Nathan King Design

Antique Lighting – Bisque Porcelain Antique Lamps

Bisque porcelain or biscuit porcelain, takes its name from it’s first or initial firing, when the brittle porcelain could be snapped off like a biscuit.  Bisque porcelain is also widely known as “biscuit ware”, unglazed ware and more popularly as “parian” ware.

All bisque or parian porcelain is unglazed and in Victorian times was admired for its sculptural qualities.  The name “Parian” is in fact attributed to Thomas Minton, the famous 19th century English potter, who coined the name Parian after Paros, the Greek island that quarried much of the pure white sculptural marble used in studios.

Of course, the originator of porcelain was China, including unglazed white bisque porcelain. Known to the Chinese potters as “Fan Ts’u”. China was, before the 18th century, the only producer of porcelain in the world and this fact is commemorated by the standard name we give to porcelain, China! 

When porcelain receives its first firing, it is porous.  It is then glazed and refired.  This second firing causes the glaze to fuse with the porous shape and become vitrified, or “glass-like”.  From this “glazed in the white” state, it is then moved to the decorating department to be painted by skilful porcelain painters, or to be transfer printed.  At the finish of this decorating process, the shape is then refired to fix the coloured enamels.

If gilding is to be applied, the shape is fired yet again with each firing at a lower temperature than the last, the heat being gradually reduced. 

In the production of bisque porcelain, the porcelain is left in the white and unglazed. Ceramic glazes have an enormous benefit to porcelain manufacturers as glazes hide faults. With bisque, this helpful element is missing and quality is entirely dependent on detailed modeling and production control.

 

A fine pair of, English, high Victorian, or possibly, American made, slip cast, bisque lamps. Bisque, also known as “biscuit”, is unglazed porcelain which has been fired only once.

The lamps of formal neo classic style with a deep cream colour.  The upper section of the lamps, moulded as formal acanthus compositions and the central urn shapes moulded with evenly spaced swags supported by tied ribbons.  The centres of the urns decorated with large loose bouquets of garden flowers and foliage supported by a suspended tie.The urn shaped lamps on short circular socles, the rims dragooned and standing on square shaped plinths. 

Bisque, with a new creamy colour was revived in 1846 and again at the close of the 19th century.  It has a range of colours, from white to cream and was also known as “Parian”, a reference to the white marble from the Greek island of Paros, much sought by sculptors.  Bisque was much favored throughout the Victorian period, due to its rather sculptured appearance.

A very stylish pair of late Victorian lamps.  Circa 1890 t (including shades) 20 ” / 50 cm

Although we still retain the name “bisque porcelain”, modern production methods now produce a hard, durable, ceramic body, without the brittleness of very earlier bisque which required glazing to stabilize the shape.

In Europe, pure white, bisque porcelain, just like a ballerina, stepped onto centre stage in the 1750’s with the production of stunning portrait busts and figure groups in dazzling, white marble look-a-like.  

At the Vincennes factory, a beautiful series of children, modelled from sketches by Boucher and modelled by Blondeau were produced with other mid 18th century factories, like Sévres and Mennecy, producing figure subjects of sublime quality.   

In 18th century England, the Derby factory produced finely detailed figures in undecorated bisque.  With English figures being conventionally decorated in colour, these figures must have looked outstanding. 

The English 18th century highpoint came in 1774, with Josiah Wedgwood’s discovery of jasper.  Jasper is a fine grained, unglazed stoneware, now so well recognised as to be seen as synonymous with the name of Wedgwood.  Jasper was copied by the French at Sévres, in biscuit porcelain and at other French and German factories.

By the end of the 18th century, as usual, tastes changed and the unadorned, neo classic styles predominated.  Bisque porcelain reached new heights of refinement with elegant Regency styles.  Bisque library busts, Wedgwood unglazed white jasper and elegant French and English bisque models.

Bisque, with a new creamy colour was reintroduced by Copeland in Staffordshire in 1846 and was soon taken up by other English and American makers.

And now, for the technical part!  

The production of a bisque porcelain figure, or lamp base, begins with the eye of the designer, who, with sketch pad and pencil, outlines the design idea. This idea, will naturally, be framed by the contemporary styles of the time.

Bisque porcelain, like all complex ceramic shapes, is cast or slip moulded.  Slip is liquid slurry, which is comprised of potters’ clay mixed with water to a semi liquid creamy state which is literally poured into preformed plaster of Paris moulds to take shape.  

Slip is the raw material behind the beautiful porcelains we see.  This liquid porcelain is a mixture of kaolin, feldspar and finely ground flint. Kaolin is naturally occurring, very fine clay with a high percentage of silicate.  Feldspar is a crystalline mineral, also with a high level silicate content and the finely ground flint is a hard quartz.

