Coffee pot c. 1780 - 1790

This delicate coffee pot, made by the Caughley Works, is a testament to the global reach of ceramics in the 18th century. Crafted from fine porcelain, it showcases the technique of underglaze blue painting. Notice the smooth, white body of the pot. This reflects the high-firing process required to vitrify the clay, making it non-porous. The blue decoration, applied before glazing, uses cobalt oxide, a pigment that withstands the intense heat of the kiln. The painted motifs, reminiscent of Chinese landscapes, speak to the era's fascination with the East. Caughley Works, also known as Salopian China, were masters of industrial production. They were pioneers in transfer printing, a process that revolutionized ceramic decoration. These techniques allowed for intricate designs to be applied more quickly and consistently than hand-painting. The coffee pot isn't just an aesthetic object; it embodies the burgeoning consumer culture of the 18th century. It represents a shift towards mass production and the increasing availability of luxury goods to a wider segment of society. This piece is more than just a coffee pot, it's a vessel filled with the stories of trade, labor, and the evolving tastes of a globalizing world.