Cliff Glover on fri 23 apr 99
I've been staining the outside of my teapots with India Ink, but reluctant
to do the same with the inside of teabowls etc. Would it be harmful to use
India Ink on eating surfaces? If so, can anyone tell me how the Japanese
stain the crazing on the thousands of bowls, plates, etc., that they export
every year? I'm sure it can't possible be a two step firing process, can
it?
Pottery by Dai on sat 24 apr 99
Chris Glover's question about India ink for staining crackles brings to mind
a great story told by a fellow potter: this potter dealt regularly with a
gallery, and while he worked in utilitarian shapes, his work was very
decorative, and expensive. He had done a large bowl in white crackle, and
stained it with Inkia ink, with a selling price of over $100. Eventually,
he got a call from the gallery owner, who had heard from this very concerned
customer---when she had used the bowl for mashed potatoes, the potatoes had
turned an ugly grey! So, you just never know to what use your pots may be
put; and just because people pay an "art" price (as opposed to a
"utilitarian" price) doesn't mean they aren't going to put food into it!
This story came from a group discussion on pottery goofs. Another one
(different potter) was the attaching of a pottery handle to the ready-made
ladle "bowl" with a glue gun (duh!), resulting in the bowl part of the ladle
staying at the bottom of the big bowl of chili, with the potter-server
standing there hanging onto the handle, and looking pretty sheepish. Guess
it pays to test-drive all your products before offering them to the public,
but how many of us do?
Dai Scott - still chuckling in Kelowna, B.C.
jim garlick on sat 24 apr 99
I know of one Japanese potter who boils her tea bowls or cups in a very
strong tea for several days. She also does this with some of the pottery
that she purchases.
Karen
----- Original Message -----
From: Cliff Glover
To:
Sent: April 23, 1999 5:31 AM
Subject: Stain for crackle glazes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I've been staining the outside of my teapots with India Ink, but reluctant
>to do the same with the inside of teabowls etc. Would it be harmful to use
>India Ink on eating surfaces? If so, can anyone tell me how the Japanese
>stain the crazing on the thousands of bowls, plates, etc., that they export
>every year? I'm sure it can't possible be a two step firing process, can
>it?
>
elizabeth l gowen on sun 25 apr 99
I know I have seen crackle glazed ware for sale commercially but this poses
a different health problem. The crackle in a glaze makes it difficult to
clean and can be a problem with bacteria growth. With all the problems with
salmonella and listeria in the news, using crackle glaze on the inside of
ware to be used for food is not a good idea. You don't have a clue how well
people clean their dishes.
Liz Gowen (RN ) in NJ
-----Original Message-----
From: jim garlick
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Saturday, April 24, 1999 1:33 PM
Subject: Re: Stain for crackle glazes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> I know of one Japanese potter who boils her tea bowls or cups in a very
>strong tea for several days. She also does this with some of the pottery
>that she purchases.
>Karen
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Cliff Glover
>To:
>Sent: April 23, 1999 5:31 AM
>Subject: Stain for crackle glazes
>
>
>>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>>I've been staining the outside of my teapots with India Ink, but reluctant
>>to do the same with the inside of teabowls etc. Would it be harmful to use
>>India Ink on eating surfaces? If so, can anyone tell me how the Japanese
>>stain the crazing on the thousands of bowls, plates, etc., that they
export
>>every year? I'm sure it can't possible be a two step firing process, can
>>it?
>>
>
Stephen Mills on mon 26 apr 99
Dai's post reminds me of two ways of overcoming the "food Colouring"
problem one is to use a spirit-based wood stain, they're not water
soluble (over here at least), the other involves using a pottery enamel
(on-glaze) ground with spirit and after application fired into place.
That B....r won't stain anything then!
Or You could soak them in strong tea (traditional method).
Steve
Bath
UK
In message , Pottery by Dai writes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Chris Glover's question about India ink for staining crackles brings to mind
>a great story told by a fellow potter: this potter dealt regularly with a
>gallery, and while he worked in utilitarian shapes, his work was very
>decorative, and expensive. He had done a large bowl in white crackle, and
>stained it with Inkia ink, with a selling price of over $100. Eventually,
>he got a call from the gallery owner, who had heard from this very concerned
>customer---when she had used the bowl for mashed potatoes, the potatoes had
>turned an ugly grey! So, you just never know to what use your pots may be
>put; and just because people pay an "art" price (as opposed to a
>"utilitarian" price) doesn't mean they aren't going to put food into it!
>This story came from a group discussion on pottery goofs. Another one
>(different potter) was the attaching of a pottery handle to the ready-made
>ladle "bowl" with a glue gun (duh!), resulting in the bowl part of the ladle
>staying at the bottom of the big bowl of chili, with the potter-server
>standing there hanging onto the handle, and looking pretty sheepish. Guess
>it pays to test-drive all your products before offering them to the public,
>but how many of us do?
>Dai Scott - still chuckling in Kelowna, B.C.
