Hot Milk Jug, Engine-Turned Jasperware. Wedgwood, C1785

About the Item

Superb and exceptionally rare small jug in tricolour engine-turned diceware. This is very early jasperware, made when "cherokee clay" was still being used. This clay, sourced from America, contained kaolin, the ingredient that makes porcelain translucent. Exhibited: Wedgwood, Master Potter to the Universe, Roche Foundation, 2023. Engine turning, also known as guilloche, is a decorative technique that was commonly used on eighteenth-century pottery. The process involved cutting intricate, repetitive patterns into a metal or ceramic surface using a machine known as a rose engine lathe. The technique was used to create decorative borders, patterns, and designs on a variety of objects, including pottery. The process of engine turning on pottery involved several steps. First, the surface of the pottery piece was prepared by smoothing and polishing it to ensure that the pattern would be sharp and clear. Next, the pattern was marked out and transferred onto the surface of the pottery. The pottery piece was then mounted on the rose engine lathe and the pattern was engraved into the surface using a cutting tool. The object was moved back and forth as it spun, giving the depth to the pattern. This action was guided by one or more specially shaped gears, or cams, which we installed in the lathe. The pressure of the cutting tool created a cutting or engraving action, which removed material from the surface and produced the desired pattern. The lathe was turned by hand by the lathe-turner's assistant, usually a woman. The lathe operator always worked with the same assistant, as they developed a way of working together without the need for spoken instructions. Sometimes, as with this piece, a coloured layer was applied so it could be cut away by the turning process, to create a two-colour effect. A third colour was then applied by attaching green decorative elements. Engine turning was a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, but the results were often stunning and highly prized. The technique was widely used on a variety of decorative objects, including vases, teapots, and other types of pottery, and is still valued for its beauty and intricate detail.

Creator:

Wedgwood (Manufacturer)

Dimensions:

Height: 5.5 in (13.97 cm)Diameter: 3.5 in (8.89 cm)

Style:

Neoclassical (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Stoneware,Molded,Turned

Place of Origin:

England

Period:

Late 18th Century