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Enjoy
a wide-ranging array of rare, unusual, and highly
prized Flow Blue ceramic wares in 500 color
photographs in this new study Fascinating
Flow Blue. The focus is on products of English
potteries, although beautiful examples from
America and elsewhere are included. Flow Blue
china was made from the early 1800s until just
after the turn of the century. Since the 1700s,
English pottery makers had tried to copy Chinese
porcelain which exhibited many characteristics
of what was to become known as Flow Blue. Chinese
porcelain was quite expensive at the time as
a luxury item. English potteries developed a
type of salt-glaze earthenware which looked
somewhat like porcelain due to the unique white
hue that they produced. It could then be decorated
with Chinese inspired designs and sold at much
lower cost than Chinese porcelain. Because the
Chinese porcelain that they were seeking to
emulate had blue designs, the English also used
blue, the only color they were certain would
survive the glazing. Josiah Wedgwood is generally
recognized as the creator of Flow Blue pottery
in the 1820s, and early designs were mostly
oriental although other scenics were also produced.
Among the photos are lovely teapots in many
shapes and sizes, children's tea and dinner
services, potpourri jars, pitchers, platters,
and plates. Also presented is a survey of the
body shapes which Flow Blue adorns. Values for
each of the items are included, along with an
index and a bibliography.
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