Hi, there! Sorry for the lack of posts. I’ve been really swamped! Just finished year end inventory at the shop and at home. Kinda fun, but got me thinking…..

Sometimes I worry about my obsessions. Combing flea markets for white vellum books. Driving hours to Pennsylvania for an early crop of the whitest pumpkins. (Finally threw out the last ones which had turned yellow.) And recently, getting too excited about bleached pine cones.

You see, I am very fond of things in certain colors ~ or lack of color 🙂 Almost obsessed!

Well here’s another obsession collection. And yes, this one is also tone-on-tone. Introducing my smear glaze pottery…..all in shades of gray, beige and greige.

 Many smear glaze pieces were made in Staffordshire, England at the height of the Victorian period – mid 1800s. What is smear glaze? A definition I found online:
It is a glaze applied indirectly to the surface of the ware by painting a coat of glaze on the inside of the closed container (mold) in which the ware is baked. During the firing process, this glaze evaporates and settles like a fine mist on the surface of the ware.
 Because the glaze is so thin, the relief / raised design remains crisp. Sometimes you will see smear glaze pottery labeled as salt glaze (more common in the 18th century) or parian ware (more bisque like).
 In addition to color, I have further focused this collection on the theme of nature. All the pieces, primarily pitchers, have motifs from the garden or nature.
Above is a large pitcher with lilies of the valley and a leaf form relish dish.
Below is a Chinoiserie pitcher with bamboo trellis and songbirds. The inside of this pitcher is fully glazed, as it was meant to hold liquids ~ notice the interior sheen.
A splash of sunshine on a dreary winter’s day. Pretty tulips with common mums in one of my favorite smear glaze pitchers.
This pitcher by Dudson was made for garden enthusiasts. I adore the bee skep, lovebirds and floral wreath.
Gray on gray on gray! Three gray pitchers on a gray Swedish demi-lune console against a gray wall. All three pitchers have various wheat designs
Below is a scarce hot water pitcher with the original lid. Notice the “make do” old staple repairs.
     Straight from the garden ~ roses and butterflies.
Happy January!