^:9= A HANDBOOK TO THE PEACT7CE OF POTTEEY PAINTING 91 1 ' BY JOHN C. L. SPAEKES HSAD MASTER OF THE NATIONAL ART TRAINING SCHOOL, SODTH KENSINGTON DIUKCTOR OB" THE LAMBETH SCHOOL OF ART THIRD EDITIOX LONDON LECHERTIEE, BAEBE, & CO. 60 EEGENT STREET, W. 1879 The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924031306578 A HANDBOOK TO THE PRACTICE OF POTTERY PAINTING JOHN C. L. SPARKES HEAD MASTKB OP THE NATIONAL AET TEAINIXG SCHOOL, BOOTH EENSINSTOH DIRECTOR OF THE LAMBETH SCHOOL OP ART TRIED EDITION LONDON" LECHEETIER, BARBE, & CO 60 REGENT STREET 1879 2-OV V- t ftasti iWifc M^tm LONDON ; PKISTBB BY ePOTTISWOODB ASD CO., KEW-STREET SQUAntt AKD PAELIAllEST STBEET INTRODUCTION. The singular interest that has been excited in late years in the subject of Pottery is at this time bearing remarkable fruit in the shape of a widespread effort to produce forms, and surface decoration on forms, that shall rival those done in such old times as are regarded as being peculiarly rich in artistic light and insight. The rivals to the ancient works are seen daily in increasing numbers and in varying beauty, and of most diverse colours and characters. Scarcely a month now passes but some addition is made to the nuipber of wares decorated by new methods, which take the impress of the individual minds that have invented them. We thus have had revivals in Majolica, Faience, Lustered ware, &c. &c., and with aU we may say truly, that as examples of pottery — that is, more especially in the mechanical and material construction of the new wares — they greatly exceed the old ones in perfect finish, durability, and chemical combination of their parts, both in body and glaze. But this is not everything ; and it is well known and seen that the ancient works, and those of the Eicnaissance, excel our own in their taste, artistic freedom, and wealth of ideas ; and in these particulars we have still much to do to ecLual, still more to do to excel, these old-world productions of the potter's art. But the spirit is abroad, and in all European countries the same active interest in pottery is perceived. Among a large a2 class of amateurs in this oonntry there is a want of practical information on the methods of work in pottery decoration ; and no doubt the absence of this practical knowledge is the reason why so much less china and pottery painting is done by amateurs in this country compared with Germany, for instance. For these this little handbook is mainly intended, and the writer will feel well rewarded for his work in putting it together, if it should conduce to the spread of a wider appre- ciation and practice of the beautiful fiotUe art, that has from the most ancient times been the object of admiration to legions of persons of taste and of cultivated mind. ^^.^ POTTERY PAINTING. At the risk of saying what nearly everyone already knows, it must be made clear, at the beginning, what Pottery is. A pot is a vessel made of clay. Clay is that natural substance produced by the grinding and washing down into hollows, or places where it can settle, of many sorts of rocks ; and as the varieties of rock are many, so are the varieties of clay ; but to take a familiar example : the clay of the fields in the Weald of Sussex or Kent has a sufficient consistency to stick together. Its particles may be moulded with the hands, pressed into moulds or dealt with variously, and it is thus plastic by reason of the quantity of water that is in combina- tion with the earthy particles. A flower-pot," for instance, made of this clay, and set aside to dry in the shade, would keep its form, and be precisely the same flower-pot as when it was wet, except that it would have shrunk a little. If this were exposed to the heat of the summer's sun, still more water would be expelled, and the clay form would become harder and closer in texture, and might be used for many indoor purposes, but would not allow of any use that involved the contact with water, as it would still be a mere clay pot. If, however, it were put into a fire, so . that so much more of the water was driven out as to change its hardness to that of a tile or a brick, then fluid might be put into it without any risk of its falling to pieces ; and when water has been thus driyen out by fire it does not again enter into combination with the clay, and the vessel remains a piece of pottery for ever. Thus, the art of so preparing clay, and forming it, and burning it, that it takes a permanenli unalterable form, is that of the Potter. The flower-pot that we have taken as an illustration may be, after firing, white, yellow, red, grey, blue, black, or any or all of these together : that is a condition dependent solely on the clay of which it was made, and the presence or absence of iron or other colouring matter in the clay. Now the fired flower-pot has certain characteristics. It is insoluble, somewhat brittle, porous, gives a dry, adhesive sensation to the tongue, and is more or less rough and gritty to the touch, and on the whole not a very useful thing for the higher purposes of life. For many ages all pottery was in this rough, half-finished state, and it is very doubtful if the Greeks ever, or the Romans up to the age of Augustus, knew anything of any other pottery. But the remedy for these defects of texture is twofold : one is by skilfally compounding the body, so that it is rendered impervious ; the other is by coating the porous body with a glaze, by which is meant a film of glass. By adopting this latter method we have the combination that is usually seen in a piece of useful pottery, namely, a 'body,' more or less rough and porous, covered with a ' glaze ' which gives the piece smoothness — a gloss — and renders it quite impervious to moisture. The first method, viz. that of rendering the body imper- vious, applies mainly to two kinds of ware : china, as it is usually, called (which is porcelain), and stoneware; other wares are made impervious by their glaze. It was a great event in manufacturing industry, when it was found that firing a form of clay made it indestructible. It was a second step onwards when a true glaze was discovered. Certainly the potters of Babylon knew the pro- cess, as the remains of their tiles show. But many hundreds of years elapsed before the secret was given to the Western world, and this came either through the Moors by tradition, or was re-invented by them. In any case, in the ninth century glazed pottery was produced in Spain by the Moorish potters. Glaze and glass are made out of the same materials. Flint sand and soda fused together make glass ; the addition of metallic oxides gives colour, opacity, or a better power of cohesion to glass ; and these are precisely the conditions of glaze as applied to pottery. Here are now two essentials to the proper formation of a useful piece of pottery : first, the body ; secondly, the glaze. The methods of making and applying these are questions for technical pottery, not for this little work. Enough to say, that the form as it comes from the kiln, after its first firing, is called ' biscuit.' It is then dipped into a creamy looking mixture, consisting of the various materials which make the glaze, ground to a fine powder and mixed with ' water. When the porous ware is dipped into this mixture, a certain absorption of the water takes place, and a deposit of the solid parts of the glaze follows, and the vessel is again fired, when the heat of the kiln reduces these particles of glass to a smooth, shiny, and glossy surface, exactly fitting to the body over which it has been applied. Leaving stoneware and china out of consideration for the present — although they may also be glazed or not — this piece of pottery is what is called earthenware, and is, in fact, the pottery 6f the middle ages, equally with the pottery of to-day. The red pans and pitchers of the English rural districts: are of this construction, so is the ordinary earthenware of our dinner services. The decoration is of the most varied kind, but the great fact aboat it is that the body is an absolute thing that always influences the colours that are put over it, and which at the same time determines the colour of the glaze, except when a ' slip ' of clay or some opaque substance is put between the body and the glaze. A great step onwards was again made when it was dis- covered that any common clay, that might be almost or quite like a brick in coarseness, could be coated with an enamel made from tin, which would give a white ground for the artist to work on. This discovery also came from the East, and was develpped by the Moors in Spain. Their ware was exported to Italy, where it was used in the form of circular dishes to decorate their churches. It was believed that it came from Majorca. The Italians called this ware majolica, to indicate this real or fancied origin. The exportation was carried on to such an extent that the finest examples of the ware are or have been found in Italy, not in Spain. The revival of arts and manufactures in Italy in the great fifteenth century had its effect on the potters and their art, and certain Italian potters re-invented the tin enamel for a covering of the coarse body they were obliged to use. It is known that the earlier Italian ware is simply lead glazed on the body, and that the change to the tin enamel system of covering the body took place early in the fifteenth century. Later, towards the end of the century, they imitated the lustre ware so successfully that they far surpassed their Moorish originals, especially with a certain ruby lustre of Gubbio, which remains a marvel and a delight to artists and collectors to this day. These wares were presents for kings, and were sought after in distant countries, where they moved the ingenious to various efforts at imitation. At any rate, in the course of two hundred years, these tin enamel wares were made in France, Germany, and Holland : and PaHssy's troubles, that are so widely known, were doubtless due to his lack of understanding of the proper constituents of the tin enamel — a piece of information that any potter across the Alps could have given him. This PaHssy ware is tin enamel, so also is delft, and this was the system generally adopted to obtain artistic pottery, and the ware thus made is <5alled majolica in Italy, delft in Holland, and Palissy ware in France. It may perhaps be well to say that modern Staflford- shire ' majolica ' is a ware of a coarse ill-coloured body, which is decorated by being dipped or painted in coloured glazes. These fuse in the kiln and run together, and the accidental effects produced by this mixture of tints is the only decoration the ware receives. The name is a mere trade distinction, and has no relation with the Eaphael ware or other of the Italian Renaissance. On the other hand, 'faience,' in its modern signification, is exactly the same as earthenware, and is a French distinguishing name, taken from the wares from Faenza — not the Italian town, but a town of the same name in the south of France, which produced ordinary ware, simply painted and glazed afterwards. The Lambeth ' faience ' is exactly of this character. There is a class of pottery distinct from these. It is called stoneware, and was made in the earliest ages of art. It is one of the undiscovered facts in the potters' history when stoneware was first made. It differs from every kind of faience or majolica manufacture in being of impervious body, in which it is like porcelain. It further differs from every kind of ware whatever, in being glazed with the fumes of salt. It differs stiU further from all other wares by being fired and glazed and finished in one operation. During its first and only firing, which converts the brittle and useless clay vessel into impervious ware, and when an intense white heat is reached, salt is thrown into the 10 kiln either from above, through holes in the crown of the kiln, or into the fire-holes beneath, or into both. The intense heat decomposes] the salt, which is changed by the same agency into a gaseons fame or steam. One constitnent of salt, the chlorine, escapes out from the kiln as rapour ; another portion, however, the soda, as it flies through the kiln, meets with the white-hot ware, in which is always a portion of silex or flint, and forms with it a silicate of soda or soda glass. This subtle aerial glazing is thin, transparent, intensely hard, and almost indestructible, and does not coat the finest line or scratch s& ttiickly as to obliterate it. It is on this account, from an artistic point of view, the perfection of glaze. But the disad- vantages are numerous. Few colours can stand the trial they are subjected to in the intense heat. The more or