42 
KERAMIC STUDIO 
THE DECORATION OF POTTERY IN THE CLAY STATE 
PATE-SUR-PATE (Continued) 
F. A. Rhead 
The Material 
AS before stated, any semi-vitrifiable body may be used for 
decoration in this process. The Sevres porcelain gives 
the mellowest and most luscious results in the applied reliefs, 
but when varied color is desired in the grounds and accessory 
ornamentation, the intense fire needed limits the palette, 
because at that heat very few oxides will retain their pristine 
hues. 
Still, although all the colors are very low in tone, with a 
distinct leaning towards greyness, they are pleasant and suave 
in tone. The Sevres Porcelain is fired at Seger cone 14, or 
1410 degrees Centigrade. 
The Copenhagen body ought to yield very interesting 
results. I have seen no example of pate-sur-pate executed in this 
body, but am hoping to have an opportunity of making experi- 
ments. The color palette is likely to be even more limited 
than that of Sevi^es, as the heat is the highest known for por- 
celain, being cone 17, or 1470 degrees Centigrade. 
The Limoges and other French pastes give excellent results, 
and some of the best German Porcelains are similar in com- 
position. These are fired at cone 12, or 1370 degrees Cent. 
The color palette is slightly more varied than that of Sevres, 
but is still narrow in scope. If the body is not accessible in 
its mixed form, a formula giving the ingredients may be accep- 
table, so that the intending experimentalist may prepare his or 
her own pastes. All the materials can be obtained ground, 
and they can be weighed in the dry state, mixed together, and 
thoroughly incorporated by being stirred in water. This body 
must have its own special glaze, so I give the formulae for both. 
Porcelaine Francaise 
Kaolin (China Clay) 500 Kilos 
Felspath Broye (ground Felspar). .400 " 
Silex Broye (ground Quartz) . . 100 " 
Craie Frangaise (ground Steatite) . 60 " 
Glaze to above 
Felspath Broye 120 Kilos \ Frit 
Borax Cristallise (refined Borax). . .200 " /in glost 
Silex Broye 150 " oven 
Kaolin 40 " I and 
Craie Francaise 80 " ,' grind. 
Mix 
Above Frit 250 
White Lead 65 
Felspath Broye 65 
But the most accessible body to the experimentalist, 
(and I venture to think the best for general purposes) is the 
one employed at Minton's by M. Solon. I myself worked in 
this body in M. Solon's studio for a period of about eight years 
and executed two pairs of vases for the Vienna Exhibition of 
1873. I used a similar body at Messrs. Wedgwood's, and also 
made some pieces in the French paste, which were sent to the 
Paris Exhibition of 1878, and purchased for Continental 
Museums. The vase illustrated, which was presented by 
public subscription to Mr. Gladstone, was executed at Messrs. 
Brownfield's, in the English paste. The advantages of this 
paste are, firstly, the possibility of getting gi'eater sharpness 
and precision, with almost equal softness; secondly, the possi- 
bility of firing it at almost any ordinary pottery; and thirdly, 
the richness and variety of color palette, which yields almost 
any tint desired. As an example of the possibilities of this 
clay palette, I may mention that I made for Mr. Godfrey 
Wedgwood a copy of Turner's "Bridge at Basle," using the 
clay colors, exactly as one uses oil colors; and all the delicate 
and warm sunset tones were exactly reproduced, and had, 
withal, a limpid, pearly quality under the glaze which I cannot 
imagine in connection with any other pigments. 
The English body is very simple. The proportion of 
ingredients may be varied slightly to suit the fire, but the 
following may be used as a standard: 
China Clay 10 
Cornwall Stone .... 10 
Ground Felspar. ... 8 
This body made of English china clay will fire at cone 4, 
made of American clay at about cone 6. 
If the Felspar is calcined before it is gi-ound, it will mini- 
mize the danger of warping in the biscuit oven, but this paste 
is fairly sound. A separate paste may be used for the applied 
decoration mixed as follows: 
China Clay 6 
Stone 10 
Felspar 6 
This body made of English china clay will fire at cone 2, 
made of American clay at about cone 4. 
This paste, although developing at a much lower heat than 
the French paste, has the same quality of richness and softness. 
It is too tender to be used for the manufacture of the piece 
itself, but it works safely when applied to the previous mixture. 
Still, for all initial trials and experiments, I should recommend 
the use of the first paste, both for the piece and the decoration 
upon it. 
(To be continued) 
JAM JAR 
Adah S. Murphy 
OUTLINE fruit, flowers and leaves in black, also figures 
in small panels. Outline panels in gold. Color oranges 
rich, deep Yellow, leaves Apple Green and flowers white enamel. 
Put just a touch of red in center of flowers with Yellow around 
the stamens. Tint large panels Light Satsuma, also small 
panels after figures have been fired, tinting right over the 
colors already there. Repeat design three times on jar. 
