Society of Bards and Artisans

Pottery

Welcome to the Society of Bards and Artisans! Home of the kilns and ovens of Nanthalion's Master Artisans who specialize in the ancient art of fine pottery and ceramics.

My name is Deimos, long apprenticed to the renowned halfling Argyle Underfoot, and now one of the Society's resident expert craftsman. Watch your step, and don't touch anything please! The items shown here are one of a kind!

If you're looking for plain old bowls and cups for the in-laws' upcoming anniversary - Go to the Tuesday Market. If you're looking to commission a piece of art, valued as much for aesthetics as utility, well then you've come to the right place!

About Pottery - Pottery comprises 3 distinctive types of wares. The first type, Earthenware, has been made following the same techniques since ancient times. Earthenware is basically composed of clay - often blended clays - and baked hard. The degree of hardness depending on the intensity of the heat. Earthenware is usually coated with a glaze to render it waterproof, and also for decorative purposes. When fired at great heat, the clay becomes nonporous. This the second type of pottery, known as Stoneware, and it is the material most often preferred for domestic use.

The third type of pottery, Porcelain, was originally called kaolin, meaning "High Place" since that was where the special clay used to create it was originally found. Two types of porcelain have evolved over the many years:
- "True Porcelain" consisting of a kaolin hard-paste body, is extremely glassy and smooth, and produced by high temperature firing.
- "Soft Porcelain" which is invariably translucent and lead glazed, is produced from a composition of ground glass and other ingrediants including white clay and fired at a low temperature.

Regardless of the time or place, basic pottery techniques have varied little over the centuries. Among the requisites of success are correct composition of the clay body by using balanced materials; skill in shaping the wet clay on the wheel, or pressing it into molds; and, most important, firing at the correct temperature. The last operation depends vitally on the experience, judgement, and technical skill of the Artisan.

I hope you've enjoyed this little tour, I regret our little shop is incomplete as yet...I've only just arrived you see, and there is so much left to be done!

A price list may be forth-coming, but if so it will be only as a general guide to costs for like-wise commisioned objects. Generally it is safe to say that prices will range from a few mhl for a small decorative item, up to a hundred or more for large porcelein statuary.

Don't forget to visit the giftshop on your way out!