Fake, Forgery: An intentionally deceptive replica or reproduction.
Replica, Reproduction: An acknowledged copy intended to educate, preserve, or other valid motive – unless done with unscrupulous intent (see above).
Almost every European ceramic style was forged during the 17th to 19th centuries. Meissen and Sévrès were popular targets. But migrating craftsmen spread techniques legally, and popular interest sparked legitimate revivals. Early Seigburg stoneware tankards (from original molds) reappeared in the 1830’s, as did Raeren stoneware in the 1880’s. For a time Palissy ware was all the rage.
Business Plan: A set of goals and the plan for reaching those goals.
As European porcelain production spread, quality control efforts clashed with efforts to keep factories solvent. Owners (usually local royalty) employed many methods to avoid bankruptcy. Example, some required Jews in their domain to purchase a certain amount of product. A less racist idea foreshadowed the modern “Seconds Sale.”
Hausmaler: A painter of Hausmalerei.
Hausmalerei is the German word for “home painting.” Freelance decorators set up shop outside most European ceramics factories, beginning in Germany in the mid 17th century. They purchased defective, undecorated wares and applied their own enameling. In France an outside decorator was called a chamberlan. In England outside decorators were called outside decorators.
Hausmalerei wasn’t an actual forgery of the factory ware it came from. The trouble was, hausmalers got good at it. Hausmalerei was seen as a necessary but frowned upon evil – even in the best of times. Just owning a kiln made one suspicious in the eyes of authorities. Competition with factory-painted wares became so intense, many factories cut off supplies of blank porcelain. But hausmalerei continued, at times by ‘less than legal’ means…
Individuals Looking For Unusual Pieces: The usual patrons of this work.
Readings:
The Concise Encyclopedia of Continental Pottery and Porcelain. Reginald Haggar. Hawthorn Books/New York. 1960.
This Day in Pottery History 