less acci- dental contact of the fire, which has its currents of more or less intense heat streaming, through it from the fire-hole to the crown of the kiln, produces various unforeseen efiects on the colour of the ware and on the colour of the pigment used in its decoration. Again, the accidental path taken by the salt in its downward course from the crown of the kiln to the white-hot ware, produces great and unanticipated results ia the colour of the ware, and leads to a bleaching or washing out of even strong colours, such as cobalt, which not unfre- quently changes to grey or brown under the excitement of this downpour of chemical matter. Such is the method of glazing stoneware with salt which has been practised for hundreds of years. The ware produced by this method was made in Grermany, especially on the Rhine, and is now sold by dealers under the name of Gres, or Gres de Flandres. A revival of the principles on which the old Gres was decorated has been made at Lambeth. It is called Doulton ware, and has justly attained to great celebrity on account of its fine form and 11 great harmony of colour. The old grey colour is to be attri- buted not only to the clay, but also to the fact that all the old ware was fired with wood as fael. This of course is not the case witti the Doulton ware, which is fired with coal ; hence the difference in general tone and colour from the old Gres. The fifteenth, sixteenth, and seventeenth centuries saw this old Rhenish pottery at its best. It declined, in the beginning of this century or end of the last, to a mere manufacture of useful articles. China or porcelain is to some extent related to stoneware, inasmuch as the body is completely impervious, but it has a beautiful quality of its own, that is, its transparency. The importation of porcelain from China and Japan in the middle ages are scarcely known — ^but with the energetic spirit of discovery of the seventeenth century was joined an equally earnest one of trade. And in consequence of this conjunction pieces of Oriental porcelain were found in Europe from that time in an always increasing number, until the beauty of the material, more than its exquisite decoration, made its impor- tation into Europe become a real perceptible demand. This was met by large "quantities being sent from the Bast, but naturally at so high a cost as to stimulate potters to produce a material that would take the place of the imported ware. One by one the potters abroad and at home found out the mystery of the composition of porcelain. It is, of course, made of china clay, or kaolin, and is glazed with china stone or ' orthoglaze,' a material that has all the constituencies of true glaze, but found naturally in the china clay districts. Various accidents, that read like the chance occurrences of a romance, led to the discovery of the trae earth, and one after another all the countries of Europe had their china potteries, many of them supported or subsidised by the State or by 12 Royal persons. Such were those at Meissen, Sevres, Chelsea, and others. To the historian of pottery this discovery was remarkable, chiefly from its influence on the ' faience ' or ' majolica ' wares of Italy and other countries. It caused their abandonment as coarse and heavy, and it retains its supremacy to this day, when, although revivals are numerous, they are in aU cases revivals of wares in themselves artistic, and are on this ground interesting. No efibrt is inade to apply these new wares to the everyday uses subserved by our china or modem earthenware productions. To sum up what has been said, there are these various forms of pottery : — 1. The mere baked clay, such as a brick, tile, or flower pot, called Terra Cotta. 2. This common material coated with a film of glass, which may or may not cover colours, called Earthen- ware, Faience, &c. 3. This common material coated with an opaque white enamel on which colours may be placed, called Enamelled ware or Majolica. 4 Stoneware, an impervious body glazed with salt, such as Gres de Plandres and Doulton ware. , 5. Porcelain, an impervious semi-transparent body with a pure earthen non-metallic glaze. Under one or other of these heads all pottery may be clasBed. It is no part of this work to enter into the processes and materials out of which vessels of pottery are made. It will be sufficient to understand that earthenware may be of any clay body, and may range from black to white through every shade of colour, and that what the body is, that also is the 13 main colotir of the ware wlien glazed ; further, that this body is glazed with certain admixture of sand in which silex, quartz, or felspar are combined with borax and soda, and that this mixture may be the vehicle for the introduction of lead. Also that this glaze may be coloured with any of the metallic oxides. This is the majolica of the shops of the present day. The majolica of the Renaissance is this body covered with a glaze which has been rendered opaque and white by oxide of tin, or by lime. The glaze of stoneware has already been described, and the glaze of china also. It is necessary that the painter should know the nature of the body and the glaze. COLOURS. The nature of colours used for pottery painting of all kinds may be understood thus : If a mixture of sand, borax, soda, and lead be made, it will be a glaze, as already explained ; if it be made, so soft as to fuse at a comparatively low temperature, it is called ' flux.' If 'flux ' be mixed with any earth or oxide of a metal, such as rust, that is not destroyed by heat, it will make a colour with which a china painter could work with the certainty of his work coming out of the kiln glossy, and fixed by the heat. Therefore, as a general rule, colours are formed of infusible bases mixed with a flux, the hardness of which usually regulates the intensity or mildness of the fire which is used for their fusion. As these colours are procured from the colour makers of Stafibrdshire or "Worcester, or from abroad, either in powder or abeady mixed for use, it is hardly necessary to give receipts for their manufacture, which can be obtained from the various works on the subject. 14 AH these colours must fulfil certain conditions indis- pensable to their use. 1. They mnst be fusible at a certain known temperature : they must be unchanged at this temperature. 2 They must adhere closely and intimately to the body on which they are placed. 3. They must present a glossy appearance after they are fired. 4. They must be so perfectly fused as to be impervious to air, water, or gases. 6. They must have the same measure of dilatation that the ware and the glaze have, on or under which they are placed. It is always necessary to have a colour more fusible than the body or the glaze with which it has to be incorporated; and although in general there is a considerable difference between them, as is the case with porcelain bodies, glazes and their colours, yet sometimes it is a matter of very delicate adjustment — for instance, in the case of enamel painting on glass, used to decorate the better class of Bohemian wares. In the case of soft bodies, as in some kinds of porcelain and faience, the difference is not so great, and some ordinary care should be exercised to guard against the use of hard colour on a soft glaze. The hardness of the glaze and the colours is a question of utility. It is found convenient to have a sufficient degree of hardness to enable thfe surface to resist the scratching or chipping that may be the result of contact with harder bodies than themselves. The equal dilatation of the colours is a very important condition ; it equally applies to the glaze and the body, for it is obvious that if the body in cooling, after it is fired in the 15 glaze kiln, shrink more than the glaze that shonld exactly fit jt, the glaze is broken ridgeways, in crackle lines. More generally ' craze,' or crackle, is the prodnct of a glaze that shrinks more than the body ; in this case small interstices are left in the substance of the glaze, to the serious deterioration of the appearance and durability of the vessel. This is a matter that must be left to the potter ; and it is usually the case that the colours are practically fitting to the bodies. These vitrifiable colours may be arranged under four different heads : — 1. Metallic oxides, forming the most numerous and im- portant class. 2. Earths, white, or coloured by metallic oxides. These are in general body colours ; do not glaze by them- selves, but receive gloss from the glaze which covers them. 3. Metals in their simplest conditions; they are applied in films, and recover their brightness by being polished. 4. Lustres, which are metals in a state of finest separa- tion or disunion, so that they even reflect prismatic colours. There are two methods of obtaining colours from the metallic oxides ; by one of these the oxide, such as that of copper and cobalt, unites chemically with the flux when it is fused, and forms a homogeneous compound. With others, on the contrary, the flux is only a vehicle which envelops the colouring matter and fixes it on to the body. The colours are composed of various silicates or aluminates or oxides of various metals, and may be arranged under the following general heads : — 16 Bltjes are almost all procured from cobalt, wHich. is used in two conditions — one as silicate, wten it produces dark blue, which, is heightened or subdued by mixture with zinc, sodium, or potash, and may be thus varied to indigo or grey blue. In its other condition, as alumi- nate, cobalt produces various shades of blue, green, ultramarine, or turquoise, and by admixture with iron gives various tints varying from light grey to black. Yellows are obtained principally from antimony, zinc, and iron, as oxides are added to qualify and vary the natural colour. Gebens are obtained from chromium, which is modified by cobalt and alumina. Reds are iron colours, oxides of various degrees. Browns are formed from cobalt and iron in different relations of combination, modified towards ochre and yellow brown by zinc. Blacks are obtained from cobalt and iron ; these are inten- sified with copper and manganese. Whites are usually enamels of tin ; phosphate of lime is less generally used. PuEPLB, Violet, and Caemine are obtained fi-om gold and tin, known under the old name of purple of Cassius. It is modified by silver to obtain the carmine tones. These colours, as already mentioned, are so qualified by the flux with which they are mixed, as to be available for various applications to different bodies, and to fuse at different tem- peratures." It may be roughly assumed that there are three stages of heat, which are called ordinary muflBe heat, hard kiln, and gloss oven heat ; and as an assistance to those who may use French colours, the grouping of M. Salvetat, head of the 17 Chemical Department at Sevres, is appended. The French names are merely translated, and do not necessarily apply to the colours obtained from English manufacturers. 1. Colours for ordinary muffle : , Whites . . . .BZame^aje (permanent white). Blomc olvmois (Chinese white). This latter white will mix with all other colours, and give them opacity and body. Oreys . „ . Oris tendre (light grey). Oris roussdtre (russet grey). Oris hleudtre (blue grey). Blacks . . . Noir grisdtre (grey black). Noir hrwndtre (brown black). Novr d'iridiiMn (black). Blues . . . Bleu f once ou d'vndigo {deep or indigo hlue). Bleu turquoise. Bleu d'azur. Blew de del (sky blue). Bleu d'outremer (ultramarine blue). Creens . . . Vert hleudtre (blue green). Vert de jpre (meadow green). Vert fence dwr Vert f once tend/re Vert hrun (brown green). Yellows . . JaMnej3aZe_^a!e (permanent pale yellow). JavMe elair (light yellow). J (Mine f mice (deep yellow). Ja/wne pale pour les chairs (pale yellow for flesh) . Ja/wne orcmge (orange yellow). Yellow browns. Jaune d'ocre pale (pale yellow brown). Jamie d'oorefonce (deep yellow brown) Brown . . . Bougp hrun (red brown). (deep green). 18 Browns (con..) Brun roussdtre (russet brown). Brun de hois (wood brown). Brun sepia (sepia brown). Reds , . . Bouge orange (orange red). BiOuge de chair (flesh red). Rouge carmine (carmine red). Rouge sanguin (blood red). Purples, carmines, and violets : — Garmm dur (bard carmine). Oarmin tendre. Pourpre. Violet. 2. The colours for medium heat are the same in name, but are rendered much harder and capable of bearing a much stronger heat by having in their composition a larger pro- portion of one or more of the oxides. 