HERAM1C STUDIO 
13 
phoned off, it is scarcely possible to remove it all by pour- 
ing. The glaze should be nearly as thick as buckwheat 
batter, just so thick as to flow sluggishly when poured. 
It will be found useful to add a little gum tragacanth mu- 
cilage to the glaze so that the glazed pottery may be the 
more freely handled. Without the gum the glaze is very 
liable to dust off. The mucilage is prepared in the fol- 
lowing manner: half an ounce of gum tragacanth is put 
to soak in a quart of cold water. The gum can be bought 
at any drug store either as flake or powdered. The flake 
is a little the cheaper but either form will do. After soak- 
ing for twenty-four hours the mixture is to be vigorously 
stirred with a Dover egg beater or some similar tool. This 
breaks the lumps of jelly into which the gum has softened 
and gives a further chance for the water to soak in. After 
standing for another twelve or eighteen hours the stirring 
is repeated and all lumps should have disappeared. If 
they have not the whole mass may be rubbed through the 
sieve but this is a troublesome and tedious process and is 
not really necessary. Of the mucilage thus made a good 
tablespoonful is to be added to the batch of glaze and well 
stirred in. If the glaze is to be kept a long time a few drops 
of carbolic acid will keep the gum from turning sour. 
One word here as to the storing of this or any other 
glaze. The best plan is to use ordinary glass fruit cans, 
screwing down the cover air tight. The glaze will thus 
keep wet and good almost indefinitely but care must be 
taken to empty it all out of the jar when it is to be used 
because the heavier parts will settle to the bottom. 
The glazing can only be satisfactorily accomplished 
in the studio by soaking the pottery to saturation first. 
This is not done in the factory because there one has a 
large tub of glaze and an expert dipper. If any one doubt 
the advisability of soaking let the experiment be made. 
Take a dry piece of ware and attempt to glaze it smoothly 
in a quart of glaze fluid. No further advocacy of soaked 
ware will be necessary. 
The pieces, then, are put to soak in clean water 
They will not hurt by continued immersion but the satura- 
tion should be thorough. They are then taken out, two 
or three at a time, drained and wiped dry. No moisture 
should appear on the surface but the pores should be full. 
Now, the glaze being of the thickness of batter as afore- 
said, the piece of pottery is taken in the left hand and the 
glaze scooped up with the right. First there should be a 
little practice as to the best way to hold the piece with one 
hand so as to leave no finger marks. For a very large 
piece it will be necessary to have assistance in pouring 
the glaze so that both hands may be used in holding. 
Also a stilt to fit the bottom should be placed in readi- 
ness. 
The inside is attended to first, a little glaze being poured 
in and the vase turned around until every part is covered. 
Then taking a comfortable hold and one which will permit 
of several positions of the hand the glaze is gradually dis- 
tributed over the whole surface. There is no hurry. Hvery 
movement should be deliberate. For a rest or to secure a 
fresh hold the piece may be set down in the bowl of glaze. 
It will take no harm and, being already satisfied with all 
the water it will hold, no more of the glaze is attached to 
the surface in one place than another. Finally, the vase 
being covered thickly both inside and out it is taken in 
one hand if small, in both if large and with second finger 
on the top and thumb beneath the bottom is shaken, 
mouth downwards, to remove all unnecessary glaze and 
evenly distribute that which remains. Lumps are to be 
removed by gently shaking, they must not be touched. 
Then the glazed piece is set upon the waiting stilt to dry 
undisturbed. 
(To be continued.) 
BONBON DISH— EDITH ALMA ROSS 
In gold and ivory. 
