Contents
Welcome
Introduction
Pattern History
The Makers
- Maker Initials
- Marks Pictures
Can you help?
Our Catalogue
- Asiatic Pheasants
Glossary
- Condition
Collectors Hints
- Buying
- Selling
Copyright
Conditions
Contact us
Useful Links
|
Pottery Terms
Earthenware
The term used to describe the body of the ceramic consisting of a mixture of
potash, sand, felspar and clay. Fired at around 900 degrees Fahrenheit it has
quite a soft body and is relatively cheap to produce. It is not particularly
durable and tends to chip fairly easily. Whilst it can be produced in
thickness' of 3 - 4 mm, it tends to be far thicker, particularly on the larger
pieces where it is more often 7 - 9 mm. The vast majority of "Asiatic
Pheasants" uses this body.
Ironstone
This is the trade name for a higher grade of earthenware fired above 1200
degrees Fahrenheit it is much more durable than earthenware and tends to be
produced thinner than earthenware but is more dense. Only occasionally found
in Asiatic Pheasants.
Semi-Porcelain
Despite its name describes a higher quality of earthenware using as it does
either china or feldspathic clay as its base is fired at much higher
temperatures than earthenware and again is used in a thinner body due to its
improved durablity. Sometime found in better quality Asiatic Pheasants wares
but generally not marked as such. Less dense than Ironstone.
Transfer Printing
In the case of Asiatic Pheasants the transfer is applied "under-glaze" the
process being as follows; the body of the ceramic is first "biscuit" fired
and then the fine tissue paper transfers were applied wet to the object, the
centre panel often seperately from the border. After removing the paper, having
left the cobalt ink pattern on the body, a clear lead glaze was applied sealing
the whole piece before the final firing. Many Asiatic Pheasants pieces bear
the stilt or clay ball marks which were used to seperate each plate during this
final firing.
Cartouche Mark
Is the transfer printed device on the underside of the item which describes the
pattern name and in the case of Asiatic Pheasants the makers initials. Can be
a useful guide to attribution and dating a piece, although not all initial
marks have been identified and unless more information is available it is
normal to date a piece midway thro a manufacturers existence dates, not an
exact science but a reasonable guide. It cannot be presumed that a maker
produced his full range of products from day one of his trading.
|
Cartouche mark of Podmore Walker & Co
used between 1835 and 1859
|
|
