224

itinerary Send show announcements early-- at least three months prior to date for receiving entry cards and works

far exhibition.

WHERE TO SHOW CONNECTICUT, Norwa lk June 6-July 4

Fifth Annual New England Show at Silvermine Guild of Artists. Open to artists born, or resident two months, in New England. Mediums include ceramic sculpture. Prizes: more than $2000, one.man show at New York gallery. Jury; fee: $3; entry cards, work due May 15, 16, 17 (sculpture photos due May 3). Write Revington Arthur, exhibition chairman, at the Guild, Silvermine Rd., Norwalk, Conn.

KANSAS, W i c h i t a Ap r i l 11-May 11

Ninth Annual National Decorative Arts.Ceramic Exhibition, sponsored by Wichita Art Association. Prizes : $1200, honor medal, special award. Jury; entry fee: $3; entries due March 22.29. For further information write Mrs. Maude G. Schollenberger, presi- dent, Wichita Art Association, 401 N. Belmont Ave.

NEW YORK, Buffalo Ma rch 3-Apri l 4

Ceramists of 14 Western New York counties eligible for the 20th Annual Western New York Artists show. At the Albright Art Gallery. Jury; prizes. Fee: $2. Send entry cards by February 3, work by February 12. For more de- tails write Miss Beatrice Howe, A1- bright Art Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Ave., Buffalo 22.

WASHINGTON, Seattle March 7-Apr i l 7

Northwest Craftsmen's Second Annual All-Crafts Show at the Henry Gallery, University of Washington. Open to craftsmen living and working in Ore- gon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia. Pottery, ceramic sculpture, and enamels included. Re- ceiving dates: February 12, 13. Prizes: jury; entry fee. For entry blanks write Northwest Craftsmen, Henry Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle 5.

WEST VIRGINIA, H u n t i n g t o n Apr i l I 1-May 2

Second annual Exhibition 80 at Hunt- ington Galleries. Open to artists and craftsmen over high school age, with- in fifty-mile radius of Huntington, members of Tri-State Creative Arts Assn. All mediums. Fee: $2, mem- bers; $3, non.members. Entry cards due Mar. 20; work, Mar. 25. lury: award certificates. Write Exhibition 80 at gallery, Park Hills, Huntington, for further information.

WHERE TO GO CALIFORNIA, San Francisco through February 15

One hundred ceramic pieces by Bea- trice Wood at the M. H. de Young Memorial Museum, Golden Gate Park.

(Please turn to Page 30)

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8 CERAMICS MONTHLY

CERAMISTS'

S U P P L I E S :: ~ . . E Q U I P M E N T : . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. / "~C,S:

FOR BETTER WARE select either of these Drakenfeld dry casting or moist clay bodies:

Cone 06 White Casting Clay 68203 Cone 06 White Plastic Clay 68204

BE SURE to choose from the following group of Draken- reid glazes for special results in your particular projects.

II Available in a wide variety of sparkling colors, they are W R I T E F O R 1 i i • • • FREE "L . . . . . . . ED I spec ally des gned for Cone 06 flre-mmtmaze the danger CATALOG anK'u [ of crazing, shivering, blistering, pinholing and crawling:

C0ntainingcomplete | Cone 06-04 Gloss (Majolica)Cone 07-02 Crystalline information and prices | Cone 06-02 Vellum Matt Cone 07-02 Crackle on all Drakenfeld pot. | . . . . . . • .. I ~one o~-uz ±v/aLL Cone 07-02 Fancy Art tery suppu,es-- every. | thing from underglaze pencils to grinding~L ~ ~ • ~ • •

mills. U r o k e l l t e l d l B. F. DRAKENFELD & CO., INC.

I I 45 Park Place, New York 7, N. Y. I I I

i!z!i~iizi!iiii!

E L E C T R I C KILNS Enjoy the thrill of doing your own firing• Drakenfeld has a full line of electric kilns from which you can choose the floor or bench model best suited to your needs. Complete infor- mation sent on request.

F e b r u a r y

February is the month in Which the Xmas gifts you've Need replacing.

gottln'

Don't go get another vase That recalls Aunt Eppie's face Be independent.

Enjoy yourself, be smart, be wise Replace those gifts with our supplies Live a little.

S. PAUL WARD, INC. 601 Mission Street SYcamore 9-2131

South Pasadena. California PYramid 1-2552

FEBRUARY 1954 ?

10 CERAMICS MONTHLY

SCULPTURE you cancreate on the Wheel sculpture fantasies on the wheel-- a potter's wheel or a banding wheel

by JOHN KENNY

' i

A BSTRACT shapes or fantastic animals that are fun to make and to use have been fashioned from

clay ever since man first made pottery. You can create imaginative, amusing creatures by combining cylinders, cones, and spheres which can be made either on the potter's wheel or the banding wheel.

The pieces of sculpture shown here were made on the potter's wheel. The llama, about eight inches tall, con- sists of a cylinder for the body, and two cones for the neck and head-- each cut as needed and then stuck together. The ears and tail were at- tached afterward. The chessmen, above, received generous modeling,

cutting, and incising, after the indi- vidual sections had been thrown and fastened together.

These pieces could have been made on a banding wheel (also called a whirler or decorating wheel), using an adjustable hand rest as illustrated, or some other steady support. But more of this process, later. First, let us watch a piece of sculpture being thrown on the potter's wheel: a candlestick in the form of a woman with arms outspread.

FIFTH IN A SERIES, this article is from Mr. Kenny'~ new book, "Ceramic Sculpture," published by Greenberg: Publisher, N. Y. Chessmen at top of page are by Richard Pefferson; the llama, above, is by J. J. Carom

FEBRUARY 1954 I I

T HE P O T T E R pulls up a cylinder in the usual way and then creates a narrow portion by pressing against the clay with both hands. This will be the lady's waist. The waist is made still narrower and the clay is drawn up and out to form the bust. The top of the shape is closed to make a head, completing the figure except for arms.

A small cylinder of clay is now thrown and made narrower in the middle. Cut in half, it will make two arms with flowing sleeves.

The pieces are then placed in a damp closet for about twenty-four hours. When leather hard they are removed. The small cylinder is cut in half and each arm is attached to the body.

The candle sockets and the hands are modeled separately. The end of a round knife handle is pressed into a ball of clay to make the candle socket; the hand is made from a flattened strip of clay and fastened to the socket.

When the two hands and sockets are in place, temporary clay props sup- port them. Clay supports are used rather than wood, for example, because the figure will shrink as it dries; and the props shrink along with it. If a solid support were used, the arms

would crack off as the clay dried. Thin coils of clay are added for

hair. A collar for the lady's dress is made from a strip of clay cut in scal- lops, moistened, and pressed into place with a wooden modeling tool. Coils again, for the ruffles on the skirt and sleeves; the modeling tool is used to mark these for the ruffled effect.

After the piece dried, the potter ap- plied a coat of opaque white glaze and gave it its first firing. The features were then painted on with underglaze colors, and the piece refired.

