EARLY POTTERY– Ware which was produced in England before the 17th century.

THE STONE-WARE-Which in the South of England was one the first attempts at improvement made by the potters, in order to supply the goods hitherto imported from Germany. This object was at last successfully achieved by Dwight.

THE SLIP-DECORATED WARE-Or pieces made of the rough marl from the coal measures, ornamented with diluted clay, poured in cursive tracery on the surface, and glazed with “galena.”

THE DELFT-WARE-Made in imitation of the Dutch importations ;too good an imitation perhaps, as it can hardly be distinguished from the foreign productions, but which, nevertheless, cannot be overlooked,because of its having been extensively manufactured in many places in England.

THE SIGILLATED OR STAMPED WARE-A process probably derived from the German Stone-ware, but which had become thoroughly Englishwhen the successors of the Elers began to employ clays of different colours, glazing them with “galena.”

THE SALT-GLAZE-White and delicately-made Stone-ware, the most English of all in its characteristics, decorated with sharp and quaint embossments, or (but only at a later period) with enamels, and even with printing.

THE TORTOISESHELL-Rich and harmonious, with underglaze colourations, similar in effect to the works of Palissy, and of the early potters of the Continent, but differing much from them by the style of the shapes and decorations.

THE CREAM-COLOUR-Beginning with the discovery of the use of flint by Astbury, the first step towards the white earthenware which,brought by Josiah Wedgwood to the highest degree of perfection, was to supersede all others.