[Fwd: [Fwd: SC - Tudor Greenware - lead poisoning?]]

[Lorix]

Good Fortune the List,
I am slowly making my way thru my e-mail.  Some time ago, Mel asked a question
about Tudor Greenware.  I forwarded her question to a Laurel & potter in our
Barony and this is her reply.
Lorix

Lenehan wrote:

> Greetings to all concerned.
>
> Nowadays even a fritted lead glaze is frowned upon.  It was originally used
> to keep colours clear, and to acheve red, the most difficult colour to fire.
> Green glaze can be made from copper carbonate or chromium carbonate, made
> safe in a clear silica glaze and vitrified to at least 1100 degrees C. (This
> is an earthenware temperature, which is relevant for English and Spanish
> ceramics).
>
> I doubt the Renaissance and Tudor potters & public knew or cared about
> problems with lead.  It just made for a good glaze.  They didn't have the
> raw ingredients easily to hand such as gerstley borate or nepheline syenite
> which are common safe ingredients in modern glazes.
>
> Now you have my 10 cents' worth.
>
> Madelaine de Bourgogne, OL. OP.