N O W T H A T the wheel,thrown sculpture is finished, we turn to another way of making cylindrical shapes for this type of sculpture. It is the method mentioned earlier and illus- trated in a photo on the preceding page. Wi th a combination of a band- inq wheel (or whirler) and an adjust- able hand rest, you can construct round forms which are perfectly true. As one hand turns the whirler, the other hand does the "truing up." Firm brac- ing for your hand is a very important factor; the adjustable hand rest which can be raised or lowered as you work will give the necessary support.

Using this method, you make the body for the candlestick lady by con- structing a coil-built cylinder. As you add one coil on top of the other, true- up the inside and outside surfaces. A clothes pin is a good tool for the inside, a wooden block for the outside. As the piece grows taller, raise the hand rest, and use a larger block for truing.

The small cylinder for the arms may be made in the same fashion as the body. From this point on, proceed as with the wheel-thrown lady, forming hands, candle sockets, and trimmings.

Whether you throw the shapes or turn them on the whirler, experiment with cylinders and spheres; cut and combine them in original sculpture.

Use the clay freely to create objects of whimsy and fantasy but at the same time treat it with respect.

In ceramics the line that separates the gay and amusing from the merely banal is a thin one, and it is easy to slip across. Guard against that by thinking of the material you work with. Clay has inherent beauty and dignity. If a piece does not measure up to your standards, get out the ham- mer and consign it to the oblivion it deserves. •

12 CERAMICS MONTHLY

FEBRUARY 1954-

to sellmis the aim of produc- ing potters, here are some comments from a pottery that investigated wholesale selling methods.

THE WHOLESALE MARKET by BONNIE WARREN

THE WARRENS, Gilbert and Bonnie, relax in the doorway of their Pottery at Providence, R.I. "Gil is the potter," advises Bonnie. "1 am saleslady, book- keeper, baby sitter, and frustrated architect." Mr. Warren, shown glazing (below), is a graduate of R.I. School of Design. He philosophizes: "1 would as soon see a hundred people use pots from the same mold as make a one-of-a-klnd piece that no one dares use."

14 CERAMICS MONTHLY

W E TACKLED the wholesale market when my husband and I decided that this was the

way we could sell more of his pots and thus make a better living.

Although our experience is limited - - w e have been wholesaling only two years--we feel that selling ware through such channels has real ad- vantages for the studio potter. He is, first of all, released from actual selling which may not be congenial and cer- tainly is time consuming. Next, his in- come becomes more stabilized because he can plan in advance for peak seasons. Last, but most important, he organizes and better utilizes his time.

When we took the wholesale path, we were faced with problems quite different from those encountered by the potter who concentrates on one-of- a-kind pots (thrown or hand built) destined for a retail outlet. Whole- saling involves a line of related items (cast ware) and means new problems of design, production, and marketing.

Familiar methods of wholesaling ceramic ware are: to obtain an agent who will show samples of your pottery at the semi,annual gift shows held in major cities, and take orders; hire a salesman who goes on the road to solicit orders; or sell in quantity to a jobber who then resells to shops.

Before an agent will agree to handle a particular ware, the potter must de- sign a line of from twenty to thirty related items. Certain factors in the de- sign become important. It is wise, for example, for the design of accessory items such as ash trays, vases, and candlesticks, to complement commer- cially produced dinnerware. To dis- tinguish your ceramics from others on the market, continuity of form is highly desirable; and it is effective to include graded sets of ash trays or vases (buyers for shops like nests of ash trays so three items sell instead of one).

Eye appeal is a crucial factor in de- sign, for the initial visual impression of a pot usually determines its sale or re- jection. Warren Pottery last year intro- duced a series of vases in red, green, black, and white, with no surface de- sign or texture: they depended entirely on form and color to attract the eye.

Apparently this was not enough be- cause when a pleasing sgratlqto design with overspray was added, sales in- creased. Decoration had enhanced their appearance and handcrafted character.

T t"h H A N D C R A F T E D feeling is reason for a great deal of pot-

tery's sales appeal: the customer in a shop likes the individual variations found in each piece. This often proves to be a headache for the store's buyer who orders duplications of an original sample. How to duplicate through mass production techniques yet retain that human, hand-fashioned feeling is a problem that must be solved by the potter who wholesales. Careful selec- tion of glazes, and individual decor- ation of each piece (although a stan- dard design is carried through the line)--these give products a vitality not found in "slick" commercial ware.

The designing side of wholesaling pottery does not stop once distinction, continuity of form, eye appeal and the handcrafted feeling have been achieved. The potter must keep his line %live" by anticipating trends and changes in taste: he must be ready to present new forms, fresh colors, textures, and sur- faces, annually.

The price of the pot here is the key to success or failure in the whole- sale venture. Once his ware is on the market, the potter is immediately in competition, price-wise, with larger commercial firms. He should set prices as low as possible always keeping in mind that retail markup ranges from one-third to double the wholesale price. It is out of the wholesale price that the potter must pay his agent a 10 to 15 percent commission, cover studio operating costs--and make a profit. Actually, a one-man pottery has to take in three dollars in order to clear one. W e have found that a price range of twenty-five cents to four dollars per item brings results. W e have found, too, that a larger, more expensive pot helps to sell quantities of a related but less expensive item.

W HEN YOU produce for the wholesale market, it is essential to plan each day's work carefully. Most

stores request shipment within thirty days of the original order date, and may reserve the right to cancel if you don't deliver. Although the number and types of jobs to be done vary from day to day, the following schedule may give a general picture of an eight- hour day at Warren Pottery: 1) un- load bisque kiln fired overnight; 2) wax, glaze, and decorate pots for two glaze kilns; 3) load and fire two kilns; 4) cast molds once (thirty in average daily use); 5) finish pieces cast ahead; 6) load bisque kiln to fire overnight. Such a day is devoted primarily to glazing; on a full casting schedule molds are filled and emptied three times in a day. Casting or doing one kind of work all day would, however, be monotonous: variety in daily tasks helps the shop to run smoothly.

W e use a battery of three small electric kilns (15 by 1 7 ~ by 17~- inch chambers) plus an owner-built electric kiln (18 by 18 by 23-inch chamber). One kiln at least is fired daily, and at peak production, all four. When you operate on a small budget, there are advantages in a number of small kilns. They cost less initially, speed production in case of a rush order, and result in smaller loss should a firing be unsatisfactory.

Seconds and rejects totaling about 10 per cent can be expected in mass production. These need not be total losses, however, for many shops re- quest only seconds which they sell at a discount; and there is always an excellent local market for disposing such pots.

Ceramics are featured more and more in advertisements, in fashion and home magazines--and the buying pub- lic is strongly influenced thereby. Numerous craft exhibitions, competi- tions, and publications affect the taste of the homemaker. Thus the demand for ceramics grows. The studio potter who uses wholesaling techniques is en- couraged for he can sell more pots at lower cost to a larger market. And he can compete successfully with indus- trial potteries because he has lower overhead, needs fewer molds, and can introduce new items more quickly. He has reason to be encouraged. •

EXAMPLES of the Warren llne, these pieces are distributed through wholesale channels. The vases at left moved faster when sgraffito decoration was added; and buyers llke grad- uated sets such as the ashtrays at right, accord- ing to Bonnie. Wholesale prices for the pieces shown range from 50 cents for the cigarette cup to $3.50 for the tall vase. An "expensive" item helps to sell quantities of related but lower priced pottery, the Warrens' found. Related design is apparent throughout the ware.

