APRIL 1973 • 60c ~'~,~ . \ I The only real difference between an old Shimpo RK-2 and a new RK-2 Basic is a lot of dirt! Years ago Shimpo designed a superior The new RK-2 Basics are produced potter's wheel. Since that time a few changes with Shimpo's unmistakable sense of care and have been made in theRK-2. Butwhenyou quality. The only real way to tell an old start with a carefully engineered product, these RK-2 from a new Basic is by the clay coating are only refinements, not changes for the sake acquired through continual use. The classic of change. profile is the same. So is the smooth perfor- Shimpo practices the policy of sus- mance and the quiet hum of the motor. tained excellence. Ask potters who have bought The Shimpo RK-2 Basic is a basic RK-2s during the last five years. They will tell RK-2. Although it may sound purely rhetorical, you their wheels are running as well as the day don't overlook the simplicity of the statement. they brought them home. In almost every case It's the key to Shimpo's concept of engineering there have been no maintenance calls. A few and fine craftsmanship. wheels have had their rubber drive rings replaced, a two minute task, but even on the oldest, that's all. SHIMPO-WEST PO BOX 2315 H. LA PUENTE CALIFORNIA 91746 ++ i i |.i-s ~ • I i, ..~ w.c ii olos --" ~ ~ 7 ;I i l-=i ii . ~!<'<~;:'.1 ~ ~o, ~+ -~ ,~-~ • ,I ~ ~t ~<i t ltl .Ii |;i!-+I|-': - |i |I +-! "<i <<'. i ~" ,,.+ < it <~+' .,,,...o+....,l.,lo.ioI.I ,, -...! o z++ i -:.. !t,! t++"+i.-,'.!+ --.J+, =~,..,> <_=.. ii .- +J+.., .,-1++++i - +<_.+!++ .-- +-1++<+-+i,:.--,_l-,+-" >o e a! tili.'..f+.I +. l=ii-<-,lol i,+.:..... ..,<,.... +L,+o,l..i.do,,,,Li,,,.o I 1 l .il f i 15 • I + += I <+ <~ ~j I ~ =+ oil,++l += i i .~ I I. i ~ 0-'- ,~ I i_-=.l., -=. +,l'~ ,+ -_:"+"l"i! ++,.,,,+ ++-' +++",,,,+ ,,', I.+ILtIII. <>+ 71l,-+=,<i ,+.,,<+i-++l .....++,; +, ;t, <+=++, .+iio_ "-,+,,.~, .... , i.+ l+,<,i<_~<l++.l+.+,<:+ il >r>.l . ii<+.|l °- ,~ <.<'.;,l..l.,:-,+=+ l+l <'~' <" :+..J-l ~+:+ol:!>ii~ _u ,,~i ++ i+il! : -.,---,- -.,, , ,~-<-,,' .... +-+ ,,,,,.,l--.l,+i,;+,>.l<+<i .+, <.,! ,,+<+,i< _.-,.,,,li+i<+,,-.,°":...... <+ ,+=+.~+ ._o ..... _ ......... ._ <.... ° + z~< o~-.-.Rz~zzo ~ I t~<-~<-<t,_.-.o_<.+..o.-,+ - z-z: o-:<"i.m=--+t+ ............-~ ~ =- :+.8 ~ .I • ++ ~ o+ ,+ >.- + =-.=_ > o i++ >- + + >+ + o l ! , 1 " ° - <~ +' ..++,,,<<.~.4" t''= :.,+.,, ,,..,,-• I "-, +~ "+i++ , + o i+ +~I+_,,I+ + ~, +l +!'-+i++I-+" ~i:' t <=l<J~+"+ ] J=.. I.i+t t-t_+!+i_=. .~, | " J!l=+ +°" + .... "-+oj -+ ++t|+<'i:-liii=+!=i +l +I-,-'+, ++ "+<'.-i<l<+<l -t+i ++-o.-il-lo, ++<|<- !_~--'_+ <<i ...... +"-+" =<=~! -: .! i,_ _i: ~J.=+ ol<l+i++.|" z ~ -~ < ~+8.... ~ .<" i :.+ ++ +m m.8 ~ -m ,+i <li <>" "< "+". o"' ;l -io':~'>=l<.Izl-l''+4-l-l'+-''-~'=~=~m +'~" ~0 ~l It +1:1 +,i li :-+ o++ u+ mo.~u-o-omm<+=++~ u u ++~ • • io o : lj_| i ). +: "" + - =7 1 . ..;I | +>! ,, t -+! +"++i+'++:'¥ - <<.++,+ + "" i<, • , ++|P,++,!<" <,++I ! " :'I+, ~|'+'! "i'|<'" "+"i''" 0~'+..,, ,.--'+ ,:,,,<.,+~'>'" _h t ram+: • -+ .. + • m .i z- ~-~ " "i -'+ -~;" ++++!- "- ,] +<'+=..++|| ~++I <'-,.,+--=,,J::+ < -++m-+~ r=.., .,=.-<+ i ........ 0 " +i -.]..=1 flu .