North Devon Pottery and Its Export to America in the 17th Century — John Shaqi
North Devon Pottery and Its Export to America in the 17th CenturyWatkins, C. Malcolm
History
North Devon Pottery and Its Export to America in the 17th Century
Watkins, C. Malcolm
Pottery -- Atlantic States; Pottery -- England -- Devon
Treatment: Inner surfaces of plates and bowls and outer surfaces of jugs,
cups, mugs, chamber pots, and other utensils viewed on the exteriors are
coated with white kaolin slip. Designs are scratched through the slip
while wet and into the surface of the paste, exposing the latter.
Undersides of plates and chargers are often scraped to make irregular flat
areas of surface. Slip-covered portions are coated with amber glaze by
sifting on powdered galena (lead sulphide). Containers which are slipped
externally are glazed externally and internally. Slip and glaze do not
cover lower portions of jugs, but run down unevenly.
[Illustration: FIGURE 20.--Gravel-tempered chafing dish from Jamestown.
Colonial National Historical Park. (_Smithsonian photo 43104._)]
Color: Slipped surfaces are white where exposed without glaze. Unglazed
surfaces are a dull terra cotta. The glaze varies in tone from honey color
to a dark greenish amber. When applied over the slip, the glaze ranges
from lemon to a toneless brown-yellow, or, at best, a sparkling butter
color. When applied directly over the paste and over the incised and
abraided designs, the glaze appears as a rich mahogany brown or dark
amber.
FORMS
Plates, platters, and chargers:
(a) Diameter 7"-7-1/2". Upper surface slipped, decorated, and glazed.
(Fig. 12.)
(b) Diameter 12"; depth 2"-3". Upper surface slipped, decorated, and
glazed. (Fig. 11.)
(c) Diameter 14-1/2"-15"; depth 2"-3". Upper surface slipped,
decorated, and glazed. (Fig. 11.)
All have wide rims, but of varying widths, raised bezels, and heavy,
raised, curved edges.
Baluster wine cups: Height 3-3/4"-4". Slipped and decorated externally;
glazed internally and externally. (Figs. 12, 14.)
Concave-sided mugs: Height about 4". Slipped and decorated externally;
glazed internally and externally. (Only complete specimen, at Jamestown,
had incised band around rim.) (Fig. 14.)
Jugs: Height 6-1/2" and 8"-8-1/2". Globose bodies, vertical or slightly
everted collars tooled in a series of ridged bands, with tooled rims at
top. Some have pitcher lips, some do not. Slipped, decorated, and glazed
externally above an incised line encircling the waist; glazed internally.
(Figs. 13, 14.)
Eating bowls: Diameter, including handle, 9"-10"; depth 3-1/4"-4".
Straight, everted sides, flat rims, with slightly raised edges, one small
flat loop handle secured to rim. Slipped, decorated, and glazed internally
and on rim.
[Illustration: FIGURE 21.--Gravel-tempered baking pan from Jamestown.
Length, 15 inches; width, about 12 inches. Colonial National Historical
Park.]
Chamber pots: Height 5-1/2". Curving sides, terminating at heavy, raised,
rounded band surmounted by concave, everted rim. Rim 1" wide and flat.
Slipped, decorated, and glazed externally and internally. (Fig. 15.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account