Wedgwood Lustreware Vase and Bowl with Gilt Decoration

• Lustre Ware - Lustre decoration on ceramics is created by painting a thin deposit of metal oxide such as gold, silver or copper onto the surface, and then firing the item again, so that metal oxide forms a thin film on the surface. The finished effect is a shiny metallic surface. The technique was used in the 19th century by potteries such as Crown Devon, Grimwades, Maling, and Royal Doulton. However the best known use was by Wedgwood for its Fairyland lustre.
• Lustre Ware - Ceramics that have been coated with metallic oxides and then fired, to give a metallic finish, using a similar technique to, and sometimes resembling the irridescent finish on glass. Colours produced included silver (using platinum), gold, pink, white, copper and cream. Lustre ware was first made in England in the late 18th century. In the 19th century, many Staffordshire potteries produced lustre ware including Crown Devon, Royal Worcester, Carlton Ware, and Wedgwood. A lustre glaze was used very successfully by Belleek, in Country Fermanagh, Ireland. Many of their wares displayed a nautical theme including shell shapes, dolphins, and mer-boys.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• Wedgwood (England), item types
  • bowls 179
  • lustre ware 106
  • vases and ewers 241