FEBRUARY 1954

COVER STORY

TOMIMOTO, an outstanding artist ot the porcelain school, paints at his home in Kyoto. He is a noted calligrapher as well as potter.

I I

the ceramics and trad- contemporary itions of japan today

as reported by a travel- JAPANESE ing american potter

b y W A L T E R D O N A L D K R I N G CERAMICS p OTTERS A T W O R K in the Orient was something I had wanted to see ever since my days as a theological

student, when I delved into oriental art as a way to understanding oriental religions. The opportunity came last summer when my wife and I went to Japan and for six weeks visited potters and temples. I returned from the trip with some very distinct impressions about contemporary Japanese potters and their work, and with the feeling that despite their magnificent traditions the Japanese, too, have ceramic problems.

The contemporary Japanese pottery with which American potters have become familiar is inspired by China's Sung period: it is the earthy, "peasant" type of ware that inclines to greens, browns, grays, and blacks. (The ware is also influenced by the somewhat introspective and esoteric demands of the Japanese tea ceremony which places importance on simple things.) This is the pottery that the master craftsman Bernard Leach writes of; the pottery that hundreds of Americans were introduced to

when Mr. Leach, Shoji Hamada, and Dr. Soyetsu Yanagi toured the United States in 1952. The creative work of these men is within that tradition, and it is one of Japan's finest.

On our trip, we discovered that the Japanese think of Bernard Leach as one of them rather than as an English- man. The Folk Museum in Tokyo, directed by Dr. Yanagi, has an entire room devoted to Leach pottery, an honor not yet accorded one of their own countrymen.

W e went to Mashiko to visit Shoji Hamada, and found this great potter, who has not sought fame and doesn't even sign his name to his wares, so besieged with visitors that I had literally to stand in line to take his picture. The Japanese are quick to respond to praise from foreigners so the fame accorded Mr. Hamada in America had had its effect at home. Now recognized by Japanese and Westerners alike, he was made an "attraction" by the Japan Tourist Bureau, and every day bus loads of his countrymen plus a few stray Americans and Europeans were stopping at his

16 CERAMICS MONTHLY

THE MINISTER of the First Unitarian Church at Worcester, Massachusetts, would give you not only his blessing, if you were being married there, but a piece of his pottery as well. He is Walter Donald Kring who came to the appreciation and creation of ceramics via the unusual route of religion. While a student at Harvard Divinity School, he studied Chinese and Japanese art as a key to Oriental faiths; in the process, became deeply interested in Oriental pottery. No sooner did he have his parish than he and his wife built a large brick kiln behind the parsonage. They have been potting ever since, except during World War II when he served as a chaplain in the United States Navy.

After the Krings' first visit to the Orient last year, he set down his impressions for "Ceramics Monthly." Mr. Kring looks to Japan to preserve the great ceramic traditions of the Orient. "They had been lost in Korea," he explains, "even before the recent fighting, and we are now cut off from what China may do in ceramics." He feels Americans and others should place greater emphasis on Oriental tradi- tions so they will continue to live as something more than museum .specimens.

Mr. Kring considers himself a hobby potter. "1 make only what I want to make. We sell about halfmand give away the other half. I take no orders."

Apropos of Oriental influence on his work, Mr. Kring states: "One must choose a point of inspiration. I happen to have chosen some types of Sung pottery as those which most nearly please me." He works almost entirely in reduced-fire stone- ware making oxbloods, celadons, chuns, and temmokus. Mrs. Kring does the brush decorating on his pots. The couple's work has been exhibited in the Syracuse Ceramic National and elsewhere. Mr. Kring throws a pot in photo at right.

LEACH AND HAMADA decorating at the latfer's home in Mashiko. Theft ware ;~ the earthy, "peasant" type in greens, greys, browns.

lovely country home. Distance and remoteness had once protected him, but now improved transportation had made him accessible to anyone. Needless to say, this interfered with the production of pottery. He inserted a notice in the Tokyo newspapers asking people to refrain from visiting him but it did little good. As Mr. Leach said to us: "Hamada always feeds them tea and cakes." W e found the Japanese potter, who speaks English fluently and understands Western ways, still amiable, smiling.

B U T IF an American thinks the work of Leach, Hamada, Yanagi, and others working within the Sung-inspired tradition gives an adequate and complete view of contemporary Japanese ceramics, he deceives him- self. There is another, historically important tradition which is very strong in Japan today: it is the porcelain tradition with emphasis on over-glaze decoration, from the Ming period. Its influence, however, is almost missed by those who see only the tradition of Hamada and his group.

Outstanding among artists of the porcelain school is Kenkichi Tomimoto of Kyoto, famous not only as potter but as brushpainter or calligrapher. His finest work is done on a porcelain body covered with a dull red over-glaze, then highly decorated in burnished silver and gold. It is a meticulously done and expensive kind of ware. In addition to the more elaborate pieces, he has turned his hand to decorating porcelain plates in under-glaze blue and over- glaze red, with brush-drawing freely and rapidly done. These plates are marketed locally in limited quantities. Here is one of the best contemporary representatives of the historic porcelain tradition.

Culturally, Tomimoto finds himself a little out of place in modern Japan. The flair for "modern" and copy, ing Western style is popular on the one hand, and the emphasis on Sung tradition very popular on the other. Consequently, the traditional, over-glaze enamel decoration on porcelain is not quite so appealing to many people.

Tomimoto will soon travel, with Bernard Leach, to St. 1yes in England to make porcelain with local materials. They may find the going difficult because both are artists with definite points of view and little sympathy for the kind of work the other does; but the working combination, though probably electric, should be profitable. Tomimoto gave me the impression he would like to come eventually to America to work with our materials and to teach. Such a visit would be a fine thing for it would help to broaden our conception of Japanese pottery and porcelain.

A potter whose work my wife and I particularly liked is Toshio Ono. I believe he is hardly known in America, perhaps because he lives and works in Matsue, a remote province of Japan. He works in somewhat the same style as Hamada and makes, we thought, beautiful pieces. In his glazes is some of the richness of texture found in the best Sung examples. The family tradition will be carried on in the next generation by his son.

The so-called modern--"out-of-the-round," free form type of pottery currently so popular here is also rather prominent in Japan. But in Japan it is a tradition. Irregular shapes have been made there for more than a century and a half. The low-temperature Raku ware, still used exten- sively in the tea ceremony, was apt to be of irregular shape and to have other characteristics now labeled "modern" in America. I saw, for example, a Japanese

FEBRUARY 1954 17

pot with a thick glaze puddle at the bottom, an effect now favored in our buyer-minded country; it was made more than one hundred years ago. Since the process of experimentation is characteristic of the Japanese temper- ament, it is perfectly natural that their potters would have come upon free form, elongated and irregular shapes.