This lists only the primary content of this porcelain mixture, which was refined and developed over hundreds of years.  The chemistry is much more complex with potassium, sodium and calcium contributing to the finished product.

Both pottery and porcelain are made by pouring the slip into plaster moulds, the plaster absorbing water from the slip, causing a firm layer to form, the surplus then being poured off.  

It is interesting to note that the tradition of slip casting with plaster of Paris, preshaped moulds is not new, the process being introduced in England in about 1745, reputedly by a potter named Ralph Daniels of Cobridge. 

When the remaining slip has become cheese hard or sometimes referred to as “leather hard”, the plaster moulds are removed and the slip cast shapes assembled to produce the desired design.

Traditionally, this assembly function was performed by a member of the staff called “the repairer”.  It was his job to remove all seams and smooth out any traces of the mould.  This finishing process is much the same as today with slip being used to act as an adhesive.

When the assembly is completed, the shapes are thoroughly air dried to allow the pieces to dry. The now finished shape is sent to the kiln for firing.

Some things never change and the basic production of this elegant porcelain it would seem is one of them.    

These bisque lamps can be seen on The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co’s web site -:

http://www.antiquelampshop.com/lamp-chat.php?id=38

The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co specialise in antique lamps with an exclusive on-line range of over 100 unique lamps.  Lamps are shipped ready wired for the US, the UK and Australia.

 And remember, a good lamp, was hard to find!

For further information you are invited to visit their web site at -:

http://www.antiquelampshop.com

About the Author

Maurice Robertson, principal of The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co, has had a lifetime’s association with antique porcelain and pottery, with his commercial experience spanning a period of over 45 years,including valuer to the Australian Government’s Incentive to the Arts Scheme. His long experience with antique ceramics and glass also includes dealing with leading museums and numerous international private collections. He has extended his ceramics expertise into the quality table lamps seen on the company’s site and is well known to local and international interior designers who have included many of his table lamps in their projects. He has also supplied items of national interest to the official Sydney residence of the Australian Prime Minister.

Antiques marks & appraisal – marks4antiques.com

Vintage Tanaka Handmade Pottery 1991 Flower Vase USA Studio Jar Cup Rare Antique $2,500.00

vtg studio pottery scandinavian eames era danish modern norway table art bird $2,200.00

Design Technics Mid Century Modern Studio Pottery Lamp Stoneware Orange Vintage $1,350.00

Vintage 1955 Signed Marc Hansen Mid Century Modern Studio Abstract Pottery Vase $1,200.00

VINTAGE MODERN 1981 STUDIO POTTERY GAY EROTIC MALE NUDE BOWL SIGNED K. SALEIGH? $1,190.00

Marshall Studios Studio Pottery BLUE DOT Service for 8 Vintage New Stock Martz $925.00

Amazing set *MARSHALL STUDIOS pottery dishes MARTZ mid century modern danish vtg $895.00

VINTAGE DESIMONE STUDIO ART POTTERY MODERNIST WALL PANEL ITALY MAJOLICA PICASSO $889.00

Large Vintage American Studio Art Pottery Standing Female Mask signed $650.00

E Italian Mid-Century Guido Gambone SIGNED Studio Art Pottery Vintage Modern $649.99

Vintage Studio Pottery Table Lamp Signed “HAL” Brass Ming Tree Porcelain Inlay $600.00

VTG ESTATE RARE STUDIO ART MID CENTURY EAMES POTTERY STONEWARE PLATTER PLATE SET $597.99

A Vintage Mid Century Modern Studio Art Pottery Vase w/ Frothy Bauer Type Glaze $500.00

A Vintage Mid Century Modern Studio Art Pottery Vase w/ Frothy Bauer Type Glaze $500.00

Vintage Mid Century Joe Osolnik Studio Art Pottery Lamp $499.99

Vintage 1950’s Studio Art Pottery Lamp W/Retro Brown Sude Leather Lined Shade $482.36

Vintage Japanese Studio Art Pottery Ikebana Vase Signed $445.50

Vintage c1960 Original Artist Signed John Costanza Studio Art Pottery Lidded Jar $425.00

Vintage c1960 Original Artist Signed Hand Thrown Studio Art Pottery Covered Jar $425.00

VTG ESTATE RARE MIKE POPOVICH STUDIO ART MID CENTURY EAMES POTTERY PLATE SET 4 $397.99

Vintage Betty Feves Studio Pottery Red Iron Glaze Vase – Oregon Northwest WA OR $395.00

