The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-10-06
PoTTERs AT WORK.
Skill With Which Vessels Are Shaped
From the Clay.

thing New, to Something Strange"
Let us watch potter at his wheel The
apparatus before him is simple, consisting
of a bench, let into the top of which is a
horizontal wheel revolving by treadle.
At his right is tank of water, near which
are piled Jumps of finely ground wet clay,
wet to the right consistence. Each weighs
l u pounds.
At his left is a board holding six pots
just from the wheel. Behind him is a
framework on which boards are placed as
fast as filled, that the pots may dry before
baking. They are the 9 inch hanging
pots, and the making of one includes
nearly all the processes in use for making
any kind of flowerpot expecting those
made in molds.
The potter drops lump of clay on the
center of the moving wheel, shaping it
with both hands to the form of short,
thick cylinder, which, while turning even
ly and rapidly, is followed at the top by
the fingers and widened slightly, leaving
1t like rude cup several inches high. A
few downward strokes around the base
spread out the allowance of clay for the
saucer fiat upon the wheel
Then this whirling cup begins to rise
higher and thinner under the potter's fin
gers, the circle of the rim growing wider
and wider till the cup changes to an old
fashioned wineglass, with it's flat stand
ard, very short, thick stem and funnel
shaped upper part. But this form alters
as, with wet fingers and sometimes with
wet wooden scraper, the potter presses
against the inner side till, rising higher
and swelling outward, it gains a beauti-
fully rounded outline and is the desired
size. The edge is turned over at right an
giles and wet and smoothed with the
scraper till a perfect rim an inch or more
wide is formed. Then for the first time
the wheel is still, while the drainage hole
just above the saucer is punched with
pointed stick from the outside, thus leav-
ing the outer surface smooth, though the
inner is rough.
In the same way the holes for chains in
the rim of the pot are made, the wheel
revolving slowly while the distance be-
tween them is measured accurately and
quickly by the eye.
Next the rim of the saucer is turned up
ward and smoothed like the upper rim.
The pot is now ready for the finishing
touch and turns very slowly as the rim is
crimped with thumb and finger, the num-
Der of scallops coming out even at the end
with no gap between or any too near to-
gether.
With quick motion wet string held
taut, cuts the bottom of the saucer from
the Wheel and the finished pot is lifted to
the board
The whole process has taken only 1
minute and 10 seconds. Truly the work
seems done as by magic. 1t is as fascinat-
ing to watch as glass blowing, being not
an exhibition Of strength or of mechanical
precision, butsof pure skill in fandiwork
Most OF the fowerpots now made are
shaped in plaster of paris molds. These
are in three sections, shaped inside like
the bottom and sides of pot, are very
thick and are held together by means of
corresponding projections and depressions
in their edges. Often the inner surface
has fancy pattern, which, being depress-
ed into the mold, appears raised on the
pot. Rustic pots are made in this way. A
favorite design is a vine around the rim,
the rest OF the surface showing repousse
effect
The process of molding is short and
comparatively easy. There is the same
horizontal wheel, though turned by ma
chinery The mold holding the right
quantity of clay is placed firmly upon the
wheel. While in rapid motion the oper-
ator presses against the inside thin
wooden piece suspended from above shap-
ed like half section of the inside of the
pot Held firmly against the whirling
mold, it forces the clay into the desired
shape in a few seconds.
After the porus mold has absorbed the
moisture the pot is taken out and whirled
v,iJ xr,J&i To- II Ill &
held against it, trimming the ragged
edge Of the rim and throwing it off i'm a
thin clay ribbon.
The part of the mold not fitting perfect
", the clay forced into the cracks has to be
cut away, after which the pot is ready for
baking
Pieces to be glazed on the inside have a
thin brown glazing mixture poured into
them, shaken and turned out. When bak-
ed, they are ready for decoration.
The pots to be colored are dipped in
large pail of paint and turned to drain
upon rack over a shallow box which
slants toward and drains into another
pail, which, when full, is emptied into the
first, thus applying the paint evenly and
quickly and with little waste. The inner
edges are painted by hand before the ware
is baked.
Around the great circular furnaces are
built thick parallel walls of the kilns,
reaching to the ceiling, and in this space,
perhaps three or four feet wide, the pottery
to be burnt is carefully piled, the thick
doors shut, the heat gradually raised to
the right point and as slowly cooled
Large fowerpots are piled one on an
other, every other pot being inverted, Civ
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