A to Z Anthology

As the Society no longer produces newsletters, we will post occasional items of interest here.
Topics will be chosen at random.
Your contributions are welcome.

T is for Tube Lining

Many dealers refer to Maling "tube-lined" plaques. Not quite rght.

Tube-lining involves squeezing a thin line of clay through a nozzle onto the body of a pot. Then the areas between the lines are coloured in. It is a time-consuming and, therefore, expensive process. The cost-conscious Malings emulated the effect by employing some jiggery-pokery.

Jiggering is a method of producing flatwares such as plates. It involves throwing a ball of clay onto a revolving wheel, then pulling down a moulded former which spreads the clay and impresses a pattern. (Think of it as the pottery equivalent of a waffle maker.) You can get the idea from the photo on the right.

The clay is forced into the deep grooves cut into the former and you have an instant tube-lined look with very little effort or expense required. Maling referred to these pieces as "embossed" - see "L is for Lay Lady Lay" for more.

Learn about the pottery-making process in newsletters 18-21.

Other tube lines are available. Unfortunately they don't go as far as Potters Bar...
so we apologise for the non-arrival of this month's cryptic comment.

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