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Sweden’s Ceramic District is situated in the north-west part of
Skåne. Art and handicraft have old traditions in the area, and
there is a large number of ceramists as well as smaller and
larger potteries. They all work with clay, but design, colours,
glazing and production methods vary. Consequently, the final
outcome is very different. Handicraft from Sweden’s Ceramic
District is characterized by large breadth and range of
variation.
Visitors are welcome to see how various objects develop in
studios and work shops. You will also find showrooms and
opportunities to buy ceramic ware.
Coal and clay
Skåne is the only county in Sweden where coal has been excavated.
The coal mining begun in the 16th century but the production did
not start until two hundred years later. During that time clay
was found between the coal layers and in the river banks. The
pottery industries developed alongside the coal mines.
In 1799 the first Pottery Factory was founded in Helsingborg and
was run until 1922. They specialized in saltglazed utility goods.
In Höganäs the pottery industry started in 1832. Today Höganäs
Saltglaserat and Höganäs Keramik are still running. South of
Helsingborg, in the valley of Råå river lies two saltglaze
factories, Wallåkra Stenkärlsfabrik and Raus Stenkärlsfabrik.
Here the firing process still takes place in the traditional way
using brick kilns.
Earthenware and stoneware – what
is the difference?
Earthenware is smooth to work with and burns at a temperature of
900-1150 ºC. The body of earthenware is still porous and will
not hold liquids unless it is glazed. Stoneware burns at
1200-1350 ºC and the result is hard and able to hold water even
when unglazed.
How ceramic is made
The ceramist works the clay at the potter’s wheel or modelling
it into shape. Thereafter the ware is dried thoroughly. Most
ceramic goods are fired twice; first the bisque firing, at the
temperature of 900-1000 ºC. After cooling the ware is glazed.
The second firing, the glaze firing, takes place at a higher
temperature.
Saltglazed - the characteristic
brown glaze
The saltglaze technique comes from Germany where it has been
used since the 13th century. There is a long tradition of using
the technique in the northwest of Skåne and some of the old
kilns are still used today. The firing process takes place in
large brick kilns fuelled by coal. The ware is put in the kiln
in its raw state and the entrance is bricked up. The firing goes
on for 72 hours until the temperature is 1300 ºC. Rock salt is
thrown into the kiln and the silica in the clay is fluxed by the
sodium in the salt and forms a glaze. It then takes 1-2 weeks
for the kiln to cool before the entrance is opened.
Easy to find a
Potter
Each potter has been marked with a number on the map so it will be
easy to find them. And why not visit a restaurant on your Pottery tour?
With help of the map you can get some tips on where to eat or have a
cup of coffee on the tour. That way the visit to Sweden’s Ceramic
District will be an unforgettable experience! |