+l<,+ii -~til,.l :+.,+-,-.! i, +,,+[. %:+ i <,i<+++~ <'+'<+--,+-,=,+= <'i-~+e,:. i >-P. ~ -+ |i--'<, " l.=+'<l:l, ~'l+l+"..i~e-,...%- <m+++~im; +<~'i..~..-.+ ,-,,,,+-<.i.!.i.. - , <~+,<:<!<.,|:-: <'+ <-I++m~i "++I+" ""+~++ -<,~<m+'i.i "+. +;+m.--'<'~ "-|81+++..t +,,l~:.++:<'~|~,<o:,,;m.< + .>,,~.+ -<,3,,<°" .'-: ~<I m<z • ~+,<+:= :'o,<++-+-mi-=:='- "+ i+m,:++-+ +..>::,~:< _+I_+iloio+:+,_+i:I.4. <,,:;:< ~pr. +a"i +l-=t-'+ ~|ti..-. "gi-= --i: ~m+l'+t++. me>.- +.:+t+. i-...." oi| ++ .-.-.+~l=++o+ <+l:~m +_i"" i "+~IllI"" _l +.+ ";t-'" °=.+_.~ oil"+ i4:+:'i o+.+!"-" ~+" 81;+ +<: ii,-:-I lti+"" .|+=+: .t++i 71",m..,,:I +l""I" I'"+1,-~ :" tl+ ~ li,i+" t"i i II:l +l<~-- ~- +-"tm:t IIo+l ~- ll>l+ i i ; i II <>" ! o •oi+, | I•-:if+ +< <t"~ +i" +.P'..+.=! "' !! _+!+++!-,,o +-" .=1+ .i.,,. +;+ .... ,. + ., .,>, ;.,+ I < I: 0.+..., I ,..+:+l<, ~+ ,++ ++.++- ++_.-=.i<,!_.tP,l. ~,t <+=l-+-i ! _~,p, il+++ <. ;~;m+m~ ,,,.--~>=><+ .,+-'°..- ~+-+: ~_i 7"...,.- P, :~+. .... - m -<<'>i ... :"<'l .i. -t ,,<..:....+.,,=++<.'+.+.,++.<o+_<-"+:+'r--,',o+o,o'o.+< ~-+-'-=++-.- <'l +.,' .-~i<+=<'i ..,, ,+=.o---~<=+<'+ ~=_+..-<+i<,t++:+ -~tl~ ,,>.:-..+.,,;:, <~--+t~i .+-~<+l +" +,"t;~=',<+li'~+l!! <.,=+++,,,.+.,., ` "il <.:i ~+o_.. <71~i_++~m oz • .i++.+,+,,~j P.,,.l,~+,.ll++l+..P~i,!~o+,>.+,..,~,.le:+.+,.l..t_<i<| + 1~8z=.=i_=-I l "''i~i~" lil.+|l l<+i:~i=l "; ~"= ! <'<+i~i'=-~! ++~ llli=~l ~'-l°i-,~ I:-= +i~|,,,.. |..+= +- | ~_ < ! , ! = ! t >=... ,~). +", ~o ,,,>+ t t . +-o,iz u 0 t i .i -=+.oio! ., " :, ] !+,>+ ,_+,-" l t+.+,,,;l-. >! +-oI. , +. ,.! Eml - ;t ~ ! ..l!+!l.+l+I i . -~t - t .... I i i|~+'~+. ~i;i~, |-i + --,l l~+_++-i~.t ....+, +l,: • +!~+ .++., ! !:i.=.1.... -+i |,~<'-'---+;.o . +., ~,';-~'~1 ~-~<~i~-=-" ~ t~,~i .+~ ...... , i+- :I:< .;.+.==+--+i~=~l:~:~.=|o~<~<,+,.+=~-, ! +=ii=+-++|i~ 4< " ittt+>++l'l--+t+ -'l-i+,+ - oi- 0o ,-,. ,p, s ._~-~ --_ ~ -~ =~ .=. .+ .-. April 1973 3 Ocle to Doubting Thomases. Some folks have the mistaken idea that because our potter's wheel is portable and weighs only 75 pounds, it won't hold up to the test of time. Nothing could be further from the truth. It's so rugged and trouble-free a performer that it's used for production line duty! At Pacific Stoneware, Portland, Oregon, professional potters use standard Skutt's Model B Potter's Wheels eight hours a day turning out as many as 200 pieces . year after year. These potters • • particularly like the way they can both start and ~~ stop, set and hold speeds with the Skutt foot pedal. Isn't this the kind of performance you want in your classroom or studio? Please write for more information, k'~'~ v'~ Skutt Ceramic Products, Inc., 2618 S.E. Steele Street, Portland, Oregon 97202 4 Ceramics Monthly "PIONEER POTTERY" MONTHLY by Volume 21, Number 4 April 1973 Michael Cardew Letters to the Editor ................................. 7 Suggestions from Our Readers ....................... 9 Answers to Questions ............................... 11 Itinerary ........................................... 13 A Most Unusual Pottery by Oliver Johnson .............. 18 Uncommon Clay .................................... 20 Women in Clay ...................................... 26 Summer Workshops 1973 ............................ 