ri:i;A.MK;>. 20."3 



Besides this typical locality, in which the ancient popular industry promoted the 

 organization of the great pottery concerns of the present day, attention is di'awn to 

 the governments of Yaroslav and Tver, especially to the district of Vyshni-\'olocliek. in 

 the latter district a town of the same name is situated on the railway between Moscow 

 and St. Petersburg ; some of the districts of the government of Novgorod, espe- 

 cially the district of Borovichi, the town being a little to the east of the eame rail- 

 way and united to it Ijy a lateral branch, should also be mentined. Both of these 

 neighbouring localities are situated on the slopes of the Valdai mountain chain, but 

 the qualit}^ of their clays, as well as of their production, bears a somewhat different 

 character. The blue, gray, and red clays of the government of Tver are excellent 

 kinds of potter's clay; the gray, white and black clays of the district of Borovichi 

 belong to the best fireproof clays of Russia, in general, and to the best kinds of the 

 clays of the Novgorod government, rich in fire clays. In both these governments 

 the making of pottery is largely developed, the government of Novgorod having 

 special importance, furnishing its fire clay to different Eussian manufactories, and 

 producing fire bricks on a large scale. 



The history of the development of the trade here is much like that of Gzhel, 

 the household industry serving as a basis for large manufacturing centres, and in- 

 fluencing later on the methods of the household producers. One of the most 

 interesting episodes of such historical development was the establishing of the works 

 of N. A. Gouzhov in the locality situated on the verge of three districts, the 

 Vyshnevolotsk and the Vessiogonsk of the government of Tver, and the Borovichsk, 

 government of Novgorod. The painted pottery, decorated with gold, of this manu- 

 factory is renowned; this concern became later the property of S. J. Maslennikov, 

 and it was here that this intelligent leader organized the production of the first 

 majolica wares in Russia. Majolica, mainly the English, made by Mintun (H. Minton 

 & Co., Stoke on Trent, Straffordshire), has been long an object of import into 

 Russia, although to no great extent, together with the porcelain made on the con- 

 tinent, as also the English faience, the latter serving as a model; after long eftbrts 

 and investigations the making of majolica was established at the manufactory of 

 Maslennikov. A piece of land 20 versts distant from the factory where white clay 

 was discovered resembling that of Borovichi in quality and appearance, was bought 

 for the purpose ; some other clays were brought from the government of Novgorod, as 

 the Demiansk and the Tikhvinsk; and the Gloukhovsk clay of the Chernigov govern- 

 ment was added for the manufacture of the finest sorts. Besides clay, other materials 

 were used for the manufacture, such as sand, brought from a distance of 40 versts ; 

 feldspar and quartz brought from St. Petersburg; and stone found on the spot, namely, 

 that forming the hills of the Vyshnevolotsk range. 



The body of workmen chosen from those of the factory and from local 

 potters included some tens of pupils, learning at the establishment itself practically 

 the making of majolica ; at the end of the year the more cap;ible of them were 

 selected. In like manner, painters and so-called sculptors were prepared from peas- 

 ant youths under the direction of the chief foreman sculptor, who had served in the 

 factory before it was owned by Maslennikov. Majolica wares were as usual made 

 by different methods ; the form was either given by turning on lathes, or by 

 stamping , but forms of plaster of Paris were mainly used for that purpose. In the 



