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making and selling communion ware

updated thu 12 jul 01

 

Jim Mason on tue 10 jul 01


In a message dated 7/10/01 4:19:22 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Cat81257@AOLCOM
writes:


> I didn't do anything special just made my regular plates and
> goblets and if I had a spare I'd let em have it ... its just the 2 pieces
> .... Cat...
>
>

I had the privilege and pleasure of visiting Cat's studio a few weeks ago,
and I can tell you that NOTHING that Cat does is "just a REGULAR plate or a
REGULAR goblet." Every piece she does is beautifully and meticulously
crafted! Thanks, Cat!

Jim Mason
Gibsonville, NC

Paul and Susie Watkins on tue 10 jul 01


I have made several sets for churches and special services ... usually make
a 14" platter for the loaf of bread, large pitcher for wine/grape juice, and
6 goblets, used for intinction (dipping the bread into the wine) ... have
photos but haven't put them on my web site... I throw stoneware, use a
white/gray base with incised designs or brush work in slip or darker
glazes... another often requested "set" is a pitcher and bowl for
baptizing... (read Methodists! i.e. sprinkling as some say it..).. do you
want or need dimensions?... let me know... Paul
--
Paul Watkins Pottery at Red Shed
http://web.utk.edu/~watkins/redshed.html

----------
>From: Cat Jarosz
>To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
>Subject: Re: Making and Selling Communion Ware
>Date: Tue, Jul 10, 2001, 2:37 PM
>

> Hi Julie.... I"ve made several communion sets but they were special
> ordered from the folks wanting them... just a regular small plate and
> goblet.. I didnt do anything special just made my regular plates and
> goblets and if I had a spare I'd let em have it ... its just the 2 pieces
> .... Cat...
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
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Jeremy McLeod on tue 10 jul 01


> How many of each piece do you make?
> Where do you sell your pieces? What do you charge?
> Technical tips? Shape, size, glaze, etc, especially, tips on making goblets.
> I’ve always struggled with this form.
> Other tips?

Dear Julie:

So much of the information you are requesting depends on the ecclesiastical tradition for
which the communion ware is intended. Hang out in church supply stores that cater to the
churches of various denominations to get a hit on where you want to specialize. You can
also look for catalogs and/or websites for "ecclesiastical arts."

Yes, some smaller churches in Protestant traditions will probably only want a chalice and
a plate (platen).

Lutheran, Episcopal, and Roman Catholic churches are a different matter, in varying
degrees. In these traditions one can get pretty involved.

Chalice (one or more per set... more if the congregation is larger and then the best ratio
is two chalices to each point of distribution for bread),

Platen (a plate that is designed so it's foot fits inside the mouth of the chalice) and
extra platens if there are to be more than one station for the distribution of communion

One or more flagons (pitchers to hold sufficient wine/juice to serve the congregation in
question), one cruet for water (a smaller pitcher or lipped bottle) and a

Ciborium (lidded box to hold communion wafers... ciborium doesn't apply when the
congregation uses baked loaves of bread). Then there's the question of whether one makes
matching sets of candle sticks (a pair at minimum) to complement the communion ware.

All this liturgical language boils down to a wide mouthed goblet/chalice (wide mouth
because many/most congregations are encouraging people to dip bread/intinct rather than
sip from a common cup), a plate proportioned to nest into the mouth of the goblet and
extend an inch or so beyond it, a pitcher (with stopper) large enough to hold sufficient
liquid for the congregation (more than one pitcher/flagon can accomplish this), a smaller
pitcher for water, and a lidded box to hold wafers.

Have fun!

Rev. Jeremy McLeod
(who's been known to more than a few sets of eucharistic vessels in my day)

Julie Ryan on tue 10 jul 01


Hello,
I’m considering trying to make and sell communion ware sets, and wanted to
get some advice from folks who have done so. Here are some of my questions:

How many of each piece do you make?
Where do you sell your pieces? What do you charge?
Technical tips? Shape, size, glaze, etc, especially, tips on making goblets.
I’ve always struggled with this form.
Other tips?

Thanks,
Julie Ryan in Dallas, TX

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Avril Farley on tue 10 jul 01


Julie asked for

Technical tips? Shape, size, glaze, etc, especially, tips on making goblets.

