The pottery and majolica working process, in
the manufactory "Factory Home Museum Giuseppe
Mazzotti 1903" is taday the same workmanship
entirely manual, who made famous in the world
the Albisola ceramics.
The earthenware creation, in the
Giuseppe Mazzotti 1903 kilns, starts taking the
choice of the best compact tufaceous clay and
it follows with the "balleggiatura"
phase, that's the removal by hand of all little
air-bells. Thencefrom we proceed to the moulding
phase achievable in four different ways:
* The first is the "potter's wheel":
the 'torniante" (this one who makes it) positions
on a rotating disc a clay ball, from wich he shapes
up, with he's hands only, vessels and circular
section objects. This moulding fashion needs a
three years training at least.
* The second is the "cast by thumb"
in where the clay is moulded with
thumbs inside a negative
chalk cast for creating statues and objects in
the round.* The second is the "cast by thumb"
in where the clay is moulded with thumbs inside
a negative chalk cast for creating statues and
objects in the round.
* The third is the moulding "a modine",
in which one potter's wheel and chalk cast are
combined together to mould plates of little and
mediztm size. * The fourth system is the "colaggio"
(casting): tbe clay, mixed in some water is introduced
in negative chaIk casts.
This working process is the best for obtaining
light and proper handiworks. It is necessary to
look carefully at the handiwork drying. This is
a very delicate phase, suffering from humidity
variations or even from the seasons change and
needing at least three days for the most little
objects, untill a month for medium and great pots.
Before finishing moulding, we have to make tbe
"sponge-down" consisting of the surface
polishing, in which one all slightest imperfections
must be completely removed.
Finally the handiwork is put in the kiln, where
it goes up to 980C temperature during 12 hours.
After that, it needs a slow cooling, at least
36 hours.
When it gets through tbe first firing, the object
is called "in biscotto " (biscuit ware)
because of its colour tone, looking like biscuits.
Now it must be "maiolicato" (glazed),
that is to say dipped into a metal oxidesbased
enamel, melted in water; so that it is covered
with a white backgound.
Before the final decoration, the handiwork is
polished up from all possible drips and sprayed
to equalixe the enamel thickness.
The decorations are entirely done freehand, with
the brush point, using only metal oxide colours,
like copper, cobalt or iron.
At that point our work comes back
in the kiln for reaching the 920C temperature,
according the same way of the first cooking.
The enamel pottery surface is completely vitrified
by the attaintement of temperatures like that
and it is called "a granfuoco" (greatfire).
The clay colour must be verified at the working
end, and it is possible to made it looking at
the bottom of the object, I mean the portion touching
the support plain. It must be light brown. The
use of the majolica (a white colour enamel) distinguishing
the background of the object surface classifies
these ceramics pottery as "maioliche"
(majolicas).
The decoration phase is very delicate. The
only paint decoration of an umbrella stand,
for exemple needs about 6O to 120 minutes, depending
on the subjects hut the working process achievement
never happens before a month.
Our manufactory signs all creations with our
original mark, consisting of the stylization
of an old kiln by wood, trimed with the initials
G.M.A. and the date 1903.
. All our products are the result of a rigorous
selection, made by the same expert hands following
ceramics pottery in wery phase of the working
process. This is the reason why we are sures
about unigueness and unavailability of euery
handywork coming out from out kilns.
So we enclose the certifcate of guarantee, reproducing
the mark of "Factory Home Museum Giuseppe
Mazzotti 1903" and the certificate issued
from the General Italian Confederation of the
Handicraft proving the foundation year: 1903.
Credits:
