Salt-Glaze Ceramics
Here are three outstanding books on ceramic glazes, each  directed at a different level of expertise. Connell gives a good  overview of the large variety of modern glazes available. She  illustrates more than 60 decorative techniques used during the  biscuit (or bisque) stage and through a range of firing,  multiple firing, and postfiring techniques. Tools, health and  safety procedures, and clear, step-by-step instructions are  included but only in enough depth for the novice potter to get a  sense of the possibilities. More advanced potters will want  Cochrane's in-depth instruction on the salt-glaze process. The  rich tones of salt glaze were the latest technology in  17th-century England, supplanting rough peasant earthenwares  and, in turn, being replaced by cream ware and bone china. Salt  glaze was justly revived in the 20th century, but the only two  books that came out of the revival are now out of print.  Cochrane's effort will remain the standard for some time.  Serious potters will welcome Hesselberth and Roy's approach to  the complexities of formulating one's own glazes. They cover the  durability of glazes, the leaching of unwanted chemicals into  food or drink, the fading of colors, and more. Purchase one,  two, or all three of these books, depending on the interest and  expertise level of your library's readers.Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.