The Portland daily press., 1878-11-05
MAJOLICA IN MAINE.
A Visit to the vviuslow Pottery.

A Visit to the Winslow Pottery.
Since the report of the Winslow Pottery
Works given to the readers of the PRESS some
months since, new branch of manufacture
has been added to their former specialties,
which promises to be of great valne, both in
itself and as the basis of further discoveries;
aud which cannot fail in the final test of all
manufacturers-moneyp profit. For three years
past Mr. E. D. Winslow has been experiment.
ing with the view to discovering a!mineral glaze
which should be durable, brilliant and capable
of the fusion of various colors--in short the ma
iolica finish. About six weeks since his efforts
resulted in most gratifying success; and sew
eral invoices of the ware were sent to Boston,
where its merit was promptly recognized and
practically endorsed by large sales 1t may
hers be remarked that the Wiuslow ware is the
only pottery made in New England which re.
ceives the glazing on the inside as well as on
the outer surface of the vase or pitcher By
the courteous and full explanations and good
opportunities for seeing the process of majoli-
ca-naking afforded the reporter by Mr.. Wins
low, the PRESS is able to give an account of the
manufacture to its readers.
Entering the Office where the business of the
firm ia transacted, the eye is caught by the
rich tints and subdued glitter of majoca ware
in a small room whose door opens into the
Office, and further explorations shows dozens
of small vases, matohsafes, cups, etc., in the
soft, messy and dsad-leaf colors known to low
ers of ceramics; side by side with specimens of
fha mott aru Mo md Tow
which the mandatory has already become SO
well known. This is thelresult, this is pottery
setting up for callers-bat we wish also to see
it in its earlier common clay ta'en
from the common earth, by''-not precisely
| angels but exceptionally efficient workmen,
moulded to the perfect form of" anything,
from an individual butterplate to ten foot
garden vase. So we follow the superintendent
into the mandatory, OF which the great red
chimney is landmark for the neighborhood;
and are made serious by learning that every
thing is formed of clay, and raised in spirit
when the superintendent admits that there is "a
difference in the quality. Bat from these re-
| Elections the mind is directed to the fact that
this is jersey clay, that 1t is peculiarly soft and
| fine, and makes paste Of admirable grain.
| First it is mixed with water, (Mr. Winslow ex-
| plains) then sifted through sieve covered with
| the finest muslin, then the water is boiled out
| OF is in an immense caldron-and the clay is
ready for the wheel of the potter Then we as
| cend to the second floor, and at the request OF
| Mr.. Winslow, thoughtful-iooking Scandina-
Wan takes bit Of clay, Of about the size,
| color and consistency Of 40 unbsked graham
| biscuit, and proceeds to kuead it and mould it
upoa plaster board. From this il is transfer
| red to the wheel, a h,rzonsa disk, of which,
| says our guide, the form has not been changed
since the ancient days when the prophet wrote
| of the potter and his clay. The wheel whirls,
| the potter's hand is now inside, now outside,
and in q few moments a smoothly shapen jar
stands finished upon the wheel. With wire
the potter cuts the jar in two, that we may see
the even surface Of the inside, ard equal thick
ness of the jar. Then the bit of clay is tossed
back to its fellows, and one wonders if it has no
| sensation of having gone halfway to identty,as
| good horse or dog seems halfway toward pos
| sessing soul. But there is no time for fances
| among so many interesting facts; for next we
are conducted to the workbench of young
| man who is hidden to M Ike cherubs head
| aud il no in full relief, and basrelief medal
| lions of Shakespeare and Byron, which he
| promptly does, By means of plaster-of-paris
| moulds. Every line is clear, and the soft gray
| of the unbaked clay is very attractive. When
''the man at the Wheel has moulded his vase,
| aud the monlder has made the handles and
| other ornaments for lip or vase, it may be the
lesign will require some delicate basreliefs of
| cures or leaves--snd to see these we must
mount another flight of stairs and enter the work
room of Mr. L f. Nslson-a Scandinavian, as
are almost all of the employees of Messrs.
| Winslow-and SO good a workman as to be
| fairly entitled to the name of artist. Here are
| classic basreliefs the figures of the Portland
| Vase (of which the company make an excellent
facsimie) the marriage of Paris, and other
copies from classic models, figures in full re-
| lief, moulds for handles of vases, and many
other desigus-al cast in plaster after carvings
and modellings in clay by Mr.. Nelson. When
the clay has passed through all the processes in
| dictated, it is baked-and is now the Portland
Cream Pottery, Of a delicate tint, and even
smooth, though as yet unglazed surface. Then
| the mineral glaze is applied with brush, and
previous to baking, the pottery looks little i'm
proved by its painting, streaked with dull red.
dish. blush, brownish tints, as if in a long
walk across country it had sampled the diff
ferent sorts of mud on the way 1t IS now
taken to the "saggers"-which look like half.
bushel measures, and are made of material
similar to that of drain-teles-the vases are set
up in them, each on its "stits' (little TRIPODS
an inch in diameter, also of clay) and they are
ready for their second baking. In this baking
the colors melt and fuse, forming an even, bril-.
liant glaze, entirely covering the vase, of fue
color and surface, hardly TO be distinguished
from the genuine msjolica. A visit to the
room where the vases stand, in readiness for
the second baking, reveals variety of shapes
and ornaments, too many to be recounted.
Messrs. Winslow have been exceedingly Gu
terprising 10 searchiDg for fine models and in
employing good talent in reproducing them.
They ind the Scandinavians particularly APT
and eficent at their business. A visit to the
establishment is very agreeable, and is Rendered
still more SO by the courtesy and readiness witt
which Mr. Winslow and his employees make
things clear to the uuiutiated.
RELIGIOUS MEETINGS. Elder Miles Gram
of Chelsea, Mass, who is known from one END