The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-10-27
Poffers Take Radio
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the past 33 years. He declared it ex-
ceedingly difficult to become pot
ter because of the great skill required
to produce quality ware. He said
latent ability was necessary and that
it required about five years to bring
this ability to the surface. In answer
to questions concerning the Brother
hood, he announced 80 per cent of all
workers producing dinner ware were
members of the organization; that SO
per cent of the hotel and restaurant
china workers were on the rolls and
that the N. B. of o. P. was so years
old. He also explained that about 30
per cent of the employees were women
In an attempt to give the vast audi
ence clear picture of the potters' art;
Of how dish on the table comes from
raw clay, the announcer next asked
Arthur Wells how the process started
Mr.. Wells stated the ingredients came
from many distant points; the china
clay from Florida and North Carolina
ball from Tennessee and Kentucky
flint from Pennsylvania and feldspar
from Maine. He then told how the
substances are weighed, placed in a
churn-like contraption, cleansed by be-
ing forced through cloth and filtered
now ready for the caster or jigger.
Caster Jack O'Malley announced he
had been pottery worker the past 80
years and that his particular job was
the making of hollow ware. He ex-
planned that the clay with which he
worked was in the liquid state enabling
him to pour it into the moulds. The
clay adhears to the mould and the ex-
cess is poured out. Next the mould
is broken down and the pitcher, jug, or
whatever it may be is sent to the green
room and then to the bisque kiln. He
also explained that flatware was made
on jigger.
Vice President Chadwick, jiggerman
confessed to 35 years in the trade and
stated he had spent the first five as
batterout, or jiggerman's helper. He
explained that the batterout placed a
ball of clay on the plaster block and
formed it into a pie crust shape by
hitting it with plaster bat. The clay
is then thrown on the mould which
forms the inside of the piece while the
tool and the hand form the outside as
the mould revolves. He then sketched
the work of the mouldrunner and fin
isher.
William Magill, representing the
turner's, told how the shaping of the
fancy foot and the outside of the cups
were his particular work. Questioned
he also stated that he had two children
who would probably follow his foot
steps. He added that the cups had
to go through still other hands before
they could leave the clay shop.
Handler Thomas Cartwright said
his family had been in the pottery in
dustry the past 100 years and he him
self had worked at the trade since he
was IA years old. Asked why small
pieces were not made with handles as
had been the pitchers, Tom explained
that the process would be too slow
and therefore too costly. He told how
handles are pressed on the cups, using
a liquid clay for the "glue." After
cumming, the cups go to the green
room and then into the care of the
kilnhands.
Questioned as to the glaze, Secre-
tary-Treasurer Gillivray took the mike
and stated, "Saucers, plates and such,
are dipped by hand, two or three at a
time-hollow ware one at time in a
glaze which is composed of water sus-
pension of ground raw glass and
metallic oxides. After the ware is dip
ped and dried, it is ready for the glost
kiln, or second firing. Men, konwn as
kilnmen, then place the ware in sag
gers, which in turn are placed on
trucks moving gradually into the tun-
mel kiln. After 40 hours firing at 1900
degrees fahrenheit, the white ware is
now ready for shipment or for the dec
Grating department"
Bringing the audience into the dec
Grating department., the announcer
asked Miss Ruth Sullivan about her
work with decal. Miss Sullivan eX-
planned that decalcomania was Ito
graph prints which are applied to the
ware after it had been sized with var
nish. A special brush is used in brisk
ly rubbing the print to the surface Of
the ware, after which the paper is
washed off.
Asked if the work is firing, she re-
piled that it became very tedious at
times.
Turning to Harold Williams, the an
nouncer asked if he didn't become tired
of his work as a liner Harold ex-
planned that he had been placing lines
on ware and stroking handles for 20
years, but that there was always some
thing new for the glider to learn, MAX
ing his work interesting. He also ex-
planned that the ware was fired about
ten hours after he had completed his