Ceramics / Pottery
Ceramics include a wide range of pottery, china/porcelain, clay pots, earthenware, ironstone, stoneware. Signed pieces from the Arts & Crafts period are considered very desirable. Horace Elliot or Martin Brothers for instance names you're perhaps less likely to find. Moorcroft, Troika of course and similarly vintage studio pottery by Louis Hudson a name to remember. Othere pieces to look out for might include Franz porcelain, selected Paul Cardew and Susie Cooper of course. Differences between Earthenware, Ironstone and Stoneware: Earthenware is fired at low temperature, typically lightweight, porous and glazed. Ironstone much more suitable for the oven for example and often painted and/or glazed for a better finish. Stoneware on the other hand heavy and dense, non-porous and not essentially glazed, though like Earthenware may be styled to show its natural quality.
