iandol on sun 4 may 03
Dear Janet Kaiser,
Interesting reflections on what is becoming a dilemma of increasing =
proportions as more people adopt lower temperature stoneware firing =
temperatures.
Depends on how you define the 24 Karat stuff?
I think there is a common idea that True Porcelain is light to white in =
colour, has a degree of translucency which can be seen and that it will =
ring with a clear musical tone when struck lightly.
Now potters can go through the rigours of concocting their own blends of =
clay, spar and quartz to make this happen or they can go to a clay =
supplier. If the supplier tells the potter it is a porcelain, said =
potter can ask to see a sample of the fired material. If one of the =
three criteria missing then you win.
Best to avoid using the term Porcelain altogether. Demi means half. =
Question, Which half? Could use Faux, but why bother? Best tell both the =
Potter and your own clients that it is a White Stoneware which has some =
of the properties of Fine Porcelain but is deficient because ......
Lets face reality. Firing Porcelain which has all of the qualities is =
not an undertaking for the faint hearted. I doubt if more than a =
moderate proportion of potters or ceramic artists who use the wheel have =
the ability to throw thin enough and turn with precision to achieve =
superior results. But I don't mind being proved wrong on that score.
Best regards,
Ivor Lewis, Redhill, South Australia
pdp1@EARTHLINK.NET on mon 5 may 03
May 'Porcelaineous Stoneware' suffice? - as an honest
appelation?
Phil
el vee
----- Original Message -----
From: "iandol"
To:
Sent: Saturday, May 03, 2003 11:05 PM
Subject: : Nomenclature of "low-fired porcelain"
Dear Janet Kaiser,
Interesting reflections on what is becoming a dilemma of
increasing proportions as more people adopt lower
temperature stoneware firing temperatures.
Depends on how you define the 24 Karat stuff?
I think there is a common idea that True Porcelain is light
to white in colour, has a degree of translucency which can
be seen and that it will ring with a clear musical tone when
struck lightly.
Now potters can go through the rigours of concocting their
own blends of clay, spar and quartz to make this happen or
they can go to a clay supplier. If the supplier tells the
potter it is a porcelain, said potter can ask to see a
sample of the fired material. If one of the three criteria
missing then you win.
Best to avoid using the term Porcelain altogether. Demi
means half. Question, Which half? Could use Faux, but why
bother? Best tell both the Potter and your own clients that
it is a White Stoneware which has some of the properties of
Fine Porcelain but is deficient because ......
Lets face reality. Firing Porcelain which has all of the
qualities is not an undertaking for the faint hearted. I
doubt if more than a moderate proportion of potters or
ceramic artists who use the wheel have the ability to throw
thin enough and turn with precision to achieve superior
results. But I don't mind being proved wrong on that score.
Best regards,
Ivor Lewis, Redhill, South Australia
____________________________________________________________
__________________
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.
iandol on wed 7 may 03
Dear Phil,
You suggest <appellation? >>.
No! There is the inference that it has qualities associated with =
porcelain. Which one do you wish to identify, Whiteness? Translucency? =
Vitrification. To what degree is it white or light coloured, To what =
degree is it translucent, to what degree is it vitrified. where do you =
draw the lines. What about the people who stain their "Plastic Porcelain =
Clay Body" Black. How do you discriminate between those who concoct =
their own, those who pay $35 plus for an up market bag of soft clay and =
those who buy the $10 a bag stuff?. What if the items in question have =
not been fired to at least some degree of vitrification as in a raku =
firing?
As Janet says, this is all about concepts of Fair Trading, Liability and =
Common perceptions of what is what. Why not get an opinion from the =
Keepers of Ceramics at the Smithsonian or the Victoria and Albert. Or =
ask auctioneers at Southerbys or Christies for their views. What do F. =
Hamer, Margaret Medley (She gives us the "Purists" definitions) or Peter =
Lane have to say about it.
Think of the sacrifices of Herr Bottger made to achieve what we are now =
able to exploit!
Best regards,
Ivor Lewis.
| |
|