W E S T E R N E R S often wonder why the Japanese have done so much with high fired porcelain. In Kyoto I learned one of the reasons. I was visiting a pottery school (established by the city to replace the old apprentice system for training boys to work in local potteries). Our inter- preter having gone with Mrs. Kring, I communicated through the international sign language. W h e n the boys invited me to throw on the wheel, I bravely took clay, squatted beside the wheel, and tried to th row--wi th the wheel going in what for me was the wrong direction. The boys took turns supplying hand power for the wheel; and the clay, which was wonderfully plastic, threw beautifully. Assuming it was stoneware clay, I made a large bowl with rather thick walls. Only next day, when I turned the foot on the bowl, did I realize that the clay which had worked so beautifully on the wheel was a gray-white-firing por- celain clay. Where we in America have to compound porcelain bodies from a mixture of various materials, and find them difficult to work by hand or to throw, the Japanese take natural porcelain clay from the side of a nearby mountain. After merely drying and screening, this clay has more plasticity than the best, low temperature clays we have to use on the potter's wheel. W i t h such material easily available, it is no wonder the Japanese have made so much fine high temperature ware.

The Japanese potters who visited the United States in 1952 stated they were shocked to see so much poor pot- tery being made by Americans. It was suggested that if we could work within a tradition the results might be better. But merely working within a tradition does not assure good pottery.

During our visits to museums and hundreds of shops in large cities and in small towns, we saw beautiful pieces of pottery on display. I t is almost impossible, however, to buy pieces by the famous Japanese potters in the shops; none were in stock even in the Takumi Craf t Shop at Tokyo which we visited several times. The master crafts- men simply do not produce enough for the potential market. W h a t we found instead was a prevalence of ware made in the old traditions it is true, but much of it poorly made. It was disturbing to observe these traditions fre- quently worked threadbare and become dead, the artistry lost.

I saw many celadon, copper red, and Chtin glazes but usually of such highly refined character, shiny surface, and technical perfection as to have lost the spirit of their ante- cedents. It was alarming not to see in the shops a single piece of modern celadon with anything of the "buttery" quality of the Sung celadons. If Japan produces good celadon glazes, they were not in evidence in the shops: those I saw were harsh. There was some fine sgraffito show- ing through a transparent celadon glaze, but the pi~ccs had that technical perfection expected in factory-made ware. I saw a great deal of red glaze made with copper, and the potters' control of it is nothing short of amazing. But again that same perfection, hardness, and harshness persists, as in the celadons. The Chtin blues and purples were somewhat more artistic though less commonly used. Of all the traditional glazes, it was only in the temmoku and kaki glazes that a fine, subtle quality was usually to be found.

The greatest need, so far as I could observe, is for new life to be given Japanese glazes. Good celadons and copper reds can be made today. On the other hand, the mere addi-

18

Plate by Tomimoto.

Bowl by Leach.

Modern Kyoto porcelain tea cups (above); bowl by Ono.

Bottle by Hamada.

An offering to the fire god at a communal kiln.

......

i

O N O works in much the same styre as I-lamada. Although his work is of excellent caliber, his pottery is virtually unknown in America.

FEBRUARY 1954.

tion of impurities will not improve the technically too- perfect glazes of Japan. Leach, Yanagi, and Hamada have been farsighted and have helped to raise standards but much more work is necessary.

T HE V I S I T I N G potter cannot expect to learn a great deal on a technical level unless he actually lives and works with an individual potter. In the Orient, language is a tremendous barrier. W e had been advised to take an interpreter everywhere but in out-of-the-way places it was often impossible to hire one, and the average guide is of little help when one potter tries to talk techniques with another. Then, too, the Japanese still do many things in a traditional way such as using certain impure ingredients which may be found only in a particular part of the country.

W e found superstition, too. In front of the fire pit of a communal kiln being fired at Kyoto, the potters had erected a Shinto torii (gateway to a shrine, popularly be- lieved to ward off evil spirits), and made offerings of rice and saki to the fire god. (Potters who have suffered through the peculiarities of firing a kiln will readily understand how it might be wise to make an offering to the fire god "just in case.")

In the East, every attempt at individuality is success- fully throttled except in rare cases where men have come under Western influence. The craftsman usually works in a small shop making things as his father and his grand- father may have made them before him, using methods learned at the feet of a master. He is not a self-conscious artist but a craftsman working within a tradition. A n d this is the way Bernard Leach thinks of a potter.

I doubt if Mr. Leach meant to sound as arbitrary as he did when, leaving America, he stated he had not found a great potter in our country. During his visit, he had seen pottery on almost every street corner. He had seen young people trained in art school trying desperately to find a distinctive style that would sell, and then freezing their further development as they went into production. He realized the extent to which our craftsmen produce for the market, a market where taste and style are dictated by commercial buyers in the name of the buying public. But one sees such degeneration in Japan also; in fact, we met several famous Japanese potters who were doing not their best work but that which would fetch good prices in the United States.

The self-conscious artist who produces to make a name for himself is, however, alien to the spirit of the Orient (although the idea is being rapidly imported from America). For the most part, pots are made in Japan not for ceramic shows but for use in the ordinary home, and usually for low prices. This was our strongest impression of the pottery we saw during our travels in Japan. Instead of being for a few aesthetes it is for the many, which is the way it should be.

Since Mr. Leach's last visit to the United States, a great deal has been said and written about the lack of ceramic tradition in America. My own opinion is that it would be a mistake for us to feel that our methods and philosophy of ceramics must be identical with those of the Japanese. (A great threat to the traditional ceramics of Japan is that they will too thoroughly adopt our self-con- scious, individualistic point of view!) Would it not be better for us to seek development within our own traditions, and for the Japanese to reinvigorate theirs?

There is no simple answer that leads to the production of beautiful objects either in the East or the West. The East and West will meet not as we copy traditions but as we each develop our own genius. W e must pro- ceed by our inward convictions and our sense of beauty. If we do this there is no doubt that beauti- ful ceramics will continue to be made. •

Iron Spotted Glazes

b y H A R D I N G B L A C K

T W O or three years ago, while visiting the Cranbrook Academy, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, I saw

some of the iron-spotted glazes that Maija Grotell was producing at that time. I asked her how these glazes were made. She replied that the process was very simple. She just used Albany slip as a base glaze, and a bristol glaze over it as a cover glaze.

Here 's how the spots are produced: whenever a slip glaze starts to melt, it boils up into bubbles, penetrating the lighter-colored cover glaze, making dark black metallic spots on the face of the cover glaze.

| n l l l l n u l | | | . | | | | l . | | | e | | g | t | | 0 | l t l l e | n | | | n | u | l

Mr. Black, a professional potter and instructor in the Ceramic Department of Wi t te Memorial Museum, San An. tonio, Texas, is well.known for his glaze effects.

