Salt glaze pottery - Definition

Salt fumes have a dramatic effect on clay under heat. Salt reacts at temperatures from about 1660 °F (904 °C), the melting point of common salt, when a surface blush of color is formed on clays and clay slips, to over 2350 °F (1287 °C), the traditional temperature of high fired salt ware. At the higher temperatures, salt becomes an active vapor. A typical salt glaze has a glossy orange-peel texture enhancing the natural color of the clay beneath it. This unique finish encourages modern potters to produce ware in salt firings. The method provides an opportunity to capture spontaneous changes in atmosphere and color and is a tool for ongoing experimentation and creativity.

Historically, salt kilns were used in many areas of Europe, particularly Germany, Scandinavia and the British Isles. Salt kilns were also popular during the colonial period in North America and in the early years of the United States. The use of salt as a glazing element generally eliminated the use of high silica glaze compounds by these craftsmen.

Modern potters using traditional salt processes are working in many areas of the United States and Europe. Potters and salt kilns in both North and South Carolina are well known for producing modern salt fired ware, as are American universities with strong ceramic programs. These include Alfred University in New York and Utah State University in Logan, Utah.

Other traditional pottery processes which have been revived or modified by modern potters include low-temperature pit firing, the Asian technique of raku and the use of saggar boxes in gas and wood fired kilns.