Early American Potters
The first American colonists could ill afford, or have any use for, decorative tablewares. Just as 17th century English potters catered primarily for the farming community, so in 18th century America the potters were producing `redware’ or ’stoneware’ vessels for cooking or storage, but when the occasion arose, they too were able to [...]
Great Britain
The British potters were comparatively late starters in the field of pottery manufacture, but in this respect it must be remembered that unlike the majority of their Continental rivals, they were only rarely subsidized by royal or noble patronage and so were entirely dependent upon the commercial success of their undertakings.
The early factory of [...]
Holland
The Dutch, who excelled in the manufacture of tin-glazed earthenware, were less successful with pottery and produced few wares which were entirely original.
The earliest production of hard-paste pottery in Holland was that started by an Irishman, Daniel McCarthy, at Weeps near Amsterdam, in 1757. The raw materials were obtained from Germany, and resulted in a [...]
France
From the mid-17th century various East India Companies had been bringing Far Eastern pottery into Europe in increasing quantities. In consequence, there was little incentive for potters of other countries to spend time and money trying to produce a similar type of pottery. It was eventually left to a few French potters, already engaged in [...]
Germany and Austria
Until at least 1770 the pottery fashions in Europe were dictated by those of China and Japan. These wares were imported into Europe in increasing quantities and dominated popular taste until the rise of first Meissen, then Sevres.
For many years a great deal of wealth was spent in the purchase of Far Eastern [...]
Antique Italian and Spanish Pottery of the 18th Century
Prior to about 1710 the only true Spanish pottery as well as Italian pottery being produced in the world was that of the Far East, but experiments were started in Italy, concerned with the manufacture of an artificial, or soft-paste pottery, during thesecond half of the 16th [...]