Alistair Gillies on sat 13 aug 05
In the early 80's I worked at a pottery in South Wales and one of my jobs
was to turn fake throwing rings into the outside of jolleyed goblet bowls
before they were put on their slip cast stems.
They already had faux throwing rings on the inside and as I turned them
upside down on a chuck my 'throwing rings' had the opposite spiral - though
I suspect no one noticed - the things you do to make a crust.
On a different but ocassionally mentioned topic, as with some others I have
difficulty with the descriptors 'playing' and 'mud' [I wince when I hear
it].
I 'work with clay' and my pupils of any age also work with clay - however I
know some differ:-)
Alistair
Above the Ironbridge Gorge
From: "Pam Cresswell"
> The fake throwing rings really bother me now (real throwing are
> wonderful).
> When I was much younger and less wise about pottery, I used to always
> choose
> to drink my coffee from my
> Mother's folk-art styled pfaltzgraph cups, that have a tan mat glaze,
> early
> American style brush work, and throwing rings, and mold seams!
> David Heard Wrote:
>
> >> no faked throwing rings although that could be argued as highly
> subjective, how would
John Baymore on sun 14 aug 05
"Fake throwing rings" for me is a "hot button" issue...and my reaction to
it is focused on the "intent" of the producer.
Creating texture to impact the way the glaze reacts with forms is very
much one thing. But creating this type of texture specifically to decieve
the potential buyer of the object as to the genesis of the production
technique utilized is another thing.
That thing is called "fraud".
If the intent of such a practice is to create the illusion that a piece is
hand thrown so that it can be sold in "handcraft" venues, so that the
price charged can be higher, or the apparent "percieved value" of the
object can be raised.............. then it is akin to selling fake Rolex
watches.
Unfortunately, the general public would likely not notice mold lines
combined with throwing rings and "wonder a bit" . Many people get
duped by the fake Rolexes too, as well as other faux "brand names". And a
lot of people don't really CARE as long as it SAYS "Rolex" or whatever on
it.
I am getting very concerned in seeing more and more ram pressed, slip
cast, and jiggered/jolleyed clay work showing up in shops that
traditionally handle what the public is led to believe is "hand work"....
and the sales staff or shop owner not knowing the difference in forming
techniques, combined with the public's decreasing connections with and
understanding of any kind of real hand work skills.
In too many shops this stuff is frequently misrepresented to these
consumers as "thrown". I know this because as I travel about I make it a
very distinct "crusade" of asking the sales staff when I see it. 99% of
the time I get told the piece is "hand thrown". Then I take the time to
explain to them the difference in production techniques. Probably Don
Quixote tilting at windmills .
This situation potentially affects those to DO hand throw work in two
ways. -It can allow the producer of the "faux" thrown ware to undercut on
the pricing and thereby capture market share away from the hand throwing
producer. -It can allow the producer of the "faux" thrown ware to sell at
the same price points, and thereby capture Dollars / Yen / Guilders / Etc.
that otherwise would have been spent on actual thrown ware by the duped
consumer. (Not to mention sell at a hefty margin that the hand worker
would envy.)
Good design is good design........ and there are some great
jiggered/jolleyed, slip cast, and hydraulic pressed pieces out there.
Over the years I have bought numerous KILLER cast pieces in Japan......
(which I must say were priced there to reflect their genesis).
But if you have to put "faux" throwing lines into a piece...... they are
NOT hand thrown.
best,
................john
PS: Here come the "flames".
John Baymore
River Bend Pottery
22 Riverbend Way
Wilton, NH 03086 USA
JBaymore@compuserve.com
http://www.JohnBaymore.com
"Please use compuserve address for any direct connunicaltions."
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