So I returned to San Antonio and started working on these glazes. I sub- stituted a local slip clay called D'Hanis clay. This gave me only weak brown spots which indicatcd that the D Hanis clay did not have enough iron content to produce the black metallic spots I wanted. In the next tests, therefore, I added 10 per cent red iron oxide to the D'Hanis clay; the results were nice black spots all over the covering glaze.

To get the best spotting effects, these glazes must be fired in an oxidizing at- mosphere to cone 10 down flat. If you fire these iron-spotted glazes in a re- ducing fire, your underslip glaze (with a high iron content) is affected by the carbon from the smoky fire, and be- comes fluid--subsequently, you lose the definite spots. The effect in itself is very interesting, for you get blended broken color effects, by the glaze run,

ning down the sides of the piece. I f you wish to t ry a reduction firing, take care to apply the glazes thinner at the bottom, so that they will not run past your footing.

My method of application is as fol- lows: nine coatings of a slip glaze on a leather-hard p i e c e - either brushed on, or applied with a spray gun. The piece is then dried and bisque fired. Then three coatings of an opaque or semi-opaque bright, mat, or semi-mat glaze are sprayed over the slip-glazed piece. I f you get the covering glaze too thick, the boiling slip glaze has trouble penetrating the cover glaze. If you get the covering glaze too thin, it will merely turn dark from the iron in the slip glaze, and as a result will not form the desired spots.

Here are some of the slip glazes I (Please turn to Page 28)

VARYING FREQUENCY ot spot pattern is one of the decorative possibilities of iron spotting. To obtain the blacE metallic spots, a slip glaze is boiled through a lighter-colored cover glaze. In stoneware pieces at left, Harding Black used sgrafflto technique for additional ornamentation.

CERAMICS MONTHLY

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I1

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Massive, steel const ruct ion completely encloses mechan i sm to exclude clay and mois ture . . . a ssure opera tor safe ty and provide v ibra t ion- f ree per formance . Other fea tures o rd ina r i ly found only in expensiv~ wheels inc lude pre- lubr icated bronze bear ings for quiet , long se rv ice ; conven ien t a rm rests , ad jus t - able wedg ing wire, la rge 18" t h r o w i n g table wi th p len ty of work ing space and a removable wa te r c~p. 10" t h r o w i n g head has jogg les for easy center ing , unders ide reverses fo r ca s t ing plas ter bats . You have complete hand f reedom a t a l l t imes . . . smooth , i n s t an t change of speed f rom 30 to 150 rpm is control led by foot pedal. Easy to use, even for handicapped persons. Use any 1/~ H P motor. (Not incl .) Shipped assembled. Wt . 45 Ibs. S tandard 1/4 H P motor $16.95 when purchased w i th Mas te r Pot te r ' s Wheel. Wr i t e for C i rcu la r

mmm~m I tem 47 Reg. l is t $125.00 Fac to ry Pr ice . o .

10 D A Y M O N E Y B A C K G U A R A N T E E

C O L O R S FOR DECORATING TABLEWARE, TUMBLERS,

LAMP GLOBES, ETC.

Beautiful Low Firing Colors (Cone 022-020)

A GENEROUS SAMPLE COLLECTION OF FIVE GOLD CONTAINED COLORS

(Carmlne-Ruby-Rose)

S 500

Any other colors, collection of 20 colors

$ 500"

C R Y S T A L AND

C O L O R E D I C E S

SAMPLE COLLECTION OF TEN COLORS

2oo, GOLD,(LIQUID BRIGHT ROMAN BURNISH)

PLATINUM, LUSTRES

A complete line available for Glass and China

• IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT • 'Postage paid when check accompanies order.

MEDIUMS iNCLUDED WITH SAMPLES

DEPT. 43E Bur l ing ton , Wis. ~ ~ : ~

FEBRUARY 1954 2l

!i!i~!iii!i!ii~iiiiiii~!iiii~i~i~i~i~i~i!i!!!i~!~i~ii~i~i~!~!~!~!i~i~!ii~i~i!i~iii~!!~!~:!!~!~!!~i!!~!!~!!!!?!? !i!!!i!~ii !~ ! i ̧ .......................... i!iii~iii~iiiiiiiii!ii!ii!!!i!iiiii!iii!iiiiii !

. nuitatlon You are cordially invited to visit our new

Ceramic Center, where you can shop in comfort

and find all your Ceramic supplies at one con-

venient location.

We are certainly thankful to our old friends

who made our expansion possible and hope

many new friends will visit our new Center.

Mrs. Mabel Lester, who recently jo ined our

organizat ion as head of our Hobby Divis ion,

will be available to give lessons in new tech-

niques to our dealers. Write for information.

Those who cannot visit us in person wil l

receive prompt service on their orders or re.

quests for information.

I n c r e a s e d W a r e h o u s e S p a c e - N e w

Mater ia ls - - A d d i t i o n a l E m p l o y e e s

Faster Serv ice m Spec ia l ly D e s i g n e d

S t u d i o R o o m - - T e c h n i c a l A d v i c e

TRINITY CERAMIC SUPPLY 100 Howell Street

Dallas, Texas Telephone PR-7248

~1/rl I II I Tr l r' I I i1|11111|1r I t l l II Ii 1!11 it II t l i l t I EI 1 II I H I ~ [ l l l l It I r l |H I I I I I r l I I I II I It I IE I I I 1 I I I It IIIP I ir I l l I ] I IH I I I I r l I II I F~

i = £

= .

- ~,

" NOTICE TO C U S T O M E R S . . .

" and users of Holland Molds

i SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT - g = = _= m

=

=

= m

m

=

= m

m

m

= m = m

= m m = m

E f f e c t i v e F e b r u a r y 1st, 1954

t h e pr ices o f all our s tock

m o l d s wil l be increased

25 per cent .

T h i s increase h a s become

n e c e s s a r y to cover t h e increased

c o s t s o f m a t e r i a l s and labor.

HOLLAND MOLD SHOP -1040 Penna . Ave . P h o n e 2-7032 Trenton , N. J.~ m = = m = = m

="

l lE I I I I l l I l l I I I I I L I [ I I I I i l l I I I I I I I l l I1[111 I I I I I I I I L I I I i l l iH I I I I I I I I I I I I I l l l l l I I I I l l IH I H I L l 14[ I [ L I I [ I I J I I I I I I i l [ l l [ l ~ ,

ffI-FIRE side loading KILNS

ideal for schools, institutions, laboratories and industry.

T h e s e kilns are available in b o t h 2000°F and 2300°F. Models. They have all the fine fea tures of the Model top loading kilns, except the door opens on the side r a the r than the top. All the larg- er models have ele- ments in the door to assure even distri- bution of heat on all four sides. The door is recessed to retain max imum of heat. Model side loading kilns are adaptable to ceramic, porcelain and copper enamel w o r k . A u t o m a t i c controls are avail- able fo r all models.

W r i t e f o r free c a t a l o g s h o w i n g

45 models .

772 Nor th Main Street Akron 10, Ohio

22 C E R A M I C S M O N T H L Y

answers to

questions CONDUCTF-D BY KEN SMITH

Q. In solid casting under normal conditions, approxi. mately how long should it take for the slip to set suffi. ciently for the casting to be removed?