27 Robin Hopper by Mavis Bland ....................... 35 Strap Handles by Stanley H. Lee .................... 38 Glazes from Lithium Compounds by Richard Behrens ___42 CeramAetivities ...................................... 45 Index to Advertisers ................................ 58 The main purpose of Mr. Cardew's book is to help craftsmen who want to make poffery ON OUR COVER usi:g natural materials without depending on Bust of King George II, modeled by J. M. Rysbrack of Chelsea, England. Made o1 soft-paste porcelain, ca. 1750, the figure was customary sources of supply. The plan of the designed to be a dining table ornament, then a popular item. book results from the author's own experiences in During that period, it was one of a few such figures that was West Africa of having to make glazed stone- original to English modelers. The bust was part of the recent ware in primitive conditions. There are chapters exhibition, "Uncommon Clay," at the M. H. deYoung Memorial Museum in San Francisco and was loaned by the Los Angeles on geology as it affects the practical potter; County Museum of Art, Los Angeles. The exhibition is featured preparation and use of clay bodies: formulation in an article that begins on page 20 of this issue. of glazes: importance of refractories (including instructions on how to make one's own firebricks): wood-fired kilns for low and high temperatures: Publisher and Acting Editor: SPENCER L. DAVIS and a last chapter on the relation of the modern Assistant Editors: WZLLIAM C. HtrNT artist poffer to science and industry and to the FRANCES SAWYER Feature Editor: BETTY HOLLOWAY fine arts. Art Director: ROBERT L. CEEAOER This book will be of particular interest to those Circulation Manager: MA~V RUS~LEY Advertising Manager: CONNIE BELCHER who might now be, or plan to be, practicing poffery-making in remote places. This is a very Advisers and Special Contributors: F. Carlton Ball, Richard unique book -- one every poffer will want for Behrens, Kathe Berl, Edris Eckhardt, Zena Holst, John Kenny, Karl Martz, Ken Smith, Helen Worrall, Don Wood. his library. Price $1S.00 West Coast Advertising Representative: Joseph Mervish Asso- Sold on our usual money-back guarantee ciates 4721 Laurel Canyon, Suite 211, North Hollywood, California 91607. Telephone: TR 7-7556, Area Code 213. Copyright 1973 Pro[essional Publications, Inc. CERAMICS MONTHLY Book Department Box 4548, Columbus, Ohio 43212 Ceramics Monthly April 1973, Vol. 21 -- No. 4. Published monthly except July arid August by ~rofessional Publications, inc. -- 2. L. Davis, Please send me __. copies of PIONEER POTTERY ~ $19.00 each. Pres., P. S. Emery, See.; at 1609 Northwest Blvd., Columbus, Ohio 43212. Correspondence concerning subscriptions, renewals, and change of address I enclose [] Check [] M.O. (Ohio: 4% Sales Tax) should be addressed to the Circulation Department, Ceramics Monthly, We pay postacje. Box 4548, Columbus, Ohio 43212. Second Class postage paid at Athens, Ohio, U.S.A. Subscriptions: one year $6; Two years $10; Three years $14. Copyright 1973. All rights reserved. Name The articles in each issue of Ceramics Monthly are indexed in the Art Index and the Readers' Guide to Periodical