Sgraffito Slipware

The fabulous name of this slipware warrants a posting all of its own. For the uninitiated like me, sgraffito involves scratching through a layer of coloured slip to reveal the different colour of the  pottery underneath. Very rare on the Thames foreshore, to date I’ve only found one example – nice though as the lines are so obviously etched by a human hand. Tom, mudlarker from Florida recently showed me a lovely example he’d found on his most recent trip to the UK.

Thames Mudlarking: Sgraffito Medieval shard

In the late 17th century, this type of slipware was produced in North Devon. another attempt to produce more decorative items a long with Westerwald stoneware and metropolitan slipware setting them apart from the crude eathernwares in most ordinary households. 

Update: I've recently found out that this is probably Cambridgeshire Sgraffito ware, made between 1400-1500, the body was covered with white clay. After scratching the whole object was covered in a pale yellow glaze,  when fired the body turned red -  fits the bill think. Amazingly 500-600 years old.