May, 1 9 13 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



179 







Wr 



4& 



Some specimens of gold and copper Lustre- Ware, floral and pictorial in decoration 



Lustre-Ware 



By Henry Sewell 

 Photographs by Mary H. Northend 



HERE is no ware that is more varied in long to stay unrivalled, for in the field came in 1546 others 

 coloring than lustre. It ranges from the to try their hand in making this line of pottery, and it was 

 silver sheen to the ruby glow and shows manufactured both in Barcelona and Valencia. Wonder- 

 either a plain, smooth satin finish or that ful tints of ruby were shown in the pieces which were made 

 of elaborate design. There are almost in- in the former city. To this day pieces are even now occa- 

 numerable classes and coloring, often dis- sionally found. They are, however, exceedingly rare, 

 cernable to experts alone. Little wonder that it holds a having been put on the market from collectors' closets and 

 distinctive place in the hearts of collectors who seek far bringing almost fabulous prices. 



and wide to find rare pieces to add to their already large A dish of this rare ware was sold in London as late as 



groups of diversified kinds. June 2, 1902, for seventy-nine pounds, sixteen shillings, or 



Strictly speaking, the term lustre is applied to English about four hundred dollars. This special piece had al- 



ware of a metallic appearance. Harking back to its origin, ways remained in the possession of the same family until 



we find that history claims it was first made in 1320, when the time of its sale, and is mentioned in Macaulay's History 



it was known as Hispano-Moresque Pottery, antidating of England, as figuring at the dinner which was given to 



that of Gubbio. These earliest specimens were in coloring Lord Favesham, by the Bridges of Western Zoyland, 



gold, copper and light yellow, the 

 deeper copper shades being assigned 

 to the latter part of the seventeenth 

 century. We find also in these, 

 earlier pieces ornamentations, but- 

 differing from those of more recent' 

 date. 



One of the characteristics of this 

 particular ware lies not solely in its 

 decoration, but in its artistic" 

 form, which fact has earned for it 

 the name of "Gilded Works." In 

 fact, it rapidly became so popular 

 that it was sent to every part of the 

 then known globe. It formed part 

 of an important future through its 

 modeling for the dawning indus- 

 tries of the lands. 



It was not, however, destined ' Lustre-Ware plate, architectural decoration 



Bridgewater, previous to Mon- 

 mouth's defeat. 



In beauty of finish and design 

 nothing can compare with the Span- 

 ish and Italian ware. The latter 

 are indebted to the Saracens for 

 their shapes and styles as well as 

 their coloring. The most graceful 

 and famous of these emanated from 

 the city of Gubbio, where dwelt the 

 master of the art, one Georgio An- 

 dreoli. His masterpieces were in 

 the ruby tints, brilliant and gleam- 

 ing like a polished gem, and shad- 

 ing from ruby to claret. On the 

 silver, however, he was able to pro- 

 duce effects that resembled moon- 

 light effects on the water, while the 

 golden shades and green were un- 



