English (Lambeth) Barber's Bowl About 1690 Tin-glazed earthenware 3-1/2 inches high, 10-1/4 inches in diameter Gift of Mr. and Mrs. George R. Steiner 96.36.6

Blue decoration on a white GROUND was the most common tin- glaze combination, partly because the blue-and-white export porcelains were so popular, but also as a matter of practicality. Tin-glazed earthenware colors were limited by the firing techniques. Artisans could use only those colors that would stand up under the high temperatures (1000 degrees Fahrenheit) needed to set the white tin oxide glaze. Blue UNDERGLAZE was the easiest to handle, but red, purple, yellow, and green could also be used. More OVERGLAZE colors could be added in a second, lower-temperature KILN firing, but this made the ware more expensive. Because earthenware is more brittle than porcelain, it cannot be potted as thinly and therefore has a heavier, thicker appearance.

Tin glaze is composed of fine sand (silica), calcined lead, and tin oxide (ash). It is the tin oxides that make the glaze opaque and give it its soft, luminous quality. Since tin glazes do not become highly fluid when fired in the kiln, decoration can be applied without running or smudging. The vessel was first dipped in, or covered with, the tin glaze and allowed to dry. Then the decoration was painted onto the porous, absorbent surface of the powdery ground. This required a quick but sure hand, which resulted in the fresh, spirited style seen in this barber's bowl.

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