FLERAMIC STUDIO 
197 
been made which is itself closed with a round piece of glass or 
a small biscuit stopper. 
The firing chamber is 4 feet high from the floor to the 
crown, and 32 inches in diameter, which makes it of easy access 
to the placer. It can contain three piles of saggers (Fig. 39 
and 40) having 13J inches outside and II J inches inside dia- 
meter. Twenty medium size pieces or fifty small ones in por- 
celain or gres can be fired in this kiln. Plaques 24 inches in 
diameter are easity placed in it, and three pieces 24 inches wide 
and 14 inches high can be fired one above the other. 
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I used to burn from 500 to 600 lbs. of Grimsby (England) 
coal, at a cost of about Sio a ton delivered. A firing then used 
to cost me about $3 in fuel, and as I did aU the work myself, 
the total expense of the firing was not over $6, and the results 
in white, biscuit, bas reliefs Wedgwood style, etc. could be 
worth as much as $600. 
The Grimsby coal, free from slag and with its long flame, 
is an ideal coal, because of all European coals, it is the one 
which resembles wood the most closely. It is sold in blocks 
or in sinall nuts. The white ashes of the 600 lbs. burnt could 
be held in the hollow of my hand. 
The construction of that kihi cost me about $200 (1000 
francs, being exactly fr. 438,60 for labor, fr. 444 for material 
and fr. 105 for iron braces.) The inside walls and the fire 
mouths in direct contact with the flame, were in fire bricks of 
the English brand Carr, the balance in fire bricks of the French 
brand J. The advantage of this combination was an economy, 
but it was offset by the lack of homogeneity in construction, 
the two bricks of different brands being of different size and 
thickness. If it were to be built over, it should be made en- 
tirely either of Carr bricks or of bricks of the French brand J B, 
which are sold b3^ Mr. Boucher, rue Troyon, Sevres (Seine et 
Oise) . This hard brick is easily handled and behaves well in 
the firing. It is the brand adopted hx Sevres and by most 
porcelain manufacturers of France. 
ftf^ 
The iron braces P consisted of supports i^ inch wide and 
i of an inch thick, and of bands l| inch wide and | of an inch 
thick. But I found this bracing rather weak and it should be 
strengthened. 
The outside height of the kiln, from the floor to the crown 
was 9 feet 10 inches and the chimnej' measured from the crown 
of the kiln 1 9 feet 8 inches. This chimne}^ was braced in the 
angles, at every three feet, with iron bands bolted together 
(Fig. 44). The damper S (Fig. 31) was about 12 inches from 
the lower part of the chimneJ^ 
The Grimsby coal was used both in blocks and nuts. 
During my first experiments I had tried Cardiff coal, but it 
crumbled to pieces in the fire mouth, thus choking it too easily. 
The Grimsby remains in block while burning, which allows a 
free circulation of air and an active draft. 
A firing lasted about 18 hours with a gradual increase of 
heat and feeding of fuel. The slow firing during the first four 
hours was obtained by feeding every half hour a block of coal 
about 6x6 inches. Then came the active firing lasting four 
hours more, when a block of coal was fed every twenty minutes 
until the fire mouth was full. At that time I commenced the 
demi grand feti, lasting five hours, during wliich I used onlj^ nuts 
fed every fifteen minutes with a hand shovel. During the last 
five hours I made the grand feu firing, keeping the fire mouths 
full of nuts and blocks, fed alternately, so as to avoid choking. 
'-- The spj'hole, placed at two thirds of the height of the door, 
made it possible to observe and follow the progress of the firing, 
by watching the Seger cones. I stopped at the bending down 
of cone 10. 
To make these explanations more easily understood, I 
reproduce (F'ig. 45 and 46) the records of two fine coal firings. 
It will be noticed that the changes in the opening and clos- 
ing of the fire mouths are just the opposite of changes in the 
chimney damper, when oxidising or reducing firings are needed. 
But I will treat this point fulty in the article on firing. 
The peculiar feature of this coal kiln is that it has no iron 
grate, the two little bricks BB'(Fig. 35) being used to hold the 
fuel. When the fire mouth gets choked, one may wait until 
the fuel is consumed or one may bring about the circulation of 
air with a poker, which is introduced in the fire mouth not 
through the top opening, but horizontally through the stopper 
V (Fig. 31). Anj^way, if properly handled, the alternate feed- 
ing of nuts and blocks prevents choking, and the two bricks 
w^iich are at the opening of the fire mouth into the firing cham- 
ber, prevent the fuel from falling into the kiln. 
It is important while the firing lasts, not to go to sleep, 
and, should this happen, not to try to catch up by increasing 
the feeding of fuel. The results would be disastrous. A kiln 
is regulated like a lamp, which can be moderated or pushed at 
win.* 
TO BE CONTINUED. 
^ if 
KAISER'S CERAMICS AT MACY'S 
CERAMIC art as exhibited at Macy's great store has 
caused considerable interest in the products of the 
Royal Berlin Porcelain Works. The specinrens are in the 
majority reproductions of the original vases and other articles 
in porcelain which have been presented by the Kaiser and 
Kaiserin to distinguished men in their militar^^ and diplomatic 
service, and friends of the royalty. 
The porcelain factory in Berlin, was founded in 1750 by 
Wegel}^. In 1763 the establishment was bought by Frederick 
the Great, and later passed as an estate into the royal possession 
To reach the pimiacle of perfection in Ceramic art the Kaiser 
has paid considerable attention and unlimited naoneJ^ 
*T.ack of room and the number of illustrations prevent us from giving 
Mr. Doat's article in full. The second part, on kilns with fire mouths for 
wood, will appear in February issue. 
