Pioneer Pottery

by Michael Cardew

Pioneer Pottery is one of the classic texts in ceramic literature. Its author, Michael Cardew, was one of the seminal figures in British ceramics and this book, written partly in response to his time spent in Africa, has influenced generations of potters around the world.

As one of the early and influential figures in British ceramics, Michael Cardew was asked in 1942 by the Crown Agents to go to Nigeria to set up a pottery training center. It was his experiences there, as well as his previous time spent in the Gold Coast, that formed the basis for this book. In addition to discussions about the basics of clay and glaze materials and their properties, Cardew shows how to make pots in the Kwali, Jebba, Vume, Ilorin, and Hausa traditions of western Africa. This book is the first book to discuss all aspects of the pottery making process from materials through marketing. Michael Cardew found it necessary to find out and do everything for himself, and this is what lies behind this book. The consequence is that it is filled with a sense of discovery and firsthand knowledge.

368 pages, Hardcover

First published September 20, 1971

Reviews

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you play or work with clay this is something you need to read. Cardew made pots in Africa from the dirt up.

[Mingchao Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

mass production, art, craft, science, when we miss something, we will know, then the value show regardless of all stereotypes.