Pottery and porcelain could be decorated before or after glazing, or the glaze itself might form the decoration — as, for example, with the splashed greens, yellows and browns of English Astbury-Whieldon pottery of the 18th century. Three-dimensional, relief or incised designs were always done before applying the glaze, while coloured designs could be added to the piece before glazing ( in the case of underglaze colours) or after (overglaze colours, or enamels, and gilding). (more…)

Victorian fancy glass, in all its astonishing variety. Here is a field for the collector who likes pieces which can sometimes be gay and charming, sometimes elaborate and impressive, nearly always triumphs of glass-making skill which will probably never be made again. The group on the front cover shows a few of the types made.

But here as elsewhere the ordinary collector must specialise, otherwise he or she will be overwhelmed with all there is to buy. There are many ways of doing this— you can pick a particular process like spangled glass and collect specimens of it, or you can look for things of one kind, like vases or coloured glass plates. You could also make up combinations of them. But before going too far into selection let us see what there is to select. (more…)