Birmingham age-herald., 1895-01-19
POTTERS AT WORK.
SKILL WITH WHICH VESSELS ARE
 SHAPED FROM THE CLAY.

4 Description Which Recalls Longfellow's
 Wheel; All Things Must Change to Some
 thing New, to Something Strange"
 Let HIS watch potter at his wheel. The apparatus before him is simple consisting of bench, let into the top of which is horizontal wheel revolving by a treadle. At his right is a tank of water, near which are piled Jumps of finely ground wet clay, wet to the right consistence. Each weighs 1K pounds.
 At his left is q board holding six pots just from tho wheel. Behind him is a framework on which boards are placed as fast as fillod, that the pots may dry before baking. They are the 8 inch hanging pots, and the making of one includes nearly all tho 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 a short, thick cylinder, which, while turning even ly and rapidly, is hollowed at the top by tho fingers and widcncd slightly, leaving it like rude cup several inches high. A few downward strokes around tho base Sproau out Inc illDWdllCe Ol CliAy iOr Liio saucer flat upon tho wheel.
 Then this whirling cup begins to rise higher and thinner under tho potters fin gers, the circle of the rim growing wider and wider till tho cup chang7s to an old fashioned wincglass, with its fiat stand ard, very short, thick stem and funnel shaped upper part. But this form alters as with wet fingers and sometimes with A wet wooden scraper, the potter presses against the inner side till, rising higher and swelling outward, it gains beauti- fully rounded outline and is the desired size. The edge is turned over at right an gles and wet and smoothed with tho scraper till perfect rim an inch or more wide is formed Then for the first tme 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 tho 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 tho finishing touch and turns very slowly as the rim is crimpcd with thumb and finger, the num- Der of scallops coming out even at tho end, with no gap between or any too near to- gether
 With quick motion wet string, held taut, cuts the bottom of tho saucer from the wheel, and the finished pot is lifted to the board.
 The whole process has taken only 1 minute and 12 seconds. Truly the work seems>done as by magic. It is as fascinat- ing to watch as glass blowing, being not an exhibition of strength or of mechanical precision, but of pure skill in handiwork. Most of the flowerpots now made are shaped in plaster of paris molds These are in three sections, shaped inside like the bottom and sides of a pot arc very thick and are held together by means of corresponding projections and depressions in their edges. Often the inner surface has fancy pA ttern, which, being dcpress- ed into the Il bid, appears raised on the pot Rustic bts are made in this way A favorite desig is vine around the rim, the rest of the ehsurface showing a repousse effect.
 The process lolding is short and comparatively eJl1 There is the same horizontal wheel, though turned by ma chinery The mold holding tho right quantity of clay is placed firmly upon the wheel. While in rapd motion the oper- ator presses against the inside a thin wooden piece suspended from above, shap- cd like half section of the inside of tho 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 tho moisture tho pot is taken out and whirled rapidly, whilo cutting metal edge is held against it, trimming the ragged edge of the rim and throwing it off in thin clay ribbon.
 The part of the mold not fitting perfect ly, the clay forced into the cracks has to be cut away, after which the pot is rcadysfor 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 arc ready for decoration.
 The pots to be colored arc dipped in q large pail of paint and turned to drain upon a rack over 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 tho ware is baked.
 Around tho great circular furnaces are built thick parallel walls of the kilns, reaching to tho 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 ono on an other, every other pot being inverted, giv- ing the effect of rows of fantastic pillars. Shelves built of blocks of fire brick support other kinds of pottery. Saucers are set on their rims in horizontal rows.
 Tho unpainted clay wares require for their first baking heat of 3, 500 degrees and tho decorated wares a heat of 5000