Sgraffito pottery handmade in a Pennsylvania mid-1700s stone house. This piece is an original design inspired by Pennsylvania German Redware pottery.
 
Signed and dated January 6, 2023, "rain"
10 1/4" square, 1 3/4" deep.  Gift boxed.

This piece is handmade in a 250+ year-old stone house.  I employ tools and techniques used by the early Pennsylvania German potters - 18th through 19th centuries.

  Each piece begins with red earthenware clay rolled flat with a rolling pin and cut to fit the mold.  Then the clay is laid into the mold (slump molded) to shape it.  When it is just dry enough to handle without losing its shape liquid white clay (slip) is applied to the surface with a brush.  The design is scratched into the slip, with a scratch tool, revealing the red clay beneath – the sgraffito technique. When the piece is totally dry it is fired in an electric kin – first bisque fired, and then food-safe glaze is applied and fired again.  The completed piece has the overall yellowish coloring of antique redware plates on the front; the back is not glazed following the traditions of the early Pennsylvania potters.