View all examples of IRONSTONE, UNDECORATED
| Type Name: | IRONSTONE, UNDECORATED |
| Type Index: | REFINED EARTHENWARE |
| Production Origin: | ENGLAND |
| Date Range: | 1840-1930 |
| Defining Attributes: |
White, hard, almost vitrified paste. Paste is usually thick because vessels were often utilitarian. Background color is white, but may have a faint bluish cast. Thick, clear, glasslike glaze, with a network of very fine crazing appearing underneath the glassy surface. Usually not decorated but can be transfer printed. |
| Vessel Forms: |
BASIN BOWL PLATE PLATTER TUREEN |
| Comments: | This common nineteenth century utilitarian pottery is part of the general category of English "Stone China" It is referred to in the archaeological literature as "Undecorated White Granite Ware", or as "Undecorated Ironstone", after Mason’s Patent Ironstone China (which was a specific brand of stone china patented in 1813). Undecorated Stone China is most common after ca. 1840, and most of the granite wares,and ironstone pottery before that date were decorated with transfer printing, painting, enameling or a combination of these. Decorated Stone China /Ironstone dates to about 1805-1840 (Miller 1991). |
| Published Definitions: | Noel Hume 1970; Miller 1991 |