>
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk
Cliff Glover on mon 26 apr 99
Dave,
Thanks for that little ditty on India Ink. The first time I tried the stuff, I
left the pots outside for an evening and the following day discovered that all
the ink had melted out of the cracks from the evening fog. Next time I used a
brand that had shellac for a base. I've been testing the results for a few
years and they've seen a lot of dishwashing with no loss of stain. When I
apply it, I use a cloth with just a bit of alcohol to rub the ink off the pot's
surface. Although, I must admit that I haven't mashed any potatoes in the bowls
yet. Just a lot of salads with oil and vinegar.
However, I'm still curious how the Japanese do their commercial ware. Soaking
the pots in tea for a few days isn't going to work for the amount of pots I'm
making. And, considering that I'm mostly using a crackle glaze on teaware, I'm
not too worried about meat-related germs getting into the crazing.
Cliff
Pottery by Dai wrote:
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Chris Glover's question about India ink for staining crackles brings to mind
> a great story told by a fellow potter: this potter dealt regularly with a
> gallery, and while he worked in utilitarian shapes, his work was very
> decorative, and expensive. He had done a large bowl in white crackle, and
> stained it with Inkia ink, with a selling price of over $100. Eventually,
> he got a call from the gallery owner, who had heard from this very concerned
> customer---when she had used the bowl for mashed potatoes, the potatoes had
> turned an ugly grey! So, you just never know to what use your pots may be
> put; and just because people pay an "art" price (as opposed to a
> "utilitarian" price) doesn't mean they aren't going to put food into it!
> This story came from a group discussion on pottery goofs. Another one
> (different potter) was the attaching of a pottery handle to the ready-made
> ladle "bowl" with a glue gun (duh!), resulting in the bowl part of the ladle
> staying at the bottom of the big bowl of chili, with the potter-server
> standing there hanging onto the handle, and looking pretty sheepish. Guess
> it pays to test-drive all your products before offering them to the public,
> but how many of us do?
> Dai Scott - still chuckling in Kelowna, B.C.
elizabeth l gowen on tue 27 apr 99
Steve, last time I checked most of pottery enamels contain lead. There are a
few companies making lead free china paints but I don't know what else they
contain so may or may not be food safe. The idea of the wood stain also
concerns me since most of these are not safe for use with food either.
Liz Gowen ( NJ )
-----Original Message-----
From: Stephen Mills
To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
Date: Monday, April 26, 1999 3:05 PM
Subject: Re: stain for crackle glazes
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Dai's post reminds me of two ways of overcoming the "food Colouring"
problem one is to use a spirit-based wood stain, they're not water
soluble (over here at least), the other involves using a pottery enamel
(on-glaze) ground with spirit and after application fired into place.
That B....r won't stain anything then!
Or You could soak them in strong tea (traditional method).
Steve
Bath
UK
In message , Pottery by Dai writes
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Chris Glover's question about India ink for staining crackles brings to
mind
>a great story told by a fellow potter: this potter dealt regularly with a
>gallery, and while he worked in utilitarian shapes, his work was very
>decorative, and expensive. He had done a large bowl in white crackle, and
>stained it with Inkia ink, with a selling price of over $100. Eventually,
>he got a call from the gallery owner, who had heard from this very
concerned
>customer---when she had used the bowl for mashed potatoes, the potatoes had
>turned an ugly grey! So, you just never know to what use your pots may be
>put; and just because people pay an "art" price (as opposed to a
>"utilitarian" price) doesn't mean they aren't going to put food into it!
>This story came from a group discussion on pottery goofs. Another one
>(different potter) was the attaching of a pottery handle to the ready-made
>ladle "bowl" with a glue gun (duh!), resulting in the bowl part of the
ladle
>staying at the bottom of the big bowl of chili, with the potter-server
>standing there hanging onto the handle, and looking pretty sheepish. Guess
>it pays to test-drive all your products before offering them to the public,
>but how many of us do?
>Dai Scott - still chuckling in Kelowna, B.C.
>
--
Steve Mills
Bath
UK
home e-mail: stevemills@mudslinger.demon.co.uk
work e-mail: stevemills@bathpotters.demon.co.uk
own website: http://www.mudslinger.demon.co.uk
BPS website: http://www.bathpotters.demon.co.uk
Janet H Walker on thu 29 apr 99
People have been musing about the india ink trick for staining
crackle glazes. There is another way to do it, that might just
allay the various fears about crackle glazes and hygiene.
From Hamer (See Crackle, 3rd or 4th ed)
"There is a method known as melt-crackle in which the glaze
is first underfired and allowed to craze. Coloring oxides are rubbed
into the craze when it achieves a desired pattern, then the pot is
refired to fire the glaze to its correct temperature. The craze shows
finally as lines which are inlaid stains."
So, gang, there you go. Recipe for experimentation. Let us know
what happens.
Best,
Jan Walker
Cambridge MA USA
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