ACKERMAN studio pottery tea pot California mid century modern vintage $395.00

Vintage Studio ART Pottery FLOWER FROG BAbs WELLSTEED # $390.00

STUNNING VINTAGE ASIAN SIGNED STUDIO ART POTTERY SCULPTED VASE $378.00

VINTAGE BLUE STUDIO ART POTTERY VASE CRYSTALLINE GLAZE $375.00

VINTAGE LAURA ANDRESON STUDIO ART POTTERY VESSEL 1950′S $375.00

Vintage Studio Flambe Marble Earth Aqua Glaze Drip Pottery Vase Art Deco Chawan $363.00

Vtg Mid century modern Scandinavian ? Sweden ? studio art pottery vase signed $350.00

Vintage Studio Pottery Dogwood Pitcher $319.99

Vintage Overbeck Studio Pottery Figure w/ Bow $305.00

LARGE Vintage 1972 JACK TROY Pottery Stoneware TRAY CHARGER Pennsylvania Studio $299.99

VTG ESTATE RARE STUDIO MODERNIST REDWARE FOLK ART POTTERY HUGE PITCHER MUG SET $297.99

VTG ESTATE URBAN ETHNIC STUDIO ART POTTERY CEREAL BERRY SNACK OATMEAL BOWL LOT 5 $297.99

VTG ESTATE URBAN ETHNIC STUDIO ART POTTERY CEREAL BERRY SNACK OATMEAL BOWL LOT 4 $297.99

vintage large mission / arts crafts table lamp studio pottery piece $295.00

Vintage Edwin & Mary Scheier Studio Pottery Abstract Vase & Bowl – Rich Glazes $295.00

Vtg Japanese Dragon Ship Studio Pottery Moriage Lg BOWL $295.00

Vintage Stoneware Large Retro Lamp Studio Pottery Fine $292.49

L HJORTH DENMARK VINTAGE CERAMIC HIPPOPOTAMUS FIGURE STUDIO ART POTTERY HIPPO $277.00

12″ Arts & Crafts Vintage BELGIUM Studio Art Pottery Vase $275.00

E Paul Soldner Lidded Vessel Studio Art Pottery Vintage SIGNED $269.99

VTG ANTIQUE ESTATE MID CENTURY EAMES ERA OPT ART STUDIO POTTERY CONSOLE BIG BOWL $267.99

vintage Marianne De Trey Studio Pottery Porcelain Vase made in Dartington c1970s $260.82

Vintage Overbeck Studio Pottery Figure $255.00

vintage Marianne De Trey Studio Pottery PORCELAIN BLUE VASE made in Dartington $245.01

Mid Century Modern Studio Pottery Lamp Bob Kinzie Cressey Era Vintage Retro $250.00

Pair Vintage French Faience Studio Pottery Covered Tureens Robert Picault $249.99

Vintage Japanese Studio Art Pottery Vase IKEBANA JAPAN $249.00

vintage ROBIN WELCH studio pottery handbuilt stoneware VASE with porcelain rim $245.01

VTG ESTATE MID CENTURY STUDIO POT ART PLAID POTTERY CASSEROLE BAKEWARE CROCK SET $237.99

VTG ESTATE MID CENTURY STUDIO POT ART PINK POTTERY CASSEROLE BAKEWARE CROCK SET $237.99

VTG ESTATE MID CENTURY TRIBAL LIFE STUDIO POTTERY ANTHROPOMORPHIC FACE JUG VASE $237.99

VTG ANTIQUE ESTATE CONFETTI SPLATTER MID CENTURY STUDIO INLAY POTTERY PLATTER $237.99

LG VTG Mid-Century Danish Modern Brutalist Studio Pottery Lamp David Cressey Era $229.00

PAIR OF VTG 60′S DANISH MODERN STRIPED POTTERY LAMP MARTZ MARSHALL STUDIOS? $225.00

Vintage Jane Wherrette Studio Pottery Green Geometric Covered Bowl – Northwest $225.00

Cat figurine Studio Art Pottery Vintage Decor Signed $225.00

60’s VINTAGE MARIANNE DE TREY SHINNERS BRIDGE DARTINGTON STUDIO POTTERY JUG $213.39

Vintage Handcrafted Studio Pottery Spiral Vase Dennison $199.99

Vintage Andersen Design Studio Pottery In Mid-Flight SEAGULLS Oval Dish Plate $199.99

Vintage Mid Century Retro S. Pushman Studio Pottery Owls on Driftwood $199.00

vintage Marianne De Trey Studio Pottery STONEWARE Vase made in Dartington c1970s $197.59

XL 13″d Vtg Bamboo Motif Studio Pottery Stoneware Lamp Mid-Century Danish Modern $195.00

