[Sca-cooks] Re: Slip Casting

[Louise Smithson]

    Anyone know a source for the history of ceramics? I've a friend who is
trying to document slip casting in period in Europe. She has some possible
pre-period Egyptian and period Eastern evidence but nothing European. Book
references, websites, and museums to contact would all be appreciated.

Daniel
   
  Sorry Daniel, your friend is out of luck.  The reason that she has not found any evidence for slip casting in period in Europe is simply because it wasn't done.  There is good documentary evidence for slab moulds in period ceramics at least in Italy in the 16th century (around the time Majolica was at it's hight).  Slip casting is very much a modern commercial inovation.  You need several things to make it work 1) high quality plaster molds, 2) clay slip of a defined composition which will flow into the molds and dry without cracks/holes etc.   The middle eastern evidence I have seen into mold use was also slab molding not slip casting.  Ceramic technology travelled really slowly.  The middle east was using tin glazes and producing excellent painted ceramics (lustre ware and islamic ware, as early as 8th century) long before the spanish (hispano moresque ware around 12th) long before the Italians (Majolica around the 14th - 16th).  Until  about that same time (16th C) the british
 were producing earthernware vessels glazed with lead in two colors green or yellow.  The germans had stoneware and salt glazing techniques worked out around the late 14th early 15th.  The chinese were way ahead of everyone.  I can post your question to the SCA-potters elist but I doubt that I will have anything positive to report. 
  Helewyse cook & potter



		
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