3. Colours for greatest heat — Blacks . . . Noir de poix. Noir hleudtre. Grey . . . Gris defumee. Blues , . . Bleu indigo. Bleu d'aeur. Bleu pale. Bleu verddtre et bleudtre. Bleu twquoise. Greens . . . Vert emeraude. Vert celadon. TeUow . . . Jaune de paille. Rose . . . Rose Isahelle. Brown . , . Brun roussdire dit ecaille (tortoise-shell). Laque rougedtre ou bistre. Brun marron (maroon). 19 English colours have very nearly the same value, as to their hardness, as the French, and are in general of similar power as pigments. The following list is extracted from the colours used in the Royal Pottery Works at Worcester, and is appended, as they may be obtained in small quantities by amateurs and others, of certain London agencies. In aU cases it is to be advised to the painter to make a test tile or plate, by putting a small portion of his colours, whether French or English, on to a piece of ware in any order that may seem nsefol and then to h^re it fired in the kiln in which his finished work will be fused. This will give him a standard of comparison which will be most useful. The most usual method of setting such a test palette is ■ to divide the rim of the plate, or length of the tile, into a number of small divisions, and then to paint in the first set all the diBEerent yellows and their combinations, then red and their combinations, then blue, then brown, and finally black. Blue Brown Black WOEOESTEE COLOUES. For Enamel Painting. Azure. Carmine. Mat. Green . . Blue. Tor old Tile jj Rose leaf. Painting. jj Dover. Brunswick. Gold . . (Prepared ready- Vandyke. for grinding). Chocolate. Maroon. Golden. Orange . Light. Soft. )> Dark. Jet. Pink. Shining. Purple. Royal.* 20 Purple Ordinary. Violet. Bose. White Soft. Bed. Enamel Scarlet. „ . . Medium. Silver . . (Double prepared, „ . . Hard. ready for grinding). Yellow . Persian. Turquoise Imperial. „ . . Hard. )> . Outremer. „ . . Opaque. )> . Blue. Colours for Under Glaze Painting. Blue . . Mat. Dove. )) . Ultramarine. Green . . Blue. U . Azure. )) • French. Brown . Claret. )) Victoria » . Vandyke. Orange. 5» . Chesnut. Pink. )> . Dark. Purple. Black. Turquoise. Buff. Yellow. Crimson The metals as used in their simple condition by mechanical •disunion being effected by grinding, or by dissolution in acid, rem which they are precipitated. The brownish powder thus obtained is treated in all respects as a pigment, ground fine on the slab, and used with the brush with the usual medium. It is fired, and afterwards burnished. The metals most commonly used are gold, silver, more seldom platina, and most rarely copper. This method of applying metallic colours is called gilding, and is a perfectly distinct thing from the metallic appearance obtained from a ' lustre.' In this beautiful decoration the 21 particles of metal are so thinly spread as to become iridescent, and the metallic sheen is independent of any rubbing, burnishing or polishing, but is the pure product of the kiln. There are several kinds of metallic lustre produced from gold, silver, copper, and platina. In the case of gold the metal is dissolved, and precipitated and mixed with turpentine, and without the addition of [flux, is spread with a brush on the glaze of the pottery, much the same as colour. When fired in a muffle it adheres to the piece, and shines with a bright metallic lustre, which may be somewhat increased by friction with a cloth. Platina lustre is prepared in much the same manner, giving its shady, silvery shine as the result of its firing. Mother-of-pearl lustre, or lustre of burgos, has the changing rosy and yellow hues that are seen on many sheik It is transparent, but mixing with the glaze on which it is spread, takes various and most beautiful colours. Sulphur, gold, and potash are the materials from which it is made ; it is sometimes seen with circular spots or patches of shining pure gold in tints. These are produced by a simple manipu- lation. For hard porcelain, lustre is mixed with flux, and spread evenly and as finely as possible over the surface of the china. When it is still soft, that is before it is dry, but after it is set, drops of spirit are scattered on it, or spirit is sprinkled ; these drops spread themselves around, dragging with them the lustre, which takes the form of rings, and tho material being much thicker here than elsewhere, shows the gold in its brightness, not only as an iridescent film ; and as metallic gold is here present, the spots are increased in brightness by rubbing with a cloth. Copper lustre is not dissimilar in appearance, but it is usually more purple in tone. It is seen ,in its perfection in the wares of the Moors of Spain, in the pieces called Hispano 22 Moorish. Their wares have been unapproached until Mr. De Morgan took up the subject a short time since ; his lustres now vie with, if they do not surpass, those of the old examples. The lustre cantharis is but seldom used, in spite of its brilhant colours, as the manipulation is very" complicated and difficult. It is formed from lead glaze, bismuth, and silver, and the difficult part of the firing process is, that when the piece is hot it must be exposed to the smoke and vapour of burning vegetables or animal substance. It takes green, reddish yeUow, and blue tints. The dangers of the old method of smoking the piece while red hot by removing it from the kiln for the purpose, led to the abandojiment of the process. It is believed that the old methods all included the exposure to the influence of thick wood smoke of the piece while still hot in the muffle. The lustre of lead, or litharge, gives yellow, blue, and green, with yellow predominating. It is seen on common wares from Germany, and occasionally is produced in this country. The whole range of lustre ware is one that does not come into the amateur's province. The processes for the produc- tion of the pigment itself are too complicated, and the difficul- ties of firing and developing the sheen of the metal far too risky and uncertain, not only for the amateur, but also, it is feared, even for the potter, to allow these beautiful wares being produced in large quantities. Mr. De Morgan has made the most perfect lustres of the modern age, but only after many losses and after much disappointment. It is assumed that the china painter wUl be provided with colours, either those already named, and put into tubes or with the powder colours of any of the good English manufac- turers. These are supplied in powder which has been rendered almost impalpable by thorough grinding and sifting, but in 23 tlie course of packing, and by the mere effort of lying closely together, the particles stick together so as to seem almost gritty or imperfectly ground. This grittiness is perfectly removed by grinding the powder colour again on the slab with a muller, with water. When perfectly fine again, let the colour be put in ridges on a slab or a piece of glass to dry. Then the colours may be mixed at once with medium, and used on the ware with no further diflScnlty. REQUISITES. The requirements of a china painter are not very numerous. A table of convenient size and height, well arranged with regard to light, is necessary. The light should be ample and high, extending from the level of the table upwards. It is sometimes more convenient to work with the light in front, sometimes better when the light comes from the left hand. A ' rest' should be fixed to the table for the painter's right hand and arm to rest on. It is simply a piece of w:ood from eighteen inches to two feet in length, and five or six inches in width, either with parallel or slightly tapering edges, planed smooth. This is fastened, but not too firmly, to the table by a screw which passes through its smaller end and through the table, and is fixed in its place by a nut underneath. As this is tightened or slackened the rest is made more or less hori- zontal, so that the end is allowed to drop to any height above the work or below the table, the artist may desire. The rest is invaluable for steadying the hand, especially in outlining, or in any part of the work where even, carefhUy placed lines are required. The tile, plate, or ornament should be held in the left hand just underneath the level of the rest, 24 so that the bmsh. may come down steadily upon it, guided by the right hand, which of course is perfectly steady on its support. There is another kind of rest in use which may be useful to amateurs, as it can be used with any ordinary table without the necessity of boring a hole through it. It is a narrow piece of wood of any convenient length — eighteen inches is perhaps most useful, and two or three inches wide — with two blocks the same width as the strip, and two or three inches in depth, fixed one at each extremity. This is simply laid on the table, and as it bridges over the ware that is being painted on sup- ports the wrist, and is convenient, as it can be moved to any position, and over any part of the piece that it covers. A mahl, or maul stick, will be needed when painting on large tiles or plaques that may be used for wall decoration. These must be set up against a wooden support, and worked at in the same maimer as a painting on canvas. In decorating large vases also this mahl stick will be quite necessary. A glass slab for grinding the colours on : this is usually made of thick plate glass, let into a wooden frame and bedded with plaster of Paris to a true and firm basis. It is thus protected from chance blows, and is perfectly secure against any uneven pressure from the muller. Some glass mullers for grinding the colour ; three sizes will be' convenient. The smaller ones serve for small quanti.^ ties of colour. Some earthenware palettes, as well as six-inch tiles for the oolour will be needed, and two or more strong palette knives. Brushes are a very important part of the china painter's outfit. He will require several, of different sorts and sizes : — 1. A fine pointed oamelhair, for sketching or outlining the design. 25 2. Two or three good brushes of different medium sizes, for laying in the first washes of colour. 3. Some shaders. 4. Outline brushes of different sizes. 5. A softener, of badger hair. 6. Dabblers, for laying grounds, sides, and all large flat tints. For working in water-colour, brushes made of red or black sable are the best. For working in oil, camel or marten hair will be found most suitable. It is very desirable to have different sets of brushes for working in water and in oil, for although, by thorough wash- ing in warm water with soap, a brush that has been used in turpentine may be cleaned from it, and so be made serviceable for working in water, it is scarcely ever fit to be used again for painting in oil, as the hairs become dry and harsh, and seldom work up to a point properly after this process. A table yvheel, for describing circles and curves, and for lining the edges of plates, rims and mouldings of vases, and other uses, must be added to the list of requisites. It is a horizontal circular slab, so placed on a pointed iron rod as to spin or whirl easily and truly when turned with the hand. It stands firmly on a framed base or foot, and is somewhat solidly constructed, for the purpose of being steady while ia use. DIRECTIONS. In painting a large surface of tiles with any continuous pattern or design, or even when only three or four tUes are placed one above the other, to form a panel of a fireplace, for instance, great care is requisite to match them exactly both for size and colour, for although all the tiles are exactly the same 26 size when they are put into the kiln, the different amount of firing they there undergo causes them to shrink in pro- portion to the heat they receive — those that are fired most being smaller than those less fired ; this necessitates the careful selection from a large number of tiles. Also see that the lines of the sketch are continuous over the lines of junction of the tiles, and that they all meet properly before you commence to painti It is necessary, for comfort and clean work, to take no colour on the palette that has not been ground on the glass slab with the muller, and so completely that all grittiness has entirely disappeared. All that should be done on the palette is the smooth mixing with the palette-knife of the colour with the proper amount of the medium that has been selected for use. Keep all colour, that on the slab as well as that about to be used on the palette, free from dust; for this purpose place an inverted saucer over the colour when it is not in use. All particles of dust cause small acftumulations of colour to sur- round them on the work, and in firing are fixed as dark spots , Particles of wool from the wear of carpets and wooUen dresses are quite as injurious as grit, and form what is called ' lint ' in the colour. Scrape the colour towards the centre of the