Vintage Modern American Studio Pottery Palmquist Vase $195.00

VTG ANTIQUE ESTATE STUDIO RARE ANTHROPOMORPHIC OPT ART 3D FACE POTTERY BUD VASE $187.99

OLD vintage eames era Fine Studio Art Pottery Sculpture Bowl mid century modern $176.89

Vintage Texas Studio Pottery Jean Amos Vase Harding Black Student $175.00

Vintage Lidded Studio Pottery Signed “Risley” $175.00

LARGE Signed Vintage KEN SHORES Studio Pottery Bulbous Vase $175.00

Vintage German Studio Art Pottery Bowl $174.99

Vintage Danish Studio Pottery Signed Vase $174.99

Mid Century Studio Pottery Hutchens Vintage Rare $174.95

STUDIO A POTTERY VASE VINTAGE OLD ART $169.99

Vintage Mid-Century Modern Studio Art Pottery Vase Texas Potter Marie Kuenstler $169.00

VTG ANTIQUE ESTATE STUDIO ART POTTERY FRENCH COUNTRY PINKS FLORAL ROSE SERVER $167.99

VTG ESTATE STUDIO ART POTTERY RICE BERRY NUT SNACK BOWL TUMBLER RARE OOAK SET 4 $167.99

VTG ESTATE FRENCH COUNTRY PARIS CHIC FLORAL FLOWER STUDIO POTTERY CONSOLE BOWL $167.99

Vintage Ishmael Soto Studio Art Large Fire Pottery Vase Texas Mexic-Arte $165.75

Vintage Mid Century Modern Art Deco Signed Studio Pottery Vase Blue Eames Era $165.00

Vintage 1976 Seagrove Matt Green Studio Pottery Vase with Applied Handles – NC $165.00

Vintage Studio Art Pottery Sculpture Southwestern Style $159.00

ANTIQUE / VINTAGE LARGE MAJOLICA STUDIO ART POTTERY LIDDED FRUIT BASKET MARKED $158.00

STUNNING SIGNED VINTAGE WINGED STUDIO ART POTTERY VASE $155.00

Vintage Studio Pottery CUBIST Abstract Head Vase! – Unusual $155.00

VINTAGE GORDON MARTZ MARSHALL STUDIOS POTTERY TABLE LAMP MID CENTURY EAMES $150.00

LARGE Signed Vintage TOM COLEMAN Studio Pottery Planter $150.00

Vintage Chuo Chūo Studio Pottery Ceramic Bowl blue green glaze Daruma Sumi-e $149.99

VINTAGE STUDIO POTTERY CHURRO RAM NAVAJO RUG WOOL A++ $149.99

Vintage Maigon Daga Studio Pottery Large Bear Figurine Mid Century Eames $149.00

14″ Vintage Flemish BELGIUM Studio Art Pottery Pitcher $149.00

Vintage Charles Halling Studio Art Pottery Ceramic Vase $145.00

Vintage Signed Studio Pottery Insect Sculpture Bowl with Lid $145.00

Vintage American Studio Pottery Raku Vase Signed J in Heart $145.00

Vintage Two Whale Modern Studio Art Pottery Bowl Signed $139.00

Vintage Mid Century Susan Hughes Studio Art Pottery Covered Dish $139.00

VTG ANTIQUE ESTATE MID CENTURY STUDIO ART POTTERY CASSEROLE BAKEWARE CROCK SET $137.99

Vintage Studio Pottery Vase a very unusual glaze / texture $134.36

VINTAGE MID CENTURY STUDIO ART POTTERY SCULPTURE MAQUETTE WOMAN IN BATHING SUIT $133.33

Vintage Mid-Century Modern Studio Art Pottery Vase by Christine Texas $129.00

VTG ESTATE ANTHROPOMORPHIC SIGNED STUDIO THROWN POTTERY 3D FACE MUG STEIN SET 2 $127.99

Rosenthal Loft 16-Piece Dinnerware Starter Set, Service for 4 $180.00 Winner of a 2002 international design award, Loft dinnerware epitomizes an urban, modern lifestyle with its clean, all-white forms. The German-made porcelain is kept elegantly spare except for a subtle pattern of fine concentric circles that feels pleasing to the touch. While the Loft collection encompasses both round and square shapes for mix-and-match individuality, this particular 16-piece star…

Haeger Potteries through the Years $72.50 Celebrating clayware and art pottery design since 1914, Haeger Potteries has offered many desirable pieces to decorators and collectors for decades. This volume depicts the finest of those wares, from designers as varied as Royal Hickman, Brastoff, and Martin Stangl. Hundreds of planters, vases, cookie jars, pitchers, lamps, and more (many of which are figural) are paraded throughout these pages. …