A. A reasonable average time for a slip to set in a mold is from twenty to thirty minutes. This, however, is a variable figure, because the casting time depends upon the condition of the mold, composition of the slip, design of the piece, temperature and humidity of the surrounding air, and many other factors.

Q. Can you recommend a cement or a glue which will permanently ho~d the finding to earrings, cuff links, etc? I believe I have tried almost everything available, but nothing has been fool.proof.

A. Ordinary DuPont Duco cement which is avail- able in small tubes from any hardware or department store is quite satisfactory for permanently cementing findings to your ceramic jewelry. Perhaps your difficulty is not with the cement: the important thing is to leave unglazed that portion of the piece of jewelry to which the finding is to be cemented.

Q. Wha t can be added to an engobe to help keep it in suspension?

A. If the engobe you are using is a commercial pro- duct, no additions should be necessary. If you are preparing your own, the recipe should include ball clay plus either bentonite or gum. These aid in keeping the mixture in suspension.

The amount of bentonite or gum to be added will de. pend on the other ingredients in the recipe. Generally, around 2 per cent will prove satisfactory. W h e n using bentonite, it should be well mixed in the dry batch, and the water added afterward.

Q. Wha t causes mother.of.pearl luster to appear frosted or crystalline when fired at cone 018 on a cone 06 glazed piece of pottery? This does not seem to be a defect in the luster for I use it successfully on hard china.

A. The condition is probably caused by the cone 06 glaze on which you apply the luster. A t cone 018 the glaze is just beginning to soften and can give the luster a rough surface. Mother-of-pearl and opals are the only lusters likely to be affected in this manner; when decorating on an 06 glaze, therefore, fire to cone 020 for best results.

Another cause of the frosted appearance would be too heavy an application. The same application on hard china probably would not give this effect because the glaze re- mains intact underneath the luster.

Direct your inquiries to Questions Editor, "Ceramics Monthly," 3494 N. High St., Columbus 14, Ohio. Please enclose a stamped reply envelope. Questions of general interest will appear in this column.

N0 !...Reduce Your Costs

CERAMIC ~EQUIPMENT Here They Are...the Latest Equipment

for Studio Supply Houses and for V the Studio Pot tery

Manufacturer

M o d e l MS. Heigh t 38- 5 / 1 6 " ( inc lud ing fun- n e l ) . D i a m e t e r 1 4 " . We igh t 135 lbs. W a t e r - c o o l e d , a l l s t a i n l e s s steel . Motor 3 H . P . , 2 2 0 - 4 4 0 v o l t , 3 6 0 0 R . P . M . on 60 cyc les ,

M o d e l A - 2 0 0 . Heigh t 23~,5 " ( inc luding funne l ) . D i a m e t e r 81~ ". Weigh t only 42 lbs. H e a t - t r e a t e d . a l u m i n u m f r a m e and head. " P l u g - i n " type motor , ~i H . P . , 110 volt . Speed 3600 R . P . M . a t 60 cy- c l e s . S m a l l e s t m i l l in t h e Morehouse line.

Go a f t e r h i g h l y c o m p e t i t i v e b u s i n e s s b y r e d u c i n g y o u r p r o d u c t i o n cos t s t h e m o d e r n w a y . U s e M o r e h o u s e C e r a m i c E q u i p m e n t . . . d o n ' t t ie y o u r s e l f d o w n to "old s t y l e " m e t h - ods of s l o w p r o d u c t i o n .

Morehouse Mills i l lustrated give you fhruput rates f r o m I to 10 pounds per minu te !

U s e M o r e h o u s e Mills f o r t h e p r e p a r a t i o n of al l t y p e s of g lazes , f o r m i l l i n g of c a s t i n g sl ips , f o r p r e p a r a t i o n of u n - d e r g l a z e colors , o v e r g l a z e colors , engobes , t r a n s f e r inks , d e c a l c o m a n i a inks , a n d " d r y - m i l l e d " g lazes .

Proven in large plant i n s t a l l a t i o n s . . . M o r e h o u s e Mil ls a r e l ow in f i r s t cost , r e q u i r e l i t t le m a i n t e n a n c e , o c c u p y on ly s m a l l space . I dea l f o r s m a l l b a t c h e s , r a p i d co lo r c h a n g e - over . E x c e l l e n t q u a l i t y cont ro l . N o c o n t a m i n a t i o n f r o m one p r o d u c t to t h e nex t . Mi l l ing e l e m e n t s a r e " n e u t r a l " . . . f u s e d a l u m i n u m o x i d e . . , l o n g l a s t i ng , r e q u i r e l i t t le a t t e n t i o n d u r i n g t h e i r l o n g u s e f u l life.

ANY DESIRED PARTICLE SIZE The :MOREHOUSE P R I N -

C I P L E makes it s imple and easy to ad jus t for p a r t i c l e size desired. I t is based on the action of a specially fo rmu- lated stone (rotor) revolving in a horizontal plane at high s p e e d a g a i n s t a s t a t i o n a r y stone (s ta tor ) . By means of a notched ad jus tmen t wheel, the lower s tone m a y be set f rom

direct contact wi th the u p p e r stone to c learances up to zA" to ¼". Thus ceramic mater ia l m a y be reduced by the grind- ing sur faces to the required particle size - - 5 microns, 15 microns, etc. You obtain a thoroughly dispersed product. Stones m a y be quickly a n d easily changed.

Go M o d e r n ! . . . Go Morehouse! Morehouse Mills Are Fully Guaranteed Try A Mill in Your P l a n t . . . Morehouse Sales

Engineers are available everywhere in the Uni ted Sta tes to help you analyze and solve your process ing problem.

~ W r i t e . . . or Send C o u p o n . . . T O D A Y !

M O R E H O U S E I N D U S T R I E S SINCE 1898

Originators of hlgh-speed stone milling equipment and sole manufacturers of Morehouse Mills.

1150 San Fernando Rd., Los Angeles 6.5, Calif. (Cable Address *'MORESPEED", Los Angeles)

[ ] Please send me full information on Morehouse Mills. [ ] Please have your representative call. [ ] I would llke to trial test a Morehouse Mill in our plant.

