Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-03

gailu Eeunehtf gour,,al,
City and County.
FIRING CHINA.
1hs Methods Used 10 Have Rich Glaze
Upon 1t Explained.

The gas XIII III tIic Tesi.ciSC %, MIS- w.
e. Boothby, corner of Elm and Bridge
streets, for firing decorated china, is a
most interesting apparatus. When you
visit the elaborate and artistic display of
decorated china at the exhibition of the
Augusta China Decorators Club, to be
held in the Unitarian church parlors.
Dec. 9Th and 18th, you may not be con
yersant with the method applied to OBJ
tain such results. Now to give you some
idea Of the n3ans by which piece of
china is frcd and the design imprinted,
quite an amount Of explanation will be
necessary.
First the paints used must be of min
eral composition, as no other combine
ton will serve for such a purpose A
piece Of china is then painted any design
which the artist may choose. After this
part of the undertaking is completed the
paint is allowed to dry, after which it
is ready to be placed in the kiln and
fred, this causing the paint to sink be-
meath the glaze
Before continuing further on this line
let us learn something of the gas kiln.
This method of firing is very popular as
an even temperature is supplied apd uni
form results are obtained Located at
one side of the cellar is gas meter, by
which the flow of gas may be measured
and the amount of force determined.
Connected with this meter is pipe about
six inches in circumference through
which the gas flows to the burner The
kiln is composed of fire brick encased in
sheet iron, and inside is cast iron pot
with little ears on the inside which afford
resting places for CRATES and upon the
latter rests the china between which are
placed fire clay stills to prevent the pieces
touching each other. Underneath the
kiln is large cluster burner, consisting
of 81 tubes connected with the flow
pipe from the meter and these tubes are
about foot in length and curve together
at the top, thus concentrating the heat
A tube is connected with the cove. of tie
cast iron pot to furnish an opportunity to
look into the kiln rs tho firing progresses
and ascertain when the firing is com
pleted. An air tube is also attached to the
bottom of the kiln, which affords ventila-
ton of air and avoids smoking the china
The gas passes through the meter at
the rate of three feet minute to be burned
in heating the kiln. The burner used is
the Bunson design and the Hall kiln is
the make Mrs. Boothby uses.
When you look through the peep hole
you see the china at white heat, and
near the close Of the three hours firing
the china is of II waxy white appearance
indicating that it is time to turn off the
gas The china is left in the pot about
an hour or more, when it becomes cool
and is ready to be removed and articles
with gold On them FURNISHED. Figure
work is the most difficult Of any and often
several tirings are necessary to make it
perfect. Considerable heat is essential
for the gold work, which is very attractive
when finished. After piece of china is
painted with the gold it is of chocolate
color,and by this firing process the golden
hue is produced. 1t might seem to you that
the atmosphere about this kiln would
be very torrid, but pipe adjusted to the
Kiln and entering the chimney renders
an escape for the hot air and you find it
only comfortable while there. The size
of the pieces determines the number that
can bc conveniently placed in the pot but
often a dozen or more will be fired at
once
BY an inspection of this china when re
moved from the kiln you will find it to be
oil highly polished surface and the
painted designs lay under the glaze. A
journal man viewed many very bcauti-
fully painted pieces Of china, that had
been fired, and figure work of rich design.
1t is very interesting and fascinating
work. Much more might be said about
II nut this meagrc description will furnish
you some idea of how firing china is
performed