palette, and thus avoid the waste and untidiness that is produced by allow- ing it to run to the edges. It is wasteful to mix more colour and medium than wiU be needed during the time of work, as, if mixed with oil, it becomes too ' fat ' or oily by standing exposed to the air, and will be quite unfit for use in twenty-four hours. Keep all brushes scrupulously clean by washing them in turpentine after use, and carefully smooth the hairs to a point before they are put away, in order to keep them even and in 27 right condition for fiiture use. If kept in a case or box it is well to guard against any bending back of the points from pressure, as such an accident will render the brushes useless. Stipplers, softeners, and dabblers should be washed out in soap and water, as they must be perfectly free from one colour before they are used for any other, and it is very difficult to ensure this cleanliness with the washing in turpentiue only, in the case of such thick brushes. Be sure that they are perfectly dry before they are used, or tbe surface of colour to which they are applied will be made streaky and uneven. It is a small matter, but one of great comfort, to have all the sticks for the brushes of good length, and well fitting into the quills. When sitting to paint the artist should endeavour to main- tain as upright a position as possible. It is the easiest attitude, and one that gives opportunity of making good use of the ' rest.' Avoid the habit of stooping over the work. Very little fatigue is perceived after a day's work if this is constantly borne in mind. It is important that, in the selection of any piece of ware, a sound piece should be chosen. If flawed, or in any way not quite perfect, there is danger that it may ' fly ' or break when exposed to the heat of the kilu, which means that the labour bestowed on the piece is wasted. Glazed china and earthenware that has become soiled may be washed in warm water with a little soda before being painted on. When thoroughly dry, the part to be operated on may be wiped over with a little turpentine : it will aid the flatting of the colour, and assist the artist in his efibrts to ' lay ' it. When painting plates or plaques, finish the centre before 28 commencing the border, as it is impossible otherwise to avoid rubbing the edges. The above are, in the fewest; words, the materials that the painter will require. The methods of using them now have to be mentioned. MANIPULATIOlir. First, the word medium has been mentioned. A medium, in an artistic sense, is any material that will assist the mechani- cal placing of the colours on the surface to be painted, or will assist or retard the drying of these colours so as to make their manipulation more easy. With the china painter a medium has precisely the same office. As there are two distinct systems of painting, viz., in oil or water, there are two distinct classes of mediums corresponding with these. Oil mediums may be used for ' over-glaze and for under- glaze work ; water mediums the same. Oil medium consists commonly of spirit of turpentine and turpentine which has assumed a condition of viscidity and thickness called ' fat ' by the professional painters. It is prepared in the following manner : — Pour a few drops — about half a teaspoonful — of turpentine into a clean saucer, and let this stand exposed to the air, care- fully protected from dust. The spirit evaporates from the liquid in part, and leaves a thickened syrupy fluid. Add a few more drops of spirit every day, until enough has accumu- lated for use. This change in the condition of the turpentine cannot be hastened by heat, as exposure to a high temperature causes so rapid an evaporation that the whole passes off as vapour. The process is much retarded if too much spirit is put into the saucer at one time. 29 If tube colours are used there will be no necessity for this manufacture, as they are prepared with the right quantity of medium mixed for immediate use. Another medium is spirits of tar. In the same manner as that just described, it too many be made ' fat.' This is used •with the ordinary spirit of tar as a dilutent, exactly as the ordinary turpentine is used to cause it in its ' fat ' condition to flow more freely. For under-glaze ware, where there is much absorption, com.mon olive oil may be used, but is not to be recom- mended. In water-colour painting on china, any material that will hold the particles of colour together will serve for the purpose of a medium. Gum is the one usually used and may be added to the colour as gum-water or as a fine powder, which can be mixed with the dry colour in proper quantity. Pottery is coloured in many totally difierent ways. For instance, the body may be tinted to any colour within the range of pigment by mixing the pigment with the clay of which the pot is composed. This gives either an even tint or a mottled one ; and some of the most beautiful of the Wedgwood and «arly Staffordshire ware is produced by mixing and pressing and moulding together various coloured clays or bodies, which are then shaved in a lathe to cut off the surface of these ■different tints truly. Another way is to tint the glaze. This, too, usually gives an even tint, but may be made to produce certain pleasing ■effects by the different thickness of the glaze, which will be ■darker ^in parts that are sunk or hollowed. Modelled tiles and plaques are sometimes dipped into coloured glaze, when the varying thickness of the glass produces the effect that is sought. 30 There are also the various methods that are distinctly related to the painter's means, inasmuch as the colour is applied with a brush. The whole subject of ground laying is too large to be more than hinted at here, but among the most practical plans these may be mentioned : — It is clearly a tedious, and sometimes a difficult thing, to lay a flat background between the spaces of some elaborate design, such as a mass of foliage, or a geometric pattern. This may be effected by painting the pattern with a stopping-out composition, composed of gum or size, and chalk, coloured to any convenient tint with ordinary pigment, and then laying on the ground with a large brush, with perfectly flat and even colour over everything. When the vessel thus treated is washed or soaked in water, the stopping-out com- position dissolves, and the background alone remains. Another plan for obtaiuing a perfectly flat tint is to paint the surface to be coloured with medium, that is — in fat, oil, and turpentine, exactly as a gilder prepares his ground for the reception of the leaf gold ; this preparation, when half dry, is then dusted over with very finely ground powder colour with a piece of cotton wool, which strews the film o dust perfectly smooth and even. This method may be used with the last-named stopping- out material. These manipulations give absolutely flat grounds or tiuts ; so flat as to be often inartistic. They are, moreover, some- what intricate, and require considerable practice before they can be done expertly. The French method is usually followed in English faience painting. It is performed by laying a wash of colour mixed with medium as flat as possible with a broad brush ; then the whole surface of the tint is gone over with a flattish stumpy 31 brush, called by English china painters a dabbler, by the "French 'Putois.' The process is simple, and requires only care and steadi- ness of manipulation. The tile, plaque, or ornament is washed over with the colour required as evenly and quickly as possible ; then, before it begins to dry, the ' dabbler ' (which must be perfectly clean and dry) is rapidly and lightly passed over the whole sur- face, by a dabbing, stippling motion, until it presents an uniform smoothness and evenness of tint. It is evident this method of laying a tint is very useful, not only for grounds in conventional designs, but also for skies, the laying in of landscape masses, and for any clear, even, or graduated tone in flesh or drapery. Various degrees of softness and smoothness can be attained by varying the consistency of the colour employed, and also by continuing the dabbing process untU the colour is quite dry, in which case, if done carefuUy, it becomes very fine and smooth in surface. It is well to bestow extra care on the mixture of the colour with the fat, oil, and turpentine, so ^that it wiU flow easily over the surface of the tile or ornament, and not dry too quickly. It materially assists the flatness of a tint on a large sur- face, if a few drops of oil of aniseed are mixed with the colour. PAINTING OVER THE GLAZE. In painting on china, earthenware, and all ' over-glaze ' ware with enamel colours the procedure is as follows : — The design, of whatever kind, whether heads, landscape, flowers, or conventional ornament, must be sketched carefully 32 on the piece to be decorated witli Indian ink and a fine brush. This or any other vegetable water colour may be used, or the design may be traced and transferred to the ware by means .of a piece of red transfer paper or other similar mechanical contrivance. If tracing is resorted to, it must be done in the following manner : — Make a very accurate and careful tracing of the design on tracing paper with a hard lead pencil. Place the transfer paper between this tracing and the tile or plate, and go over each Hue with a transfer point — of metal, ivory or agate, or hard wood. When com- pleted and the paper lifted up, there wiU be found on the tile a red or other outline, which need not be removed when done with, as it will completely disappear in the firing. Let it be carefully noted that no traced outline is so good as to do away with the necessity of drawing the whole design afresh in the colour. Another plan, often made use of, is that of pricking small holes through the tracing paper wherever there is a pencil mark : this can be done with a pin or a needle on a green baize table cover, or any other soft thing underlying it. When finished, keep the tracing thus treated closely pressed on to the tUe and rub some finely powdered black chalk or charcoal all over it with a lump of cotton wool, or a roll of flannel or fine cloth. The powder passes through the small holes in the tracing paper, and leaves a dotted outline of the design clearly visible on the surface of the ware when the tracing paper is removed. This frail outline can be made more definite and fixed by the Indian ink outline or by one of colour. The artist who can draw with facility will have no need of such mechanical contrivances, but will sketch the subject at once in the Indian ink. 33 When this is dry, the painting may be begun. Amateur painters will feel some difficulties, no doubt, at the outset ; it is therefore, perhaps, necessary to go a little into detail, at the risk of being tedious. The first great care — and this ought to be printed in italics— must be to see that the colour is thoroughly ground on the slab with a glass muller (unless the artist use the French tube colours, which are ready mixed and prepared) until every trace of grit has disappeared. A small quantity of oil of turpentine or water may be used in this grinding. If water is employed, it must be done some hours previous to the painting being done, in order that the colour may be perfectly dry, or it will not mix with the oil. Then mix a sufficient quantity of the required colour upon the palette, and add enough turpentine and fat, oil, or other medium to render it of proper consistency. It is at this point that those artists who are painting for the fitst time on china find a difficulty in their way. And it is really not easy to explain in words the exact quantity of medium necessary, and after the most elaborate explanations it can only be learnt by experience. However, some hints may be useful, as some simple tests may be applied to save the bad consequences which are some- times irremediable after the piece is fired. Therefore notice if, after the colour has been laid on, it dries very slowly and presents a very shiny appearance, or shows a tendency to flow over the outline ; if so, the artist may feel sure that too much of the thickened turpentine, or * fat,' as it is called, has befin added to his colour. Should the piece be sent to the kiln in that condition, the probable consequence would be that the colour would ' boil up,' as it is commonly described, and present, instead of a smaoth, glassy c 34 surface, a series of rough bubbles or excrescences, which would require to be scraped off, and necessitate the repainting of the design, at least in part. If, on the other hand, the colour, as mixed on the palette, is difficult to lay on smoothly, dries very quickly, and looks dull and