Small Copper and Blue Cream Pitcher
DimensionsOverall: 7.6 x 5.1 cm
Credit LineGift of Mr. George Bycraft, London, Ontario, 1963
Object number1963.003.090
Label TextThis cream pitcher is an example of lustreware porcelain. Lustreware consists of pottery that is finished with a metallic glaze that gives the appearance of iridescence. The shiny finish is produced by metallic oxides in the overglaze that is fired a second time, at a lower temperature in a reduction kiln. This pottery finishing technique has a rich history beginning in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) in the early 9th-century. In 18th-century North America, lustreware was commonly used in centerpieces, since when illuminated by gaslight, the pieces shine brilliantly.
NamePitcher, Cream
