- Hardcover: 128 pages
- Publisher: A & C Black Publishers Ltd (28 July 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0713648139
- ISBN-13: 978-0713648133
- Product Dimensions: 27.6 x 22.4 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 666,782 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Product Description
In this book the author looks over the history of British country potteries, the personalities that emerged and their wares that were made. He then discusses how a new generation of potters have been influenced by them and how these potters are incorporating these traditions in the work that they are currently making.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
This is a well-written and illuminating account of the subject which builds on the work of Brears in the mid-1970s. It is written by a potter and is probably most accessible to other potters, particularly in descriptions of throwing techniques, but will also be of interest to social historians and general readers.
The book examines its subject through the pottery making sequence, starting with clay preparation and ending with distribution and sale. All of the descriptions of working practices are clear, remarkably comprehensive (in the limited space available), yet always relatively easy to follow. The description of lead glaze making is particularly good.
There are also individual case studies of potteries such as Soil Hill, and chapters on types of pottery and contemporary country pottery, the latter discussing the fate of disused pottery buildings and listing a number of modern country potters of whom Roly Curtis is probably the last traditional British Country potter, the others having absorbed aspects of the tradition by working in various parts of England.
One of the strenghts of the book is the way it compares pottery in different parts of Britain not only through finished vessel forms and decoration, but also through working practices such as clay preparation and throwing. This clearly suggests areas of potential for future research.
With regard to ways in which I feel the book could be improved any points I could make would be mere quibbles. Indeed, writing as an archaeologist and practicing potter, my feelings about the book are overwhlmingly positive from both perspectives. However, even accounting for constraints of space, I feel that a gazeteer of potteries in Britain, again building on Brears, would have been useful (rather than just a map). Also, some line drawings would have been useful, particularly for non-potters, when discussing kiln setting and details of throwing techniques. The focus on England and near ommission of potteries in Scotland and Ireland is a source of imbalance which will hopefully be rectified by independent research in those parts of the British Isles. Some discussion of British country pottery in the wider European context would also have been useful (many of the tools, techniques and processes mentioned in the book are still alive and well in mainland Europe, particularly in the Iberian peninsula and the Balkans). There are also some minor errors of detail - George Curtis started at Littlethorpe around 1912/13; the Littlethorpe pug is a William Boulton, etc. - none of which are of any real consequence.
Overall the book, which is excellently illustrated with archive and modern photographs, places country pottery in its social context and suggests many directions for further work. It is an excellent introduction to the subject which is likely to become a standard work and will certainly promote appreciation and further serious study country pottery in Britain. The author is clearly an enthusiast with a good eye for detail, but does not become obsessed with minor details at the expense of the broader picture.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Having recently set aside time to get back into making functional pottery I hoped this book would provide some inspiration. On first glimpse I thought I was about to be disappointed - lots of history of various regional past potteries and their techniques - few glaze recipes etc. However, I began reading and soon found myself engrossed in a well-written account of the role of earthenware in the homes of ordinary people - no fancy designs needed - just good basic everyday items, beautifully made for a real purpose. This book has really taken me back to the basics, in a strange way, inspiring me much more than some of the slick coffee table books which abound - it's a book about people and pots - a 'must' for a potter interested in using what they make.
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