The History and Development of European Stoneware

 

image via Wikipedia

Stoneware is vitreous earthenware fired at such a high temperature that it becomes as hard as stone and impervious to liquids.  First made in China, it was imported into England from Germany in the form of grayish-white bottles from Siegburg known as schnellen, and mottled brown jugs from Cologne called tyger ware. In 1671, John Dwight of Fulham took out a patient for the manufacture of stoneware like the Rhineland variety.  He created many pieces of brownware and redware before he developed the more popular white salt-glazed stoneware, but, with the exception of several pieces in London’s Victoria & Albert Museum, few examples of his innovative pottery have survived. 

 

Dwight’s stoneware was reproduced and modified by many factories during the 18^th century.  Staffordshire made brown salt-glazed stoneware from the end of the 17^th century and white salt-glazed stoneware from 1740-60.  Josiah Wedgewood, who revolutionized the ceramics industry, created blue-and-white jasper stoneware).  Josiah Spode of Stoke-on-Trent introduced a line of decorated stoneware in 1805.

 

Several manufacturers tried to perfect an inexpensive yet durable earthenware for people who could not afford fine china.  The most successful was Miles Mason, who, in collaboration with his sons, experimented with a new form of stone china containing iron slag.  In 1813, after his father retired, Charles John Mason of Fenton in the Staffordshire potteries took out the famous patent for Ironstone China.

By Historigal