June 30, 2008

Come see where beautiful Wedgwood pottery is made

Because of my visa problems, I was not, to my great dismay, permitted
to travel from Prague to England.  Instead, Kevin Sharkey
and Robin Marino – the new CEO of MSLO – made the trip to
Stoke-on-Trent in England without me.  They had a fascinating visit to
the potteries of our business partner – Wedgwood.  Please enjoy these
stunning pictures that Kevin took of just some of the gorgeous things
that they saw on this field trip.  I’m very sorry to have missed it.

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In this beautiful and stately cupboard are the Martha Stewart designs for the company - sold at Macy's and now at Harrod's.
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This is one of Wedgwood's iconic table decorations - it's for sweetmeats, which is candy or sweet confections.
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The Wedgwood Museum is a wonderful place for visitors - it will be completed in 2009 in time for the 250th anniversary of the potteries.
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Lunch for our group was carefully planned, beautifully cooked, and so lovely.  It was served in the tea room.
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Giant meringues, small tea cakes, and other goodies were served.
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The meringues were baked with sanding sugar.
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a pretty assortment of homemade cupcakes
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an English “sponge”
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The centerpieces for the luncheon tables were set atop Martha Stewart china.
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Kevin took many inspirational photos in the museum - this is Agateware.
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a beautiful, early shell plate in a pale sandy color
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A bisque compote of large size - we want to manufacture these again.
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a bisque game pie dish
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an extraordinary tea pot
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octagonal painted bowls- made as a gift
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a monteith, or punchbowl, with Benjamin Franklin's portrait in transfer
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a gray Jasperware covered urn - so fine and beautiful
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a “cauliflower” teapot mold
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Kevin wants two of these pastille 'burners' - they were used as the antique version of an 'air freshener.'
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molds and molds and molds throughout the pottery
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These are applied decorations to affix to Jasperware.
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More
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More
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more and more
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These are extraordinary portraits of historical figures for Jasperware, which was made in blue, gray, black, red, green, pink, beige, and yellow
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Can you recognize Jackie and John Kennedy?
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leaves and plants
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Kevin estimates there are several thousand decorations in just this one room!
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Not to forget the horses and other animals.
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an over-sized chess table in Jasperware
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production of china cups
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teapots
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before firing in the kiln
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after firing and before glazing
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This worker is making some of the Jasperware decorations from clay.
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the molds for the jasperware
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Jasperware vases before being fired.
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applying a design on dinner plates
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This is the frog set made originally for Catherine the Great - Czarina of Russia - the set can still be ordered today.
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An artisan creating the Dancing Ladies bowl - one of these in blue was given to me by Wedgwood.Img_1699

applying the 'dancing ladies'
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The ladies are so graceful and exquisite - the workmanship is superb and perfect.
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Another great view of the application - each bowl is a major work of art.Img_1717

a cupboard of colors used in the decoration of Wedgwood Img_1734

Queensware at its finest - named after the English monarch, who proclaimed Wedgwood as the official pottery of the Royal Family.
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color chips for Wedgwood china
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This photo shows the artisan carving the domed, pierced body, the dried clay, the glazed object, and the decorated fired product - so amazing a process - so complex and interesting!Img_1747

some of the tools used to create and engineer the Jasperware Img_1762

drying shapes
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Kevin decided to order two pastille burners for his new apartment. Img_1766

These square boxes are the molds used to shape the pottery.  There are thousands of these molds in the factories - the Bart Simpson cup should not be used in the pottery, I think! Img_1770

more molds
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lids drying - hundreds of them
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Martha Stewart cups before firing - this is one of my favorite patterns and the one chosen by Tony O'Reilly to use at Castlemartin.
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The yellow color burns off in the kiln, leaving a silver decoration on white china.Img_1786

our Green Moss plates before firing
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Our Robin's Egg blue china
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another of the Martha Stewart china patterns Img_1801

A great deal of hand work goes into each piece.Img_1827

A Martha Stewart collection advertisement hangs in the factory.Img_1834

one of the kilns in the firing rooms
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spraying the glaze on the painted and decorated china
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entering the kiln
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Robin Marino - our company CEO and Kevin - studying eighteenth century pattern books - Josiah Wedgwood, Joshua Reynolds, and others who did amazing work.Img_1850

Kevin also wants these candlesticks in black basalt.
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This is Josiah Wedgwood's house in Stoke-on-Trent.Img_1863

Look at the beautiful window details.
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