NAME TITLE

COMPANY

ADDRESS

CITY ZONE__STATE

FEBRUARY 1954- 23

I M I T A T E D B U T N E V E R D U P L I C A T E D

C e r a m i c C o l o r M a n u f a c t u r e r s

B E A U T Y BY T H E

B R U S H F U L

OHIO DISTRIBUTOR, Melody Ceramics 1643 Newton St. AKRON, OHIO

Mer r iman Ceramic Studio 28 M e r r i m a n Rd. A K R O N 3, OHIO

Ca l i fo rn ia Ceramic Supply 17409 Water loo Rd. CLEVELAND, OHIO Li l ' s Ceramic Studio 3054 W. 46th St. CLEVELAND, OHIO Mm-gits China Ki ln 14 South 18th St. C O L U M B U S , OHIO Eileen Nice Ceramic Studio COPLEY, OHIO Paqu in Ceramics 800 Sacket t St. CUYAHOGA F A L L S , OHIO

GREETINGS to the State of OHIO THE S M A R T DEALERS LISTED B E L O W K N O W Q U A L I T Y - - T H E Y ARE SUPPLIED

MODEL CERAMICS, INC., 772 N. MAIN ST., AKRON Wal le r Ceramic Studio Tay lo rc ra f t Studio 269 Marsei l les Ave. 1724 George Pa rk Blvd. ELYRIA, OHIO STOW, OHIO L i g h t f o o t Ceramics Hobby House Ceramics Box 47 111 Poland Ave. EVERETT, OHIO STRUTHERS, OHIO Spry ' s A r t Lace Ceramics Johnson Hobbycraf t Mechanicsvi l le Rd., R.D. # 2 30 Elmwood Dr. GENEVA, OHIO TALLMADGE, OHIO Rose Lane Ceramics Thelma Gal lager ' s Ceramic S tudio 1454 Wes t G r a n t St. R . D . ~ 2 Box 320 KENT, OHIO UNIONTOWN, OHIO Mary Sehul tz Ceramic Studio Edna Pi l tz Ceramic Studio 121 W. Homestead 591 Wi l l a rd N.E. MEDINA, OHIO WARREN, OHIO Helen Spa tho l t Ceramic Studio Harpe r Ceramic Studio 246 Ma in St. 150 No. Main St. LEETONIA, OHIO ANGOLA, NEW YORK Harsh Ceramic Studio Emi ly H. J e n n i n g s R. D. # 1 1232 Wisconsin Ave. MARLBORO, OHIO PITTSBURGH, PENN. HAVE YOU SEEN THE S W A N K Y N E W L A M P S D O N E I N V E L V E T A N D B E A D THE STUNNING NEW DINNERWARE IN SUEDE AND GLAZE THE BEAUTIFUL NEW CIGARETTE SETS IN VELVET AND ALLIGATOR

A M A Z I N G - T E R R I F I C - S T U P E N D O U S M A G I C MENDER THE NATIONAL CURE FOR HOBBY HEADACHES

REMEMBER smart dealers use RE-WARD 1985 FIRESTONE BLVD., LOS ANGELES 1, CALIFORNIA

BY O U R 10, O H I O .

o

24

WONFIRE g lazes. . . for REDS t h a t do n o t r u n !

Among the :39 popular colors of WONFIRE liquid glazes are bright red and dark red.

These redsiunlike any red glaze you may have tried--are really fool proof! Try using WONFIRE reds as an underglaze . . . they cannot run! Or use them as single firing glazes • . . you'll get perfect results each time.

S o m e d i s t r i b u t o r s h i p s st i l l o p e n

• . . w r i t e f o r d e t a i l s

Dept. CM, 200 W. Third St., Plainfield, N .J .

JUST PLUG IN THIS A/~s.~,,.v . L . . , ~ , . Think of it! You save time, trouble and money O N L Y when you test your g,azes. Now you can ex- $ 1 9 9 5 periment with new glaze effects and glaze your biscuit ware the same day. Excellent for small pieces or jewelry. FOB New York

Note these specifications: Kanthal AI Element--Babcock. Wilcox Fire Brick--ln~'erlor size 6 x 6 x 4~,,~ in. 12 Amperes.

Send check or money order to Dealer ;nauiri~,c ;n~;,~,,.I

CERAMICS MONTHLY

FIRST award in metal went to Fern Cole, Akron, for her enam- el plaque. The piece was pur- chased for the permanent col- lection of St. Paul Gallery.

SHOW TIME

St. Paul's Second Annual

Fiber, Clay and Metal

Juries for two recent shows---at St. Paul, Minnesota, and Youngstown, Ohio--expressed concern about the quality of the work submitted. In a joint statement, the judges for the second annual Fiber, Clay and Metal exhibition at St. Paul Gallery and School of Art said: " I f we are to inter- pret this exhibition as character is t ic . . . we find a continuing failure to achieve good craftsmanship. For example: in ceramics, there appeared to be an over- emphasis on decoration, and abuses of structural organization at the expense of unity . . . Entries in enameling, though sparse, ranged from good to top quality with an increasing explor-

ation of ideas and techniques . . .'" From a thousand entries, the j u ry - -

Ruth Canfield, New York University; Daniel S. Defenbacher, Fort Worth Art Center; and Phillip Morton, Uni- versity of Minnesota--selected one hundred eighty items. These, with the exception of a few experimental pieces, had "all elements of design in har- mony," they explained, adding that many rejected works would have been acceptable in a less selective exhibition.

Prizes and purchases of $1000 went to seven craftsmen for pottery, enamels, a rug, and a fabric. During the month and a half the exhibition was on dis- play, the largest crowds on record visited the gallery. The Junior League of St. Paul joined the gallery-art school in presenting the show.

(More Show Time on Page 32)

FIRST award in clay was re- ceived by Karen Karnes, of Black Mountain, N.C., for the set of stoneware bowls and casserole.

SECOND in clay went to Laura Andreson, Los Angeles, for the stoneware bowl, which was pur- chased by the Gallery. Also purchased, the vases by Robert Turner, Alfred Station, N . Y .

FEBRUARY 1954

create with

SLABS by THOMAS SELLERS

Q U I C K yet creative way of . ~ a piece pottery making of from

J ' a slab of clay is to use a hump (of plaster, clay or some other ma- terial), a hollow form, a sling mold, or some similar device, as an aid to shap- ing. The advanced potter as well as the student and teacher will find, on in- vestigation, that the method has much to offer.

There is something to be said for a technique which enables the hobbyist-- or the professional--to produce effec- tive, original pieces quickly. It is a boon to the potter who is besieged by friends (some newly-found) for examples of his ability. Teachers of either children or adults know that when a student completes a handmade piece early in the course, he not only has a feeling of accomplishment but

his interest is stimulated. Moreover, with a number of quickly-made pots at hand, a student can try out the varied decorating techniques he has learned.

Slab building with the aid of forms has merits other than speed. One of the most important is that you can decorate on the flat slab and shape the piece afterward. In fact, only in this way can you achieve certain deco- rative effects such as the slip comb- ing on the plate shown above, or scratched decoration, textured surface and laid-on clay decoration shown by Karl Martz in the December i~sue.

Mr. Sellers is director, and ceramics instructor, at the City Recreation Arts and Crafts Center at Columbus, Ohio.

(Slip combing was described by Doro- thy Perkins in the August issue).

p IECES fashioned with the aid of a particular form will, naturally,

resemble each other but they are sel- dom identical. Variety of wall thick- ness, marks left by hands or fingers, give each its own personality. Fur, ther individuality is easily achieved by cutting the wails to modify the shape or by adding feet. The "'footed" forms shown above are an example: each one is different from the other yet both were made over the same hump. No two pieces need ever be alike.

a variety of methods for creating pottery from clay slabs with the aid of forms are illustrated, with descrip- tive notes, on the following page. Why not investigate their merits? •

26 CERAMICS MONTHLY

HUMPS of plaster or of dried or fired clay are probably the most widely used aids to forming with clay slabs. After the slab is rolled out, it is draped over the form and gently pad- dled to make it hug the shape. The overhang of clay at the rim or bottom is trimmed off. If you work with the hump set on a banding wheel, the entire process will be facilitated. Handling the large slab of clay after rolling is easier if you lift it on the canvas or plastic sheet the ball of clay rested on when you rolled it out.

