April News...The Semantics of Ceramics, Afternoon Tea and a Recipe for Rusk, 1832

Nancy Addison began her career as an antique dealer in 1984, while she was still a teacher with the Maryland Public Schools. She left teaching in 1991 and became a certified appraiser in 1992.

Over the years, Nancy has maintained her knowledge of antiques and decorative arts by completing such prestigious seminars as the Winterthur Ceramics Seminar, 1998-2007 and the Winterthur Seminar, "Needles and Haystacks", 2005, as well as Connoisseurship Courses on Silver Identification, Asian Art and Chinese Porcelain at George Washington University.

Nancy Addison is an Accredited Member of the American Society of Appraisers and a member of both the American Ceramics Society and the National Early American Glass Club. Happily, Nancy has been a dealer with us since the Fall of 2007.

April Lecture
Fine Porcelain & Ceramics

Sunday, April 20

4pm

Join Nancy Addison of Nancy Addison Antiques for this informative lecture. Nancy is an educated and well respected authority on the history and identification of porcelains and ceramics and she will be sharing some of her vast knowledge with us. The lecture will include examples of the types of porcelain discussed in her article, "The Semantics of Ceramics", as well as many others. Learn what makes something true porcelain, when you can call something china and much more. Just some of the topics that Nancy will cover are Faience, Ironstone, English Delft, Redware, Parian, as well as manufacturers marks, types of glaze and the different processes used to make porcelain and ceramics.

Bring in your own porcelain & ceramic pieces for identification and appraisal!

The Semantics of Ceramics

by Nancy Addison, Nancy Addison Antiques

Earthenware was used by the early Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, American Indians, Pre-

Vienna, Austria, hand enamelled plate, 1880's

Columbians and the Chinese. Archeologists have found hard paste porcelain in China that dates to around 620 A.D. The secret of how to make hard paste porcelain later spread to Korea and Japan. The Chinese exported porcelain to Europe in the 16^th century.

The porcelain was very beautiful and only the wealthiest people could afford to buy it. Many countries had factories that tried to imitate the Chinese porcelain using soft paste or artificial porcelains such as creamware and pearlware. It was the Meissen factory in Germany that was to finally discover the hard paste porcelain formula and decorated it in the manner of the Chinese in 1710.

This history brought about a vocabulary that was used when talking about ceramics that was built on over time and is used today. The following is only a very partial attempt to introduce you to some that vocabulary

EARTHENWARE Earthenware is usually made from the clay near to where the potter works. Because it is fired at a low temperature, it is porous so it needs to have a glaze put on it. Earthenware does not allow light to pass through it. Creamware and Pearlware are earthenware.

HARDPASTE PORCELAIN First made in China in about 620 AD. Made of Kaolin and Feldspar. It is very white in color, has a delicate appearance and is translucent. Hard paste porcelain is fired in a kiln at a very high temperature.

TRUE PORCELAIN Originally made in China and exported to Europe and the United States. It has two main ingredients. Kaolin, which is white clay and a rock called Feldspar that is finely ground and when heated to very high temperatures it vitrifies or melts together with the kaolin to become non porous glass. When it cools you have true porcelain.

CREAMWARE A cream-colored earthenware made of whitish clay and calcined flint when fired it had a transparent tin glaze. It was decorated by painting under and over the glaze, transfer-printing, molding and pierced work. Wedgwood is given the most credit for inventing it in 1760's but it was produced at Leeds, Derby and other manufacturers. Originally made as competition to the Chinese Export porcelain, Creamware became very popular and actually caused the extinction of delftware.

PEARLWARE Earthenware that has a greater percentage of lint and white clay and the glaze contains a trace of cobalt oxide which gives the body a bluish-white cast. It can, usually, be identified by the bluish glaze that tends to accumulate near the base. Invented by Josiah Wedgwood in 1779, but produced by many other manufactures, particularly in England.

BONE PORCELAIN In Great Britain there is not much kaolin so bones were crushed into powder and use in place of Kaolin. Several companies such as Bow and Plymouth did make true porcelain in the 18^th century.

MAJOLICA The name given by the Minton Company in 1850 as a trade name to a type of earthenware covered with colored lead glaze. Majolica was also produced in England by many other companies. It was later introduced by manufacturers on the Continent.

Afternoon Tea
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea"...Henry James

The traditional meal that is often mistakenly referred to as High Tea is Hand Painted Limoges Blanks

actually called Afternoon Tea, or Low Tea because it was usually served on low tables placed near sofas or chairs. High Tea, also called Meat Tea, is a heavier meal and is served in the evening.

There are three basic types of Afternoon Tea...Cream Tea (tea, scones, jam and cream), Light Tea (tea, scones and sweets) and Full Tea (tea, savories, sweets and desserts). Tables adorned with linens, lace, delicate china and silver added refinement to this quaint tradition.

Vintage Recipe of the Month:

Rusk, 1832

A plain hard-baked biscuit; rusks are ideal for serving with butter, cheese or preserves - perfect for afternoon tea

from "Seventy-Five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes, and Sweetmeats" (1832)

Sift your flour into a pan. Cut up the butter in the milk, and warm them a little, so as to soften the butter, but not to melt it entirely. Beat your egg; pour the milk and butter into your pan of flour, then the egg, then the rose-water and spice, and lastly the yeast. Stir all well together with a knife.