New Tableware Preview

BONE CHINA FROM STOKE ON TRENT

Really excited to be visiting Stoke on Trent this week, to see the first of my new tableware pieces being sampled.  

My first job after graduating was as a junior shape designer at Wedgwood in Barlaston, what a fantastic place to start a career in ceramics!  Full of history, expertise and quality materials and craftsmanship.  Such a treasure trove of historical references in the musuem and also in the archives underneath the factory, so valued that they've built the Wedgwood Museum to house it all..

traditional bottle kiln in Longton, Stoke on Trent

First moulds for slip casting on the benches,

It's such a lovely smooth, luxurious material, and so robust and durable when fired, allowing for a thin cast thickness which helps with the translucent qualities.

Moulds ready on the casting benches to be filled with slip

The slip cast bowl moulds being filled with the liquid bone china slip

After leaving the slip for the allocated casting time the moulds are tipped up and the slip drained out, leaving a shell like cast behind.

First preview of glazed bone china bowls

without a footring..

Preview of first ceramic samples, mug and jug..