rough afterwards, it shows that too small a quantity of ' fat ' in the medium has been used ; and although the consequences of this error, so far as the firing is concerned, are not serious, yet it will be almost impossible to get the painting into a good state for finish ; for the colour of the second painting coming over this unkindly surface is likely to remove some of it, or any rate to prove stubborn and look rough and uneven. Now, when the colour is proved to be of the proper consis- tency, the brush must be well and evenly charged with it, and passed over the surface of the piece broadly and quickly, keeping the hairs spread and in a flat position as much as possible. When the first wash of colour has been laid over the design, it must be left until quite dry before any attempt is made to shade it or deepen the tint in any way. Should the first wash of colour not appear sufficiently smooth or even, however, the brush may be freed from colour, and passed gently and quickly over the whole surface while still quite wet, for the purpose of smoothing out the ridges or wrinkles of colour which the edges of the brush may have left on it. As soon as this first tint is perfectly dry, another may be laid on it and again left to dry, and when the design has been in this way completed in its various stages of shading towards finish, an even outline may be added throughout the whole painting, usually of a shade of colour darker than the average 35 tint of the design. This outline gives definition and vigour to the painting, and gives a certain relief to it. A long-haired brush, called an ' outliner,' is used for this purpose. If a tinted ground is required to any floral, conventional, or other design, as is frequently the case, it may be laid in the manner prescribed previously, by the process of dabbling, after the design i has been sketched in with Indian ink; but as it is almost impossible to avoid dabbling over a part of the design, or, indeed sometimes, over most of it, should it be at all intricate or closely filled in, it is wise to make the ink out- line very clear and distinct. If this is attended to, the dark outline can be distinguished with sufficient clearness through the dabbled ground, even when quite dry. When this is the case, the superfluous colour can be carefully scraped ofi" with a penknife ; thus leaving the ground tint only where it is required, while the design is simply the clear white of the tile, or colour of the body of the ware, ready for painting. It stands to reason that if the outline has been pounced through the tracing paper, it must be gone over with the strong Indian ink outline before the grounding process com- mences, otherwise it would be completely lost in the dabbling. AU these difficulties- could best be met in the case of a beginner by practice with one colour, such as common red ; it is a very easy colour to lay on the ware, and is on this account a good pigment for the purpose. A six-inch tile may be used : on this sketch a design, or a spray of foliage, then attend carefully to the points already mentioned, such as the grinding and mixing of colour, and lay on a pale tint over every part of the design ; allow it to dry, and then put in the shadows broadly, with a deeper tint of the red, remembering to hold the brush so that it works into a flat position to avoid ridgy lines and brushmarks. o2 36 When this is dry the finish may be added with the outline, and the tile may be laid aside in some spot free from dust, to dry thoroughly before it is sent to the kiln. In painting flowers and foliage on china or earthenware, the same general plan has to be observed. For such a sub- ject prepare a palette with a small quantity of these colours, viz. orange, green, blue, and brown, and commence by putting in the lightest tints of the leaves first, whererer they are ■ required, such as the grey blue of a shiny leaf when seen in the light, or the bright warm yellow of the same leaf when the light passes through it. Always put the lightest first. Tone the green with orange for yellowish green, and with cobalt if a colder tone of green is required. It is best not to go over the whole of the leaf with this lightest colour, but to put the tints down clearly where you see them in your copy, or in the natural leaf that is being imitated, leaving the rest of the leaf free for whatever colour it possesses. Care must be taken to avoid making a ridge or a strong mark where the different tints meet. When the whole surface of the leaf has been covered in this way, it must be left to dry. To avoid delay, a clean palette may be taken and ' set ' for the flowers, and the first or lightest wash laid on thinly in the usual manner. For the highest shining lights the china may be left clear, the colour being of course softened to nothing as it approaches the light, unless the petals are very shining. It is perhaps less difl&cult to paint them all over with the palest tint, and finally, when the colour is quite dry, to take out the high lights with a penknife. While the first wash on the flowers is drying, the artist may return to the leaves, which, if quite dry, are now ready for shading. 37 The proper shades of brown, olive green, &c. for this pur- pose may he easily obtained by judiciously mixing the neces- sary colours ; for instance, deep olive green can be made by mixing green, orange, brown, and red. Greys of different shades are made by brown and blue ; or brown, blue, and green ; or brown, blue, green, and pink. Put these on in very faint washes. For the serrations of the leaves, the stems, and genera finishing, purple brown is in many cases very useful. It also serves as an excellent outlining colour, either alone or mixed with common brown. In painting birds, which are frequently added to the semi- naturalistic treatment of faience in the present day, to give interest to the composition, it is well, after the sketch in Indian ink has been finished, to draw in the bUl, eye, wings, and feet, with care, with black, brown, and grey. The washes of colour most resembling the natural mass of tints may then be laid in, and left to dry perfectly, before the details of the ' plumage are put in, and the finishing touches added. The same advice applies to butterflies, which are useful as bringing points of strong colour into a design, when this is done with judgment and taste. These require but few colours, and are for the most part quickly observed and painted. In painting a head, commence as usual by the careful outline in Indian ink. Let every detail be thoroughly drawn in this material before beginning the enamel colour. Allow of no appearance of carelessness, or erasure, or un- certainty in form to make itself visible in this stage, as all such imperfection runs great risk of being much increased in the final drawing. If the head be on a round plaque or plate, and it is thought useful to have a background, it is best to lay it in at 38 ODce before beginning to colour the face. The arrangement, colour, and design of this background is of course dependent cin the taste of the painter. In general, drapery or foliage may be used with good effect ; or it may be simply grounded with some colour that will either harmonise or contrast with the prevailing tones and style of the head, or some diapered or tapestry design may be worked over it in self-tones or in contrasting ones. In all cases remember that a background is a thing to be behind the head, and should therefore be clearly a secondary feature in the picture. Detail, however neatly drawn, should be sacrificed to this great necessity. Another point is that the background should, for decorative effect, be either darker or lighter than the head-tone, so that the head detaches well, and does not ' swim ' in the background. The colours used for the face are pale tones of yellow for the lights and lightest parts, flesh red and yellow brown for stronger local colour, with more flesh red for the cheeks. As before, proceed by laying in large washes of colour, and when these are dry the shadows can be deepened, and the middle or half-tones properly graduated, and the whole harmonised. Here again, purple brown may be used with good results in drawing the lips and nostril over the tones of red that have been used for them. The hair may be laid in broadly with the required colour and a softener or dabbler used whenever required. Remember that flat tints, made so at once in the first wash, are to be preferred to those rendered artificially flat by stippliag. Drapery also must be painted broadly and simply; the lights are perhaps the best to begin with, then the local colour, then the deep half-tone and the shadow. 39 Be quite sure that the shadow of a coloured drapery is not the deepening of the local colour — that, for instance, blue drapery in folds is simply graduated blue ; it is not, but is a colour thai constantly changes, towards a neutral value of blue, frequently towards brown, and it may be to violet. Skies are, of course, laid in on the same general principles as those above mentioned. Be careful not to make the greys too cold, as there is sometimes a tendency in them to darken and turn towards a green tint in firing, that is disagreeable. Blue, brown, and pink, mixed in varying proportions, produce greys. Be careful of the edges of clouds, to see that they are well drawn and not too hard, and use a flat brush with but little colour in it to improve these edges. A little green with the blue will give the steady look of nature's blue sky, and remove the porcelain efieot of the cobalt alone. All these works, painted in enamel on or over the glaze, may be fired more than once, and indeed in the finer Mud of soft enamel work twelve firings are not uncommon ; bat although a second and even a third firing may be useful, there are risks of the fading of colours, from repeated fires, that render it undesirable that that number should be exceeded. Still, it gives the artist confidence to remember that the second painting will take the finish, and he may therefore with confidence lay in large washes of all his tones for har- monious working together in his second or even third painting and firing. The artist will not feel any great difficulty in the unlike- ness of the pigment when it is put on the ware to the colour it will develop into in the kiln, as, with the exception of cobalt and pink, the colours appear very much the same on the palette and on the ware when fired. A final caution is necessary to those who have had but 40 little experience in this work. It is to see that thp pigment is put on to the ware in proper quantities from the brush ; a line or tint may seem well covered, and yet burn away in the kiln, if it is not laid in with sufficient pigment to resist the heat ; another tint may scarcely look darker on the ware, and yet come from the kiln opaque and heavy, from having been overloaded with pigment. The above directions may also be followed if water with a little gum is used as the medium, instead of turpentinci PAINTING ON THE BISCUIT,' OR UNDER THE GLAZE. The term ' biscuit,' as has been before explained, is applied to the ware in its unglazed condition. There are as many varieties of ' biscuit ' as of pottery ware, and they vary in texture, smoothness of surface, and powers of absorption, almost infinitely. In fact, all ware that is glazed by a second operation is at one stage of its manufacture in a state of biscuit. The art of colouring upon this ware is somewhat different to that of overglaze ware. The colours are harder, not in themselves glossy, but take their full development from the glaze that is placed over them, which gives them softness and transparency and a mellowness that is not reached by any over-glaze colours at present in use. The biscuit is of dull porous surface, of any colour that the clay of which it is made will develop in the kiln, and may be anything from white to black. It takes the mark of a lead pencil or a piece of charcoal easily, and is not unlike fine drawing paper to work on. Here, too, either water or oil may be used as a medium. If oil is selected — and it is the more useful — then the ware 41 must be sponged over with some material that will render it less porous, and give a more convenient texture for the brush to work on ; it also renders it smooth and soft, by removing the harshness of the dull, raw, absorbent surface. This is eJSEected by rubbing the surface of the ware with ordinary size, or treacle (golden syrup), or a solution of gum . tragacanth. If, however, water is used as a dUutent for the colours,, then it is not necessary to stop the absorption of the piece, but some of the size, or gum-arabic, must