El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-03-05
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN

Chicago, Ill. March 5.-The Ceramic
fad OF pottery making. which was
started by Mrs. Bellamy-StOrer and
which spread among the women Of the
land rapidly, has lost It's charm, and
the making of pottery in art designs
is now given over TO the factories and
skilled pOtters
That American ceramic art has
reached as high a standard as that OF
any other nation in the world is shown
at the session OF the American Ceramic
society now holding its 18th annual
meeting in Chicago. The meeting calls
definite attention to the progress and
growth OF the china manufacturing IN
dustries of the United States, which
have been so largely developed during
the last quarter Of a century.
Ohio in Lead.
Ohio has long been in the lead IN
famous lockwood potter1es by MIS-
Benamy StOrer was the first event
which called the attention Of the world
to the possibility of high grade pottery
IN America. These first lockwood
pieces were in rich dark COlOrings and
many OF the earlier designs represented
indians. which made them even more
leaves, dark hued flowers and fish in
nets were a few of the patterns most
recognizable in the early ware
New and More Delicate Ware.
Now, however. there is a new ware
being developed in the lighter cOlOrs
which is believed by many to be the
It shows soft pinks, grays and blues
beautifully blended with white, and
the delicacy Of the newer designs have
almost superseded the dark indian
shades in the genuine ware. One rea-
son for this change in cOlOrtnE Is said
TO be the numerous Implications Of the
dark colored pieces IN cheap machine
made pottery Fine art pottery is al
ways made entirely by hand For this
reason no piece is ever exactly dupli-
Gated. To obtain the delicacy OF ef-
al - &
sometimes happens that out OF several
dozen pieces there VIII be only one
which vii come out from the kiln IN
perfect condition This Is the reason
Becomes a Fad.
Through the influence of Mrs Storer
and a number OF other women inter
America, the making OF pottery became
a sort Of fad in many sections OF the
country. Women organized pottery
clubs and guilds and frequently estab-
lished community kilns for the firing. OF
their handmade pottery. AS was in
sv1table, however this craze dld NOT
requires scientific skill and knowledge
which can not be picked up IN half a
dozen superficial lessons Notwtth-
standing the simple directions Iur-
nished by the manufacturers OF the
kilns. in which any woman was sup
posed to be able TO fire her own work
Pottery making now Is only popular
with those who are able to devote
sufficient amount OF time to become
really skillful in the art
While Ohio was the first state to
inaugUrate the high grade ceramic IN
dustry and has always kept IN the
hind West Virginia, Pennsylvania and
New York are also manufacturing china
that commands a high price, while In
several other states there are facto-
ries producing excellent qualities OF
white ware OF various kinds, including
both china and porcelatns, and num-
Der Of new machines Tor decorating
them have been devised. One Of these
is used for gold banding, or the appli-
cation Of any other fiat color
It has been felt from the beginning
Of the interest in the clay products
manufactured IN this country. that
there was a dearthe OF properly eou-
Gated persons to superintend the work
A course IN ceramics IS now PROVIDED
in the Ohio university which is de-
signed to give training IN every branch
OF the work. A class OF l3 graduated
specialized in porcelain work, another
IN decorative pottery and eleven IN
terra Gotta, sewer pipe and brick max
Ing. All have positions and there Is
had such training.
Developing Ceramic Education.
Ceramic education is now being de-
veloped along two lines In the past
only scientific or engineering ceramics
received any degree Of attention in the I
few institutions devoted to the sub I
lect The Increasing DEVELOPMENT OF /
the industry, especially OF the white J
ware branch, demands that the art /
slde OF the ceramic trade also be taken /
up II American products are TO compete l
fairly with European, so the subject I
OF ceramic education is receiving at I
tention from the American Ceramic so (
clety as wen as Of the American Pot I
ters' association.
There IS no single product which has !
been more closely. connected with the /
development OF the civilization OF I
nation than its ceramic work The /
earliest savages made crude pots and /
bowls of clay. By accident IL was dis I
covered that baking them hardened and 4
.oughened them and made them more /
durable. The primitive pOtters dis I
covered that sand exposed to fire would /
produce glass and that clay pots could /
be glazed in this way. AS the civiliza- 4
ton Of a nation increased, its clay 1
workers became more skillful and their I
designs more beautiful Indeed the I
2otters' art Is perhaps the oldest In I
the world. and for this reason collec- {
lions OF antique porcelains, pottery and I
china will always be Of great historic I
Egypt Made Pottery Before Pyramids. 4
Egypt made pottery before the build /
ng OF the pyramids, since the Oldest I
lleroglypnic writing Introduces. PIC
lures OF earthen vessels Pictures OF I
pottery vessels and small pieces OF !
pottery have been found in the tombs l
a.
with the building OF the I
Great Pyramid about $3.50 B. c. They I
used the potters' wheel at an early !
date. as Is evidenced from a painting /
upon the walls of a tomb Of a date not /
Tar distant from the building OF the /
pyramids. 1t is interesting to note 1
hat the forming Of circular pieces upon I
/, wheel has not advanced much for four /
years The potteries Of As
syria, Babylonia and Phoenicia had /
many points IN common. but the Baby
oman pottery was much used for the.
inscription OF history and bits OF liter
ature which IL was desirable TO pre-
serve. There are Babylonian bowls In
existence which have their entire sur
ace covered with writings.
In ancient Greece, the pOtters art
cached such perfection that the de-
signs OF that period are popular with
he potters OF the present day, and
there never has been a time when they
lave not to some extent been used for
models. The Greeks admired fine pot I
terry and cultivated IL as an art SUI
,erbly decorated vases or amphOrae
we're frequently given as prizes to the
-ictors IN the games.
Old Roman Tiles.
During the Roman era comparatively |
title progress was made IN the de-
r.a M ]