The herald., 1897-04-03
FRIDAY MORNING CLUB
QUAINT SPECIMENS OF WEDGE
WOOD AND DELFT
A Descendant of the Famous Potter
Reads a Paper-Mrs. Stilson
on Delft Ware

A very pleasant program was given IN
the Friday Morning club yesterday the
subject presented being Ceramics"
Mr.. Clement j. Wedgewood read pa
per on "Wedgewood Ware" and Mrs. NJ.
Z. Stilson one on "Faience."
Mr.. Wedgewood is a great grandson
of Josiah l.. Wedgewood, identified with
ceramics for many generations and in
ventor of the beautiful ware which
bears his name. The paper presented
to the club yesterday morning by Mr..
Wedgewood was of much interest. 1t
gave a brief sketch of ceramic art, COM
mencing with the red clay of the Egyp-
tians, touching the Assyrian and Baby
lonians, the Phenoecians, the early
Greeks, and the pottery as old as Homer.
The Etruscans worked in terra Gotta like
the Greeks, their best products being
statues. After touching the ancient pot
terry at some length and sketching the
introduction of porcelain manufacture
into Japan. and the glazed and un-
glazed ware of different nations, the
speaker came to the subject of Wedge
wood which was invented by Josiah
Wedgewood, who was born in 1870, and
early devoted to the artistic develop
ment of ceramics. His invention of a
new green tortoise shell earthenware
having the smoothness and brilliant ap-
pearance of glass, was greatly appre-
cated. He perfected fine cream color
ed ware, now known as queensware, as
it obtained for him the title of queens
potter"
The Jasper ware, which has so wide
a reputation was produced in 1885, In
1863 beautiful copies of classical vases
and masterpieces from engravings gave
Catherine of Russia having executed
for her a service of hundreds of pieces
each representing a different English
landscape. In 1890 he executed magnif1-
cent copies of the famous Barberini
vase.
The speaker then turned his attention
to Jasper ware, it's very beautiful color
ing, its applied designs of decoration, its
strength, it's value. and other interesting
detail, as we'll as a sketch of the fac
tories where it is made. Many beautiful
PIECES of Wedgewood were on exhibit
ton, being lent by ladies of the club.
FAIENCE.
Mr.. Wedgewoodis paper was followed
by comprehensive one by Mrs. Still
son upon Delft and Old Blue Faience."
THE word delft is synonymous with
pottery as China is synonymous with
porcelain" the speaker said, for from
remote period the excellence Of the
clay made Delft a place for the manu-
facture of earthenware. great de-
mand arising for household pottery in
Chinese and Japanese style, made the
Delft potters produce limitations, soon
eoualing the imported ware in design,
lightness and glaze.
"Dishes were painted with coats of
arms. notices and names OF owners.
Puzzle Jugs, now relics, were made with
h. rtr. a ~
handle being hollow. If the drinker held
it right and covered two spouts with his
fingers he could drink with safety.
Among the families who formed sort
Of dynasty among the pottersithere were
but six of Delft origin
The speaker then sketched some of
the customs of the time of the seven
teenth century coming down to the time
when Delft was introduced into America
hv English and Dutch settlers, much Of
which is still preserved in old families
The willow pattern is very popular, but
there are many designs also favorites.
Mrs. Stilson interpolatedh her paper with
several charming little legends and sto-
ries touching the origin of patterns, etc
Many rare old pieces of Delft were ex-
hibited by the speaker, each one or which
had a history of much interest.
COMMITTEE REPORT.
The nominating committee, which mas
| been preparing the ticket for the coming
| election reported the following names
| as being selected for the two tickets:
| President. Mines. Frank Virgins and
J. F. Sartori; vice president, Mines 8.
| S. Salisbury and w. A. Spaldtng; sec
| ond vice president Mines. b. c. Whiting
| and Burton Williamson; secretary
Mrs. ]. A. Walls and Miss Variel; treas
urer. Mrs. r. w. Pridham and Miss
/ Minnie North.
| Board Of directors, Mines. G. Strecke-
wald, c. D. Willard, F. w. WARD,
F., T Thorpe. ]. A. Osgood. r. w. Poin-
| dexter. L. A. Croft, NJ. p. Haines, C. r..
| Kregelo, Sarah Longstreth, r. H. +.
Variel, r. N Bulla. Laura Fay, L. N.
| North, Il. .. Wyman.