Julie, I found the best way to make a large goblet (in porcelain) was to
throw two cup shapes, one small, one larger but with identical base widths
and join them together at leather hard. If you want a fancy stem, just make
one of the cup bases very deep so there is plenty of clay to turn before
joining to the other half. As long as you choose the right time to join the
halves, leather hard, scratch and slip, the end result fires perfectly. As
to glaze, something that will not leach under the acid conditions of wine -
I am sure there will be lots in the archives.

Good luck with your project

Avril in the Forest UK

----- Original Message -----

Cat Jarosz on tue 10 jul 01


Hi Julie.... I"ve made several communion sets but they were special
ordered from the folks wanting them... just a regular small plate and
goblet.. I didnt do anything special just made my regular plates and
goblets and if I had a spare I'd let em have it ... its just the 2 pieces
... Cat...

Christena Schafale on tue 10 jul 01


Julie,

I'm no expert, but I've done some of these for friends who are clergy, and
more recently for a local church-supply store.

How many? I make sets of chalice and paten, sometimes also a pitcher, one
of each unless the customer orders multiples.

Where to sell them? See above. If your area has a Cokesbury
bookstore/church supply, try them.

Prices? Go to a church supply place and check out the prices. Here, the
going retail seems to be $40-60 for chalice and paten sets, which doesn't
turn out to be all that great when you consider that wholesale is half of
that....

Technical tips? Shapes and sizes aren't standardized, so you can be
somewhat creative. Some comments that I've heard from clergy: 1) the
patens that are often sold with these sets are too small -- they want a
plate that would accomodate a whole large loaf of bread, not just a little
pile of wafers or bread cubes. I would say dinner plate size and up. 2)
these days, communion is often done by "intinction" -- dipping -- rather
than having congregants drink out of the chalice directly. Therefore, it's
helpful if the shape of the chalice is somewhat wide and open, rather than
narrow and closing in. 3) If the chalice has a tall stem, make sure the
base is heavy enough that the chalice won't be too top-heavy when
filled. It shouldn't be easily knocked over by, let's say, the loose
sleeve of a clergyperson's robe. 4) Don't make the lip of the chalice or
rim of the paten too thin and fragile. A major cause of breakage of these
vessels is chipped rims. (Or maybe you should make it thin, so they will
have to buy another one soon.....)

Glazes? Blues and greens seem to be popular (surprise!), though earthtones
have their own following. Should be easily cleaned. If using a matte
glaze, be sure it doesn't craze, because the craze lines may get stained by
the wine and become very obvious.

Making goblets? Lots of ways to do this. I throw the bowls and stems
separately, then join when leather hard. The biggest challenge is getting
things lined up and level and making sure they stay that way through
firing. I made one batch that looked like flowers, with bowls nodding
gently in all directions. Make sure the top of the stem is even and level
-- it will twist the way teapot spouts do in firing, causing some
interesting results if one side is higher than the other.

That's what comes to mind. Feel free to email back if you have more
questions. I'd love to hear other people's comments if they come to you
off-list, too.

Chris

At 01:25 PM 7/10/01 -0500, you wrote:
>Hello,
>I'm considering trying to make and sell communion ware sets, and wanted to
>get some advice from folks who have done so. Here are some of my questions:
>
>How many of each piece do you make?
>Where do you sell your pieces? What do you charge?
>Technical tips? Shape, size, glaze, etc, especially, tips on making goblets.
>I've always struggled with this form.
>Other tips?
>
>Thanks,
>Julie Ryan in Dallas, TX

Consultation and Referral Specialist
Resources for Seniors
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www.resourcesforseniors.com
Phone: (919) 713-1537
FAX: (919) 872-9574
1110 Navaho Dr, Suite 400
Raleigh, NC 27609

Bob Hanlin on wed 11 jul 01


On the bottom of the plates I put "1Cor. 11: 23-26". It the scripture that
is used in most liturgys. I begins, "On the night Jesus was betrayed, he..
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cat Jarosz"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2001 1:37 PM
Subject: Re: Making and Selling Communion Ware


> Hi Julie.... I"ve made several communion sets but they were special
> ordered from the folks wanting them... just a regular small plate and
> goblet.. I didnt do anything special just made my regular plates and
> goblets and if I had a spare I'd let em have it ... its just the 2
pieces
> .... Cat...
>
>
____________________________________________________________________________
__
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.