be mixed with the colour on the palette instead. When turpentine or tar is used as a dilutent, the ' fat ' oil is employed as a medium in the same manner as in painting over-glaze, on earthenware or china. It will be found in general that a larger quantity of fat oil will be necessary with the under-glaze colours to make them work smoothly and easily. As there is not the same danger of ' boiling up ' to guard against, in this case, as in over-glaze painting, the medium may be used as freely as is desirable, without any ill effects resulting. The directions for the actual application of the colour to the ware that have been already given in the enamel painting instructions will apply equally to the painting on the 'biscuit,' and therefore need not to be repeated here. Dabbling, however, cannot be resorted to with the same ease, as the colour is apt -to dry before it has been wrought into smoothness. To render this difficulty less embarrassing, care must be taken in the first place to have the ware well sized ; in the second, mix plenty of fat oil with the colour, lay it on rapidly, and use the dabbler very quickly over the whole of the coloured surface. It is an advantage to use rather a stifiFer dabbler than for over-glaze. Grounds may be 42 moderately well laid with a large brush, without the dabbling process at all ; it is only necessary that the colour should be well mixed, and have sufficient fat oil to render it easy of application, and to allow it to run together slightly. Great care must always be taken in painting on the biscuit to prevent any colour spreading too far, as it is very difficult to efface any colour marks from the ware in this con- dition. A tint that is found to be too dark may be lightened by rubbing off the surface colour with a rag or sponge moistened with turpentine, but the ware can never be thoroughly freed from colour when once worked over. In painting flowers on the biscuit, or under the glaze, the beginner will experience a considerable amount of difficulty from the fact that most of the colours used for this work do not bear the least resemblance to the tints they represent before firing. For instance, a deep blue, such as cobalt, appears, in its state of powder, a brownish grey ; a turquoise bine resembles slate colour, and so on : thus the artist must rely on his knowledge of the pigments and draw a little on his imagina- tion, in order to realise and then carry out his ideas respecting the colours and greys of his flowers. It is well to keep the pots or packets of colour distinctly marked, and also note what colours are on the palette. In general the tint of the ware to be painted on is lower than white in tint, usually of a warm grey, and deep enough in tone to cause opaque white enamel to appear in bright relief upon it. This white enamel bears the same relation to enamel paiating that opaque white does to a water-colour drawing. It requires to be put on thickly, so that it stands up on the surface of the ware, or has an 'impasto,' to use an artistic term. Care must be taken not to render it too liquid, or saturate it too much with the fat oil, as, under such conditions, 43 it may run down the surface of the ware, and blur or destroy the outline. It is used for high lights, and must he applied carefully and thickly. In order to do this have the colour on a clean palette, thoroughly mixed, add a little fat oil to make the mass smooth, but not enough to render it liquid. Take a clean dry brush and dip only the tip of it into the mixture, taking up a small piece at a time, which transfer quickly on to the part requiring it. Never allow the brush to get soaked with the enamel, which clogs it, and prevents its working smoothly and finely. The green that is made of claret brown, common brown and black must be put on rather thickly, as it fires out to a great extent. A fine olive green is made with green, orange, and claret brown ; a purple, with two parts of manganese brown and one of cobalt. As the mode of painting flowers on the biscuit differs very little from that in use for their application to china or earthen- ware, a repetition of the methods need not be made. Any errors in the laying on of the colour bring about similar results in both cases. If the colours are put on too thinly they fire out ; if too thickly they will not take the glaze, and look dull in consequence : sometimes they will even blister, and they are always heavy and dry. In painting heads on the biscuit it is well to remember how important it is to have an accurate drawing, which may be made with pencil or charcoal, or with lithographic chalk, on the tile or plaque. The background is next to be laid on as far as possible* No definite directions can be given as to style and colour of the background, for it depends on the artist's feeling and 44 taste. It may, of course, be a sky of any tint, distant land- scape, foliage, or drapery, or anything else, and may be a simple flat wash of colour or an evenly graduated tint of two colours. The points to be aimed at are such a harmony of colour as may agreeably assist the colour of the head. The flat tints already noted may be used for these back- ground tones, such as the turquoise blue flat tint, which, with a darker pattern of dark blue running over it, woxdd contrast with a strongly painted head. The olive green above mentioned may be very efiectually used, also the purple, made with manganese and cobalt. When this is laid in, wash in the large tints of the hair and drapery broadly and quickly, and then leave them to dry. It is to be remembered that biscuit, when dipped in glaze and fired successfully, comes from the kiln a piece of glazed ware, which can be used as a basis of a complete system of over-glaze or enamel colouring afterwards. This gives the artist a double chance of obtaining his ends ; as the softness of the under-glaze effects is secured by the first firing, while the colours not applicable to this system are applied after- wards over the glaze, always, however, with a certain loss of brilliancy and clearness in the glaze and colours. In working at the face two different plans have been adopted. Some painters on the biscuit find it best to put in only the shadows of the face for the first firing, reserving the flesh tints for the second painting with enamel or over-glaze colours, of which there is a great and almost perplexing variety. Others put in not only the shadow, but also the flesh colour at once, modelling them with darker tones, and dab- bling or stippUng them together while they are wet, until the proper forms have been developed. Heads painted on the biscuit almost invariably require two 45 firings at least ; therefore finishing tonches are not nsually or necessarily put into the first painting. It is always well, however, to do as much as possible for the first firing, in order to preserve the general tone and quality of the piece. The second painting, being done with over-glaze or enamel -colours, is fired at a lower temperature than the glaze ; it often has the disadvantage of dimming the lustre of the first glaze a little, as has already been remarked. Tor under-glaze work the shadows and general modelling •of the face may be of manganese brown, which fires to a warm, reddish tint ; it is very easy of manipulation, ' lays ' itself flatly, and is graduated to a softened imperceptible edge ■without difficulty : it may be laid in strongly, as somewhat is lost in firing. An under-glaze flesh tint may be made of claret brown, and the same, mixed with common brown for shadows, may be used with good effect. It must, however, not be put on strongly, or the face will appear too red. Always outline a head clearly and strongly for the first firing. Great care is here necessary, as the drawing of the head depends on this part of the work, in every part of each curve and Kne, being well formed ; every detail of the features may also be outlined, but less strongly. Common brown or manganese brown will serve for this part of the work. If the outline fires out at all seriously in the under-glaze kiln, as is sometimes the case, it must be re-applied of the same tint in enamel colour. Gilding has already been mentioned ; it is always applied over the glaze. The foregoing remarks on under-glaze and enamel painting ^apply, as to the processes and the colours named, to earthen- "ware principally, for the china body is not only in itself 46 harder than earthenware, but has a harder' glaze, with which many enamel colours have so little in common as to almost fail to adhere, and certainly frequently are found to look far from rich and glossy. LINING. Plates, vases, cups, and many other things require to be finished off with lines around their edges or their mouldings, or between any divisions of their forms. It is done upon a whirler or table-wheel, something like a potter's wheel, which is a round slab moving freely on a pivot. The plate or vase is placed exactly in the centre of the horizontal circular slab. The operator then, with his right arm leaning upon the wooden rest at his painting-desk to ensure perfect steadiness applies a brush charged with the required colour to the edge of the piece to be decorated, slowly moving the wheel with the, piece on it with his other hand. By this simple means a line of any fineness or breadth can be made. FIRING. A few words about kilns may be interesting. With the kilns of the potter we have nothing to do, more ■than to remark that they are of every shape and inclination, with the ground from vertical to horizontal ; that they are of all sizes, from three or four feet in diameter to twenty-four ; that they are being varied in construction every dg,y by skUfdl potters, to obtain better results for the fuel they consume. The pottery painter receives his biscuit or glazed ware in more or less perfect condition from these kilns. "With those in which his work is fired he has more concern. They are all on one principle. A fireclay box is con- structed : the fire is made underneath or at the side, and has 47 flues by which, the heat circulates round the box until the required heat has been reached. The principle to be observed is that the fire has no sort of direct impact on the painted ware ; on the contrary, a crack in the kiln is often very destructive, as it allows sulphur from the fuel to find access, to the serious damage of the colours, which are blackened by it. These fireclay boxes may be of one piece, such as the little kilns that dentists use for fixing the colouring of artificial porcelain teeth, or may be built up elaborately, so as to be twelve feet deep and six or eight high. In all these cases the fire is kept carefully from the contents of the muffle, as it is called, and the heat of the fuel is communicated to the ware through the walls of the inner box, so that the whole becomes a glowing mass of red heat. The filling of the kiln is a matter with which the professional potter is more particularly concerned, but various props and pillars and slabs, forming floors to little horizontal divisions, are used and built up inside the mufiBe with the ware to be fired, and considerable ingenuity is shown in the close packing necessary in these kilns. When the fire is lighted the heat is allowed very slowly to penetrate the mass of fireclay of the muffle and its contents, and it is sometimes not allowed to attain its full heat for a whole day and even more, when the bulk of the kiln and contents is considerable. The door of the kiln is either an iron plate, inside which a firebrick wall is built, or not, according to the size of the kiln ; through this door a hole is made, which is covered with a lid or a stopper, and through this the ' tests * are drawn from time to time. Car- mine is a colour composed of gold, and tin, and silver. In the progress of the development of this pigment in the kiln from its raw state to its full beauty, certain changes go on ; 48 for at tke beginning of the fire, wlien all is at a low heat, the silver predominates and the red is feeble, a dirty, dark yellow tint being the prevailing colour. At the proper point the carmine is in fall power in all its beauty ; with an over fire the silver is destroyed, and the result is the carmine becomes cold in colour, inclining to lilac or violet. This is the reason ■why the ' test ' is made of carmine. It is simply applied. Small pieces of ware, such as a broken tile or plate, are painted with a brnshmark of carmine, and have a piece of wire twisted around them, so that they can be easily seized with a hooked rod. These are placed in different parts of the floor — that is, opposite to the hole in the door that has been mentioned — and are brought