Ruskin Pottery

Maoriland Worker, Volume 13, Issue 31, 1 August 1923, Page 12

Ruskin Pottery

Nearly every woman loves beautiful China, and takes pr?de in her teacups, her* vases and bowls. To a great many men too, fine texture, exquisite shape and gorgeous colouring, make a special appeal.

About twenty-nv,e years ago the Bead Master of Birmingham Municipal School, Edward R. Taylor, being one of the men who love beauty of form and colouring, established a small factory for the production of Art Pottery. He desired to experiment with various clays, leadless glazes and oxide*?, and to see how nearly he could reproduce in pottery, the beautiful violet veinlngs in Sicilian marbles, the orange and amber of those of Siena, and the blood-red colourings of the.Jtalian Jaspers. Ruskin gave the idea his blessing and permission for the pottery to be called "Ruskin Pottery." The work was conducted upon ideal principles. "Good craftmanship and work of the lingers, joined with good emotion, and work of the" head." When Edward R, Taylor died, Vs son, W. Ho-wson Taylor, an ex-stud-ent of the Birmingham Municipal School of Art, assumed control. Howson Taylor is no mer e "ornamental head,'' but is personally responsible for evei'y piece of Rusklin Pottery turned out of the works. Real Flambe,- yellow or orange lustre —it is all mad Q by hand on tlie potter's wheel, and only leadless glazes aro vSsed. "Ruskin Pottery* is considered by experts to be fully equal to some of the best work of the -Chinese of the Myng, Dynasty. It is much sought after by collectors. American buyers, the King and Que-m, and all Din'ectorsi of Art Museums. The workers are happy—Why not?- They ,are working under "safe" conditions, they are m no danger of lead-poison- j ing (as only "leadless glazes" are used) they are creating, by the work of the-.r own hands, "things of beauty "that will be joys forever" —putting into these- lovely things, real bits of their own artistic individuality, that will go en living and speaking .turies hence. Such "work" must always be a thing of joy.

And the workers at West Smetwich are paid daily—they are often taken for long excursions into the country on Saturdays—in short—"work" iis made worth doing, not a thing that just lias to be "got through," because one must live.