MOLDS similar to press molds are also popular aids, and can be of plaster or clay. The slab i¢ laid gently over the hollow and pressed in with the heel of the hand. If the surface needs smoothing, it is stroked with a rubber scraper. Care must be taken to avold pulling the piece away from the form when excess clay is trim- med: it should be sliced in the direction of the mold. It is not difficult to remove a finished piece from either mold or hump because the clay shrinks away from the form as it dries.

BISQUE pots can be used if you plan to make only one or two pieces on the same form and do not want to take the time to prepare a hump or press mold. The clay may be draped on the outside or pressed on the inside of the pot. Use pieces you have made yourself, and avoid those with severe undercuts which would prevent release of the clay shape after it has dried. Outside draping is easier when the pot- mold is set over an upright brick or post.

FABRICS (soft and pliable such as cheese- cloth) can be used effectively as hammock molds. This aid is most useful for forming pieces from slabs which have been decorated and have easily marred surfaces. Slits at the corners of a cardboard box or nails along the edges of a wooden box will support the fabric. Before suspension in the hammock, the flat slab is cut to the general shape desired. By odiust- ing the hammock a variety of forms can be achieved. The sling mold at the far right is a variation suitable for the smaller, deeper shapes.

PORTIONS of humps or hollow forms, instead of the entire models, can be used to create an even greater variety. The slab of clay is placed on o section of the outside or inside of a form, ancl cut to a pleasing shape. In this way a number of widely different pieces can be made. Creating from a slab with no aid at all should not be overlooked. You con make a handsome piece by using the slab alone. Roll the cloy, cut a shape, bend or press the sides up as desired, support them with clay coils or other props until piece is set.

FEBRUARY 1954

Tool And Clay Headquarters for

Sculptors & Ceramists You name it! We've got it. Ceramic, Marble, Plaster Casting, Sculptor's TOOLS. Ceramic, Modeling, School, Plastelines, CLAYS. Exclusive seller of R O M A I T A L I A N P L A S T I L I N A . Retail and Wholesale. Send today for most complete catalog of tools and clays ever published.

S C U L P T U R E H O U S E Dept. 9A 304 W. 42nd St., New York 36

• Rhinestones for Figurines • Earring Wires, Pin Backs • Bracelet Blanks and other

findings for Ceramic Jewelry

Send for FREE Studio Price List

B E R G E N A R T S , Dept. c~ 128 Main Street, Hackensack, N. J.

L A M P PARTS Everything you need!

for MAKING • REPAIRING

CONVERTING SEND FOR OUR NEW CATA, LOG

Thousands of parts of every description, illustrated, described, priced

We sell and ship 1 or 1000 pieces

ANGELO BROTHERS 2333 N. Mascher St., Philadelphia 33, Pa.

Send for Catalog o Dealerships Granted Professional staff of long experience

TEPPING STUDIO SUPPLY CO. 351 7 Riverside Drive • Dayton S, Ohio

GAY-WAY "STUDIO TESTED"

CERAMIC MATERIALS Transparen~ Gloss Glazes

True Majolica Opaque Enamels "Vitgobes"--Aztec MaH-s Suede Mafts--Engobes

"Sure-Fire" Red Enamel Glaze Catalog F r e e

Dealer Inquiries Invited

GAY-WAY POTTERY Dept. CM, Sharon, Conn.

Iron Spotted Glazes (Begins on Page 20)

use to boi l t h r o u g h t h e c o v e r glazes . ( T h e k i n g m a n f e l d s p a r is a p o t a s h spa r . )

A L B A N Y SLIP GLAZE

parts Albany slip clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

M A I J A G R O T E L L SLIP GLAZE

parts Kingman feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Whi t ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Kentucky ball clay #4 . . . . . . . . . . 26 Red iron oxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

H A R D I N G BLACK SLIP GLAZE

parts D'Hanis slip clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Red iron oxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

T h e f o l l o w i n g a re s o m e o f t h e c o v e r g lazes t h a t I use o v e r t h e s l ip glazes. E a c h o f t h e s e s h o u l d be ba l l -mi l l ed a t l eas t f o u r to six hou r s , a n d t h e y a re all f i r e d to c o n e 10 d o w n f la t . E a c h m a y be c o l o r e d b y smal l a d d i t i o n s o f ox ides o r p r e p a r e d s ta ins .

"OIL S P O T " GLAZE

parts Kingman feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Whi t ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 China clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Red iron oxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

O P A Q U E W H I T E B R IGHT GLAZE

parts Kingman feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.1 Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.6 China clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.3 Kentucky ball clay # 4 . . . . . . . . 4.0 Whi t ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.7 Barium carbonate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.1 Zinc oxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.7 Talc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1.8 Ultrox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.7

O P A Q U E W H I T E B R I G H T G L A Z E

parts Kingman feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Dolomite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Whi t ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 China clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

O P A Q U E W H I T E S E M I - M A T

parts Nepheline syenite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Kingman feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Colemanite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Dolomite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Talc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 China clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

O P A Q U E W H I T E B R IGHT GLAZE

parts Kingman feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Whi t ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 China clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

S E M I , O P A Q U E BRIGHT GLAZE

parts Nepheline syenite . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Whi t ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 China clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

A n ice d e c o r a t i v e e f fec t can be at- t a i n e d b y c u t t i n g a d e c o r a t i o n t h r o u g h t h e n i n e c o a t i n g s o f sl ip g laze ( in t h e l e a t h e r - h a r d s t a t e ) , e x p o s i n g t h e b o d y o f t h e pot . W h e r e t h e sl ip has b e e n c u t a w a y t h e r e wi l l n o t be a n y spots , o n l y t h e sol id co lo r o f t h e c o v e r i n g glaze .

A n o t h e r d e c o r a t i v e e f fec t can be a c h i e v e d b y t r a i l i n g t h e sl ip glaze v e r y heav i l y on a l e a t h e r - h a r d p o t to f o r m a d e c o r a t i o n . I n th i s case y o u r decor- a t i o n wi l l be s p o t t e d , a n d y o u r back- g r o u n d a sol id co lo r f r o m y o u r cover coa t ing . •

O P A Q U E W H I T E M A T GLAZE

parts Kingman feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.3 Silica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.9 China clay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14.9 Whi t ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.9 Barium carbonate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.0 Zinc oxide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.9 Ultrox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13.2

O P A Q U E W H I T E SEMI-MAT

parts Kingman feldspar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Whi t ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Barium carbonate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 China clay . . . . . . .