out from time to time as the kOn approaches its full fire, until it is seen that the colour is ftilly developed. When this is the case the fire is raked out, and the kiln allowed to cool slowly. Any sudden accession of cold air to the hot pieces is to be carefully avoided, as it has the effect of at least causing the glaze to ' craze,' that is, crack all over in small cracks. This is due to the difierent textures of the body and the glaze. They have different rates of receiving or giving out heat ; so all must go on slowly together, to keep them sound. A very violent admission of cold to any hot kiln may break the vessels themselves. The firing of patterns painted on the biscuit, or under the glaze, is somewhat different when painted in oil ; the pieces have to undergo a slight firing up to dull red heat, to expel the oil and dry up all greasiness from the turpentine. This is called the 'hardening on' kUn, and must precede the dipping of the pieces in the glaze tub ; for as the glaze is mixed with water, and the surface of the painted ware is greasy, no contact between the two would be possible, until the greasiness is first burnt out. The body of any pie ^ must be more or less 49 absorbent wben it is dipped, in order that a certain qaantity of the solid part of the mixture should adhere to the bgdy of the pot. This is instantaneously done by the absorption of water from the mixture which separates from the glaze closely surrounding the piece, in the tub, and which in effect coats the vessel with a film of glaze ia moist powder. Many other things connected with pottery could be written about, but the limits of this small work prevent even an allu- sion to them. The small part of the subject that has been here considered is in itself so interesting that it is dif&cnlt not to attempt to enlarge it at all sections of this handbook until it should be a work worthy of the art of Pottery, but that is impossible. A recent writer* says : ' It is no very easy thing to make intelligible to those who have no love for pottery, who take no delight in curious and beautiful pieces of china and earthen- ware, how it is that very many of their fellow- mortals — not altogether despicable persons — are possessed of an enthusiastic liking for these things.' The truth is that the causes of the prevailing love for old china lie both deep and wide. To the antiquary, to the student of past history, there is this attraction in the ceramic art, that its productions more perfectly adapt themselves to the fashion of thought, to the fancies and ideas of each successive generation of men, than those of any other human industry. Pottery owes nothing of its beauty or its serviceableness to its material — ^for that is but the dust beneath our feet — and everything to the hand that fashions it, and to the mind that directs the hand ; so is it that it comes to have so purely human an interest : it is a bit of man's work, with no adven- * Ludwig Eitter. D 50 titioas aid whatever. If the form is beautiful, or quaint, or ugly, or commonplace, it is that the plastic clay has followed and exactly reproduced the conception in the maker's mind ; it is formless, without ■ coherence, and all but colourless ; it takes the form, and the consistency, and the colour, that are ideal with the man who transforms the grey earth into a piece of pottery, and when he has done this, his handiwork lasts for ever. Coins rust with time. Statues of marble and bronze crumble or are corroded ; inscriptions are obliterated ; stone walls fell to the earth, and the pyramids themselves are slowly disappearing. Every monument that mankind have thought most lasting yields to time, except the work of the potter. The most frail of man's productions is yet the most per- manent. The glorious tints on the majolica ware are still as bright as when they were drawn from the Triln, while the pictures of Raphael and Leonardo, painted in the same gene- ration, are abeady fading. We have perfect specimens of Greek pottery that cannot be of a later date than a thousand years before the Christian era. Glazed mural tiles have been discovered among the ruins of Babylonian palaces, still bright enough to decorate a king's chamber ; and in the catacombs of Egypt are found glazed figures of Ra the Sun Gt)d of Anubis, and of the sacred ScarabsBus, as pure and brilliant in colour as the latest production of Deck or Minton. "While this permanence and the peculiar plasticity of its material make the study of ancient pottery indispensable to the archaeologist, and interesting to every intelligent person, its potentiality for extreme beauty of form and colour recom- mend it to all who possess any degree 'whatever of ffisthetic appreciation. In regard to form-beauty, it is enough to mention the 51 exquisite proportion of the classical vases, amphorffl, and cylices, the rich and various shapes of eariy Italian wares, and the more learnedly elatborated forms of the pottery of the Renaissance period ; and of colour it is enough to say that the precious imperial red of ancient China vies with the ruhy in brilliancy and depth; the blue of the turquoise is exactly repeated on the blue crackle ware of China, while the pink and dark blue of the Bose du Ba/rry and the Bleu de Boi of Sevres, the rare Chinese apple green, the exquisite tints on the ancient wares of Persia and Japan, are hardly equalled in the various qualities of depth, intensify, brilliancy, and ten- derness by any colours in nature or in art. The production of each one of these hues is a past triumph of invention and of applied science, and in the history of pot- tery is bound up the strong human interest furnished by the lives of the men who have advanced the art — the Delia Robbias, the Palissys, and the Wedgwoods — men of science, artists, inventors, and endowed with the care, patience, energy, and devotion of true genius. Such being the attractions afforded by the study of the ceramic art, it is no wonder that it is popular, and that its popularity increases with the intelligence of the age. If it were allowable to cite names, those of many foremost statesmen at home and abroad, of many great lawyers, of many men eminent in letters, and of many of our first artists, might be given as lovers and students of ancient and mediaeval pottery. Mr. Gladstone, at least, may be quoted among the list, since he has not scrupled in a public speech to avow himself a keen amateur of fictile ware ; the right honourable gentleman indeed is well known to be an enthusiastic and discriminating collector of the wares of Wedgwood and Northern Italy. i>2 62 Whether we have any leaning or not towards the ceramic art, whether we really care for it or do not, it is the fashion to know something about old pottery. It has got to be a mark qf incultnre to be wholly ignorant, and to have at least read up ' Marryat ' or ' ChafiFers ' has almost become part of a liberal education. LECHERTIER, BAEBE, & CO. ARTISTS' COLOUEMEN AND STATIONEBS ESTABLISHED 1827 COLOURS AND MATERIALS FOR POTTERY PAINTING AND FOR GLASS PAINTING LONDON 60 EEGENT STREET WHOLESALE, 7 GLASSHOUSE STBEET 1879 PARIS UNIVERSAL EXHIBITION, 1878. A SILVER MEDAL AND A BRONZE MEDAL, BOTH AWARDED TO FOR HIS COLOURS AND CHEMICALS FOR CHINA PAINTING. 57 A. LACROIX'S ORDINARY MUPPLE-HBAT ENAMEL COLOURS For Painting over the glaze on Porcelain or Earthenware, ground in fat oil of turpentine, ready for use, and placed in compressible tin tutes like moist colours, or reduced in extra-fine powder and placed in glass tubes. The price for either description of tubes is the same. MOIST TUBE. POWDER TUBE. Per tubs s, d. . . . Chinese White (Blanc chinois) Permanent White (Bla'nc fixe) ...... Azure Sky Blue (Bleu eiel azur) . . ... Light Sky Blue (Bleu ciel clair) . Dark Blue (Bleu fonci) Common Blue (Bleu ordinaire) Deep TJltramarine (Bleu outremer riche) Deep Blue (Bleu riche) Brown No. 3 (Brun 3 bitume) Brown No. 4 (Brun 4 foncA) Yellow Brown (Brun jaune) BrownM (BrnnM) Deep !Red Brown (Brun rouge riche) Sepia (S^pia) Light Carmine A (Carmin tendre A) . . . . . Light Carmine No. 1 (Carmin tendre No. 1) . . . . Carmine No. 2 (Carmin No. 2) Deep Carmine No. 3 (Carmin No. 3 fonci) Flux (Fondant g4n&al) Grey No. 1, light (Gris No. 1 tendre) Grey No. 2 (Gris No. 2) Pearl Grey No. 6 (Gris No. 6 perle) ... . . Neutral Grey (Gris noir) ,. . . 8 6 8 8 6 6 10 8 8 3 8 8 8 8 » 8 9 10 6 8 8 8 8 LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT, STREET, W. 58 Per tob» s. d. Platinum Grey (Gris de platine) 6 Warm Grey (Gms roux) 8 Silver Yellow (Jaune d'argent) 6 Ivory Yellow (Jaune d'ivoire 8 JonqTiil Yellow ( Janne jonquille) 6 Yellow for Mixing (Jaune k, mMer) 6 Orange Yellow (Jaune orang6) 6 Crimson Lake (Laque carminee) . . . . • ■ .10 Baven Black (Noir corbeau) 8 Ivory Black (Hoir d'ivoire 6 Yellqw Ochre (Ocre) 8 Purple No. 2 (Pouipre No. 2) 13 CJrimBon Purple (Ponrpre cramoisi) 19 Peep Purple (Pourpre riche) 16 Euby Purple (Pourpre rubis) 2 Belief (Relief) . 6 Capucine Red (Eouge capucine) 6 Flesh No. 1 (Bouge chair No. 1) 8 FleshNo. 2(RougechairNo. 2) 8 Deep flesh (Bouge chair fonc£) 8 Laky Bed (Bouge laqueux) 9 Orange Bed (Bonge oiang^) 9 Grass Green No. 6 (Vert No. 5, prA) 8 Brown Green No. 6 (Vert No. 6, brnn) 8 Dark Green No. 7 (Vert No. 7,noir) 8 Green No. 36 T (Vert No. 36 T) 8 Deep Blue Green (Vert bleu riche) 10 Chrome Green 3 B (Vert chrome SB) 8 Deep chrome green (Vert chr&me riche) . . . . . .08 Emerald-stone Green (Vert 6meraude) 8 Green H. 24 (Vert H 24) 8 Apple Green (Vert pomme) 6 Deep green (Vert russe) 8 Sap Green (Vert de vesaie) 8 Violet of Lx)n (Violet de fer) 8 Light Violet of Gold (Violet d'or olair) 10 Deep Violet of Gold (Violet d'or fon» 8 10 1 6 1 11 i 2 7 „ 1 3 12 1 4 8 M 1 6 14 1 9 10 2 6 16 2 4 12 ,, 4 6 18 3 14 ,, 6 6 20 4 16 „ 9 6 22 5 18 ,, 13 6 24 6 20 „ 20 Tea cup and saucer 8 Breakfast cu p and saucer 1 , A redtiotion made for Services, or qitantities. Filleting in gold and firing glazed china. Firing and glazing paintings on tiseuit china at equally moderate prices. Messrs. Lechertier, Barbe, d Co. cannot he answerable for breakage, but the utmost care will always be exercised. CHINA'PALBTTE FOR PAINTING ON CHINA. Size, 6 in. hy 4, with 24 small recesses for holding colours, £ enclosed in japanned tin case, ■with protector flap and glass slab, very useful for keeping the colours clean . . .0 The palette only LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT STREET, W. s. d. 67 PORTABLE KILNS. FOR FIRING EAETHENWAEE, PORCELAIN, GLASS, &c.. In a kitchen or other similar fire, and with coal, coke, charcoal, or wood. These kilns or muffles are made of fire-clay, and in the shape of a square box, as shown by the above engraving. A hole is made in the cover for receiving a stopper, and one in the front for receiving a chimney. Previous to using the niuffle it should be heated to a temperature higher than that required for the firing of colours (light red heat), in order to get rid of the moisture always retained by porous earth, and when taken out of the fire, left to cool down gradually at a short distance from the grate. The pieces to be fired may then be put in, and in order to pre- vent the smoke or cinders from penetrating, it is better to lute the lid all round with moist clay. See that the fire is well lighted and heaped up together before putting the kiln in, and in the case of coal that it is all ignited and does not emit any more smoke: The kiln should be imbedded in the fuel with not less than two inches of it all round, but there need not be any on the top, and the small hole in the stopper should be kept free in order to allow gases arising from the medium used with the colours to escape. The hole in the chimney should be closed only when the inside of the mufSe is turning to redness. The progress of the firing is tested by introducing a chip of the same kind of ware as that which is being fired, with a touch of carmine upon it, through the chimney into the kiln, and by taking it out occasionally, and looking if the colour and glaze of the carmine is perfected. When that is so, the muffle should be removed from the fire, care being taken not to put it in a draught, as sudden cold might cause it to crack. The pieces should be taken out of the muffle only when it has cooled. When the kiln is used in a closed stove, the chimney should be put on the top and the stopper on the side. Less than one hour will be sufficient in most cases for firing after the above indications. LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO. 60 REGENT STREET, W E 2 ' 68 Kiln No. 1. Small, inside measure, 3^ in. by 3, and 2f in. deep . 