214 Sir Henry Doulton [Feb. 17, 



To those best able to appreciate the obstacles to be overcome, the 

 results achieved in this direction by Minton, and later on by Maw, 

 stand out as triumphs of patient technical research. 



I cannot here refrain from rendering my tribute of admiration to 

 the beautiful lustre pottery of De Morgan, which has had its principal 

 application to tiles. Of all the adaptations of Persian and Hispano- 

 Moresque art, liis has been the most successful. Maw & Co. have, 

 however, lately almost rivalled in their ordinary productions the 

 exquisite work of this school. 



Nor must we fail to notice the constructive faience or glazed terra- 

 cotta so successfully produced during the last few years by Messrs. 

 Minton, Wilcock, Cliff, and Doult(»n, which has lately become a 

 recognised method of embellishment for many of our large hotels. 



Of late years the gradual introduction of fireclay into open fire- 

 places in the shape of slabs for back and sides has directed attention 

 to the desirability of its introduction in England in the form of closed 

 stoves. 



Decorative Pottery, — Looking back over the last half-century, it is 

 apparent that progress rather than discovery has marked the age so 

 far as pottery is concerned. The IStli century is filled with the 

 names of pioneers in the potter's art in this country, whose patient 

 research has enabled their followers to improve and perfect the 

 results. But it is difficult to recall during the Victorian age many 

 discoverers in plastic manufacture which can be named on the same 

 lines as those of Elers and Ashbury, who introduced ground flint ; 

 Sadler of Liverpool, and Dr. Watt of Worcester, who introduced 

 pottery printing ; Cooksworthy, kaolin ; and Wedgwood, jasper ware ; 

 and other important discoverers. 



The introduction of lead-glaze and of the process of transfer- 

 printing had completely displaced the demand for salt-glazed stone- 

 ware, which virtually ceased at the end of the last century. 



The discovery by Joseph Spode of opaque china was followed by 

 the perfecting of parian. This success was greatly due to Copeland, 

 but there is little doubt that Minton's experiments in the same direc- 

 tion were simultaneous. During the past fifty years there has been 

 continuous development of Messrs. Minton's productions, and their 

 name, together with those of Worcester and Wedgwood, occupy a 

 position of honour among potters in later times. 



The masterly executions of Bolt in enamel painting on dark-blue, 

 or " Limoges Worcester," together with the later introduction by 

 Mr. Binns of ivory porcelain at the Eoyal Porcelain Works, are 

 achievements of which the present era may justly feel proud. 



Salt-glazed Stoneware. — In examining the various English wares 

 of early date, stoneware arrests attention as a great advance on all 

 that has gone before. That advance was due, not so much to any 

 patient insight into quality or admixture of material, as to a distinctly 

 novel principle of manufacture, viz. the glazing of ware by vaporous 

 flux while approaching the vitrifying point, common salt being thrown 



