THE PRODUCTS OF CLAY AND FIRE 



at once admitted. It has less contraction, has a better 

 appearance, and is stronger than machine-made ware, 

 and if only a few pieces are wanted, the thrower can 

 at once make them instead of the manufacturer having 

 to go through the costly process of modeling and 

 mold-making ; but much as the decadence of throwing is 

 to be regretted from the artistic point of view, it must 

 be remembered that no trade can ever be dependent 

 on the caprices of one class of workers, and it may be 

 taken as an axiom that when any trade finds its de- 

 velopment checked by the action of any one class of 

 workers that class, sooner or later, will almost totally 

 disappear from the trade, some other method of doing 

 their work being evolved to overcome the difficulty." 

 But if the passing of the thrower seems assured, the 

 same is not true of the "turner." Turning is done on 

 a lathe of practically the same type as that used in 

 turning wood and metals, the workman using tools 

 whose edges are shaped so as to make circular ribs 

 or grooves according to the pattern of the piece. All 

 this could be done with the ordinary tool by a skilful 

 turner, but if a large quantity of similar pieces is to 

 be made, much time is saved by making tools with 

 specially shaped edges. By pressing the edge of such 

 a tool against the surface of the revolving vessels for a 

 moment, the turner can make an exact pattern and du- 

 plicate it indefinitely. But even with such an imple- 

 ment much skill is required to do good turning. The 

 turner must know the exact amount of pressure to exert, 

 and maintain that pressure uniformly. He must be 

 able to determine when the clay is sufficiently dry and 