2. Larger „ 3 „ 4J, „ 3 „ 3. Flat „ 6^ „ 6J, „ li „ (Suitable for plaques, tiles, glass, &c.) , 4. Flat inside measure, 9 in. by 8^, and Ij in. deep (For same purposes as No. 3) „ 5. Bound, 5J in. diameter inside and 5 in. high (Suitable for cups and small vases) Parts of any of the kilns can be had separately at proportionate prices, Thin strips of china for breaking into ' tests ' .... 1. d. 12 16 20 24 20 3 WHITE EARTHENWARE PLAQUES. They are much lighter than ordinary tiles, more pleasant to handle, and glazed on both sides. s. d. s. d. Oval, 6 in. by 4J . . . 1 | Oblong, 7i in. by 5| . .15 Oblong, 6 4*' 1 64 1 7 MINTON'S WHITE GLAZED EARTHENWARE TILES. s. d. 8 in. square, glazed 1 side, ea. 1 „ 2 6 4 in. square, glazed 1 side, ea. " 1» tt M J> >, O ,, »l »» ,) ,, ' »> »l *> »» »» 9 12 6 CoLOTTEED Tbdes : Buff, Brown, Olive, Turquoise. OVAL PLAQUES IN WHITE GLAZED PORCELAIN, SLIGHTLY CONVEX. d. No. 78, ., 52, ,, 95, ,. 73, „ 37, ,. 62, „ 53, 1 in. by -J, each If If li 2 34, 2f 81, 3 19, 3^ *8 If 2 2| No. 35, i\ in. by 3|, each 220, 27, 29, 26, 5| 8, Of 7, 6| 5. 7| gJL 2BH| 3f 4 4f 7 s. d. 11 1 1 6 1 9 2 2 2 6 3 4 7 6 10 6 All Lacroix's Colours -wiU fire well on Porcelain Plaques, with excep- tion of Blue No. 29, plain Light Brown, and plain Dark Brown, which will answer on ordinary earthenware only. OBLONG PLAQUES IN WHITE GLAZED PORCELAIN. s, d, 4 inches by 2i each 1 H „ H 19 6 „ 4i . ;; 2 3 LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT STREET, W. 69 FRENCH ROUND WHITE GLAZED EARTHENWARE TRAYS. To lie painted on either the concave or convex side. 6 inches diameter 7 8 9 .. 10 11 s. d. . each 10 1 1 4 1 8 1 10 2 12 inches diameter 13 14 15 16 each s. d. 2 9 3 4 4 5 6 FRENCH OVAL WHITE GLAZED EARTHENWARE TRAYS. To be painted on either side. 6 inches long 8 10 e. d. . each 9 . „ 12 ■ „ 1 6 1 1 inches long 12 „ 14 s. d. . each 2 . „ 2 2 . .. 2 8 FRENCH OVAL WHITE GLAZED EARTHENWARE DISHES. For •wall decoration, or for laying flat. 6J inches long 8 10 s. d. . each 1 3 1 8 2 10 1 1 inches long 12 14 s. d. , each 3 6 .,,43 . „ 5 3 FRENCH WHITE EARTHENWARE OBLONG PLAQUES. Glazed both sides. 12 inches by 6 12 „ 9 14 „ 11 i. d. . each 2 3 6 6 3 16^ inches by 12 17^ „ 12 20 „ 14 s. d. , each , 8 4 . „ 10 . „ 20 FRENCH WHITE ROUND EARTHENWARE PLAQUES. Glazed both sides. 6 inches diameter 8 10 S. d. . each 1 6 , 2 3 ■ 5, 2 10 12 inches diameter 14 „ 16 s. d. . each 4 S 7 10 WHITE GLAZED CYLINDRICAL SPILL VASES. 5^ inches high 7 8 s. d. . each !■ 3 • „ 2 3 • „ 3 6 9 inches high 10 11 s. , each 3 . „ 4 . „ 6 LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT STREET, W. 70 MINTON'S WHITE ROUND EARTHENWARE TRAYS. For decorative purposes. e. a. s. d. 7 inches diameter . each 2 4 14 inches diameter . . each 9 e H „ 3 15 )) >» ' „ lU b 9 ,. l' 3 3 16 » » • )» 12 H „ 3 6 17 » 13 10 „ 4 18 .» „ >» lb 11 „ 5 19 )» 16 12 „ 6 6 20 » t» »j 19 13 „ 8 22i „ >» 20 13* „ GL 8 23 „ ») 21 ASS SLABS AND MULLERS. For grinding colonrs. Slabs set in Slab only Mahogany Frame Glass Mnllers — s. d. Glass Slabs — s. d. s. 3,. 1 in. diameter each 5 4 in. by 4 in. each 6 2 li „ )» 8 6 „ 6 „ 9 3 li „ » 1 U 8 „ 8 „ 1 6 4 3 2 1 6 10 „ 10 „ It 2 6 2i 2 12 „ 12 „ 3 6 3 „ 2 (> PANTOGRAPHS. For Copying, Enlarging, or Eedncing Drawings. £ s. d. No. 4. In ehony, 22-inch each 110 „ 8. „ pear-tree, 18^inch ,,050 „ 12. „ „ „ ,,029 WHIRLING TABLE. For describing Circles and Curves, for liiiing the Edges of Plates, Mouldings of Vases, <^c. £ s. d. Small size, to he placed on table 15 Large size, with irop pillar, to stand on floor . . , , 1 10 HAND-REST. In Frenchrpolished, Mahogany . . Bamboo Mahliatick,. about 36 in. long Portable Mahlstick, to take into three pieces . each £ s. d. 2 8 3 LECHERTIEH, BARBE, & CO , 60 REGENT STREET, W. 71 PALETTE KNIVES. 2 No. s. d. 2. Best steel, cocoa handle, ea. 8 4. Ditto, balance ,, „ 11 6. Ditto, askew Wade „ „ 1 2 8. Ditto Trowel „ „ 2 No. 20. Curved Scraper . Spear Head Scraper . Ivory Knife 4 irtch 4^ inch 5 inch .5^ in. s. d, 1 4 1 4 2 9 2 inch, Is. 6d. 3 inch, Is. lOti. 1^ inch. Is. 6d. 6 inch. Is. 6d. 8 inch, 2s. Od. EXTRA PINE CAMEL HAIR, IN QUILLS, For Painting on China. s, d. No. 1. Pigeon Quill . . each 2 „ 2. Crow „ . .„ 2 „ 3. Small Duck Quill „ 2J s. d. No. 4. Large Duck Quill, each 2^ ,, S. Small Goose „ „ 3 „ 6. Full „ „ „ 4 WHITE GOAT'S HAIR, IN QUILLS. For Painting on China, s. d. No. 1. Pigeon Quill . . each 2 „ 2. Crow „ ..,,02 „ 3. Small Duck Quill „ 3 s. d. No. 4. Large Duck Quill, each 3^ „ 5. Small Goose „ „ 5 „ 6. Full ,07 LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT STREET, W. 72 EXTRA PINE riTCH HAIR, IN QUILLS. Por Painting on China. ^^ s. d. s. d No. 1. Pigeon Quill . each 2 No. 4. Large Duck Quill, each 3i „ 2. Crow „ . „ 2 , 5. Small Goose „ „ 6 „ 3. Small Duck . • „ 3 „ 6. Full „ „ _ „ 7 EXTRA FINE FITCH HAIR DABBERS, ON HANDLES. For Painting on China. Mr ' 1 ..ECHERTlER.BftRBE aci a^ each Flat Top s. d. 6 9 1 1 3 1 6 1 10 No. LECHERTIER BARBE S-C"^^- 7 Ajskew Top s. d. 2 9 each Flat Top J. d, 2 3 8 3 3 2 9 9 3 9 3 3 10 4 3 9 11 4 6 4 12 6 4 6 No. 1 is about ^ inch diameter and No. 12 about f inch. LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT STREET, W. 73 SUPERIOR SABLE BRUSHES, IN QUILLS. No. 0. Lark Quill . . . . . . each. „ 1. Pigeon Qaill „ „ 2. CiowQuiE „ Brown Sable d. 4 4 Bed Sable s, d. . 4 . 3 . 4 LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT STREET, W. 74 No. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. , 9. ,10. , 11. ,12. Duck Quill Large Duck Quill Groose Quill Large Goose Quill Extra Small Swan Quill Small Swan Quill Middle Swan Quill Large Swan Quill Extra Large Swan QuiU. Eagle Quill Brown Sable Bed Sable /. d. I. d. each 6 . . 6 9 . . 9 1 . . 1 1 3 . . 1 3 2 9 . . 2 3 3 9 . . 3 5 3 . . 3 9 7 6 . . 4 6 9 . . 6 , 10 6 . . 7 6 LONG HAIR SABLE AND CAMEL HAIR. Eor Outlining, Tracing, Lining, &c. Pigeon Quill . Crow „ Duck „ . Groose „ Bed Sables, in Tin, No. Brown Sable Each s. d. . 6 . 6 . 9 . 1 6 6d. 5^d. 1 2 Bed Sable Each s. d. . 6 . 6 . 9 . 1 6 7^. 9d. 3 4 lO^d. 5 Camel hair Per dozen s. d. . 6 . 9 . 1 6 Is. each. TRACING AND TRANSFER PAPERS. Per Sheet Transparent V^etal Paper, 28 in. by 21 5 Superior prepared tracing,, 40 „ 30 4 Red Transfer Paper 22J „ 17 4 Black „ „ „ ,. „ 4 White „ „ „ „ , 4 Black Lead „ „ „ , 4 Blue „ „ „ „ , 4 TRACING POINT. Ivory Tracer, 4J in. s. d. . each 1 6 LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT STREET, W. 75 STAPEORISIIRE COLOURS, IN PINE POWDER, OF THE MANUFACTUBE OF F. EMERY & SONS, As supplied to the leading firms in the Potteries, ENAMEL COLOURS, for painting over the glaze. Per Glass Per Capsule lb. s. d. s. d. Amber, No. 33 8 14 Best Bed 08 80 Best Yellow 08 54 Brown No. 7c 8 10 Chrome Green, No. 10 8 14 „ 11 8 14 „ „ 12 8 16 Coral Bed, No. 10 8 6 8 Emerald Green 8 32 Enamel Bine, No. 3 8 8 „ 20 8 8 „ ! „ 69 8 8 3 Flesh Colour, No. 45 8 16 Plux, No. 8 (general flux) 8 4 French Brown, No. 13c 8 22 „ „ 63c 8 22 French Grey, No. 3 8 16 Gordon Green, No. 13 8 10 Jet Black, No. 21 8 14 Lilac (or strong violet) 8 34 Marone, No. 41 . 10 54 Orange 08 34 Outremer 8 40 Purple Brown 08 54 Purple, No. 1 10 80 Rose, No. 22 8 24 23 (soft) 8 15 Euby 2 108 Russet Brown 08 68 Strong Black, No. 2 8 12 Turquoise, No. 39 8 22 40 8 22 43 10 47 Turquoise Green, No. 4 10 40 Violet, No. 1 8 20 White Enamel, No. 100 8 16 YeUow Green 08 34 LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT STREET, W. 76 UNDERGLAZE COLOURS. (F. Emeby & Soi7S.) Per Glass Capsule s. d. Blaek, No. 3 8 Claret Brown 8 Cobalt Blue, No. 6 8 Coffee Brown 8 Dark Brown 8 Dark Green 8 French Green, No. 2 8 Lilac 8 Mat Blue, No. 2 8 „ „ 13 8 „ 28 8 Orange, No. 1 8 „ „ 2 8 Peach, No. 1 8 Pink, No. 9 8 Purple, No. 3 . . . .... 8 Ked Brown 8 Eusset Brown 8 Tile Blue 8 Victoria Green, No. 2 8 Violet, No. 2 8 White Enamel 8 Yellow, No. 1 8 „ „ 2 . . . . , . . .08 ENAMEL COLOURS FOR GLASS. (F. Embet & Sons.) Black, No. 2 Blue, No. 144 „ „ 145 ,, „ 146 Brown, No. 133 „ 134 Carmine, No. 315 Celadon, No. 106 Chrome Green, No. 144 .. ,. „ 146 Strong Transparent Green, No. 154 Water Green, No. 108 Lilac, No. 27 Purple, No. 1 Per lb «. d. 8 3 9 16 2 4 2 8 4 5 4 5 4 6 8 14 8 3 9 3 4 5 4 3 4 5 4 4 8 2 4 10 8 3 4 9 4 11 3 8 3 4 Per "Glass Per Capsule lb. s. d. s. d. 8 12 8 34 2 94 8 40 8 13 4 8 13 4 8 47 8 13 4 8 22 ' 8 22 2 86 8 13 4 8 26 8 2 80 LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT STREET, W. 11 Bed, No. 107 „ „ 129 Bose, No. lid „ „ 117 . Buby, No. 311 . Transparent Yellow, No. 31 Silver Yellow . . Violet, No. 28 Per Glass Per Capsule lb. s. d. s. d. 8 16 8 16 8 27 8 21 4 2 80 8 16 8 40 8 40 For all articles relating to water-colour drawing, chalk and pencil drawing, mathematical drawing, modelling, oil painting, tapestry painting, see other catalogues. LESSOIS EST POTTERY PAIlfTIlf&. Appleton, Miss E., 18 Garway Bead, Westboume Groye, W. Arnold, Mr. H., 132 Adrian Terrace, Finborough Boad, West Brompton. Beestok, Miss L., 31 Lower Belgrade Street, Eaton Square, S.W. Briqqs, Mr. J., 88 King's Boad, Brighton. Causse, Mademoiselle A., 31 CoIviUe Square, W. Collins, Miss, 50 Bessborough Street, St. George's Square, S.W. EsMAED, Madame J., 29 Charlotte Street, Portland Place. Habbctt, Mrs., Studio, 5 The Paragon, Bath. Hebmaus, Mr. A., 38 Gower Place, Euston Square, N.W. KtrowLES, Mr. J. W., 41 Stonegate, York. Maplestone, Miss E., 1 Bichmond Gardens, Uxbridge Boad, Netting HiU. Millar, Mr., 22 Buchanan Street, Glasgow. Eyland, Mr. Henry (specially figure), 8 Somerset Terrace, Carlton Boad, N.W. TwTNAM, Miss B., 22 Addison Gardens North, Kensington. LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT STREET, W. 78 LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO.'S SOCIETY OF AETS ONE SHILLING MOIST WATER-COLOUR BOX Containing Thteteen Coloues asd Thbee Beushes, as becommendbd by the societt. Honourable Mention, Paris Universal Exhibition, 1878. " I will have pleasure in recommending it It is the best I hare seen at the price. "K. Collinson, " Late Painting and Figure Master at the Art Schools, *' South Kensington." LEGHEETIEB, BABBE, & GO.'S STUDENTS' MOIST WATER-COLOURS, ONE PENNY EACH. Pure unadulterated pigments, useful for brush notes, artists' first sketches, or students' use. They are enclosed in tin cups and serve to replace those that are used up in the Society of Arts colour box, or for addition to it ; — Ivory Black Lamp Black Cobalt Frencli ■Ultraioarme Indigo Permanent Blue FruBslan Blue Brown Pink Burnt Timber RawTJmber Sepia Vandyke Brown Emerald Green Hooker's Greoj, No. 1 » „ 2 Olive Green Sap Green Neutral Tint Burnt Sienna Crimson Lake IndiimBed Light Red Venetian Red Vermilion Chrome, L^ht „ Deep „ Onmge Gamboge Raw Sienna TeUow Ochre LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT STREET, W. Price. ». d. Perpi 1. Painted Tapestry and its Application to Interior Decoration. Practical lessons in Tapestry Painting •with liquid colour. By Jolien Godon. Translated by B. BucKNAix, Arehiteet. With coloured plates . 6 6 A Guide to Modelling in Clay and TWax, and for Terra Ootta, or Sculptural Art made Easy for Beginners. By MoBtON Edwaeds, Professor of Modelling . .' 1 1 Easy Studies in ■Water-Colour. By E. P. Leitch. 12 plates, each subject in two stages, showing how worked by the Artist 2 2 A Handbook to the Practice of Pottery Painting. By John 0. L. Spabkbs, Head Master of the National Art Training School, South Kensington, Director of the Lambeth School of Art ..... 1 1 Cassagne's Method. A series of 61 Drawing Books, on heads, figures, landscape, animals, flowers, ornaments, and marines. Each book contains 16 pages of tinted paper and spaces to draw in, with printed directions to each sketch, and general instruction on drawing . 8 Le Fusaiu sans maitre. Par K. Robert. Traite complet et pratique sur I'^tude du paysage au fusain, suivi de Ie9ons Sorites, aTee planches reproduites par rh^liogravure, d'aprfes Allong^: . 6 6 Traite de la Gravure i, I'eau-forte. Texte et plan- ches par Maximb Lalanne, avec une lettre-preface de Ghahles Blanc 8 8 iSlementary Artistic Anatomy of the Human Body. By Dr. T. Fatt. For the use of Art Schools, Colleges, ' Boarding Schools, &c. Translated .and edited by 0. - Caeteb BtAKE, Doct. Sci 3 3 A Course of Sepia Painting. By R. P. Leitch. AYith 24 plates, in colour S A Course of Painting in Neutral Tint. By R. P. Leitch. With 24 plates, in colour . 5 .■) A Course of 'Water-Colour Painting. By E. P. , , Leitch, With 24 plates, in colour ' . . 6 5 The Art of Fan Painting. By Madame la Baronne Delamabdelie. Translated by Gustave A. Botjvier {In prepm-ation) . . '. . . 1 FREET, 1 LECHERTIER, BARBE, & CO., 60 REGENT S" W. Cornell University Library arV18195 A handbook to the practice of potter 3 1924 031 306 578 olin,anx