How do you identify a salt glaze?

Salt-glaze firing, which originated in Germany in the 15th century, creates a translucent, high-gloss, dimpled effect on the pottery, sometimes over delicately hand-painted decorations in blue, rusty brown or purple. Turn the piece over to look for a maker’s mark that identifies it as a German-made item.

How can you tell German pottery?

If you inspect the bottom of a West German vase or pot, you are likely to find a series of numbers – usually three digits followed by a dash and then two digits. The first three digits indicate the vase design or run in the factory.

How can you tell how old a jug is?

Characteristics of Original Crocks Antique crocks feature very simple freehand-painted decorations, usually executed in cobalt blue ink. Stenciled or hand-drawn letters and numbers also appear on most old crocks. Decorations were always applied to the crock prior to the glazing process.

Is salt glazed pottery safe?

Salt glaze. During the kiln firing process, salt is thrown into the kiln. The sodium released reacts with the silica in the pottery and as a result a glassy, translucent outer coating forms on the piece. This is considered a non-toxic glaze.

What kind of marks are on German salt glazed pottery?

Another common mark is the cobalt blue crossed swords used by Meissen, with some of the original marks resembling a fancy “A” and “R,” intricately combined. In the 20th century, many of the marks on German salt-glazed pottery were ink-stamped onto the bottom of the piece.

How is the glaze of salt glazed pottery made?

Salt glazed stoneware is pottery with a translucent glaze which has a slightly orange-peel texture The salt glaze is formed by throwing salt into the kiln during the higher temperature part of the firing process. Sodium from the salt reacts with silica in the clay body to form a glassy coating of sodium silicate, hence salt glazed.

Why are the marks on German beer steins salt glazed?

German beer steins were often salt glazed. Today, salt glazing is called “vapor glazing,” a name the technique received from the sodium vapors caused by the salt that the potter throws into the kiln when the pottery reaches high temperatures during its first or second firing.

What do the numbers mean on salt glazed pottery?

The first number typically identified the pottery’s shape, while the second number usually referred to the item’s height in centimeters, which is enough for many antique collectors to divine the item’s maker. For salt-glazed beer steins, the mark might appear as punched or stamped initials or numbers on the pewter lid.