Customer Reviews:
 Book is from 1973, no crystalline glazes or kiln furniture June 18, 2005
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
The Amazon listing for this book (at the moment I am writing this) gives 1989 as the date for this book, but that is WRONG. The copyright page for the book itself says that it is copyright 1973, and was reprinted 1989, 1992, and 2002, and originally published by Macmillan. Seems like it is simply a reprint, not a 1989 revised second edition, as the publication information states. [And I did match ISBN numbers, so I am talking about the right book.]
In its day, this book was worth 5 stars, and there is still lots of good information in it. However, a ceramics book from 1973 is very different from one in 1989, because usage of toxics like lead will be more cavelier, and newer developments (like inclusion pigments for things like cadmium reds) won't be covered. In the glaze chapter, lead is used in many of the recipes for lower temperature glazes (up to cone 1-2).
Today, there are computer programs which simplify glaze calculations for putting together a particular glaze for a particular cone (kiln temperature). However, this was not the case in 1973. By providing a number of glaze recipes for practically each cone, the glaze chapter of this book provided a way around all those calculations. I think this was one of the great uses of this book in 1973, and it is still worthwhile in that respect.
Also, in case you are looking for his book with recipes for things like crystalline glazes and fire brick, insulation brick, kiln shelves, etc, this is not it (try Contemporary Ceramic Formulas).
The publisher should really care enough to tell you what this book contains, but since they do not, here are the four chapters of this book:
-- 1. Clay Body Formulas: Earthenware, Medium Temp, Stoneware, Porcelain, Raku, Colorants, Stains, Engobes, Egyptian Paste (pgs 2-31)
-- 2. Glaze Formulas: recipes for almost every cone from 022-13, then Slip Glazes, Raku Glazes, and Glaze Colorants. (pgs 32-91)
-- 3. Enamel formulas (pgs 92-96)
-- 4. Glass Formulas (pgs. 97-101)
Followed by pages of informative charts, etc.
Almost every page has at least 10 recipes on it. It looks like there is lots of useful stuff in here, but much self experimentation would be needed since there are no photos (and watch out for the leaded recipes in the lower cones). It could also use an index (e.g. on what pages can I find opalescent glazes?, or red glazes?, etc.)
The contents of this book, taken along with his other books, are an important body of work. Just be aware of what is missing or out of date for usage today.
 one of the most complete sources of clay and glaze formulas August 24, 1998
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
this book is written for the ceramist who wants as many formulas at his fingertips as possible. some of them are quite out of date(lead,cadmium etc) but most are still quite useful. with this many recipes you will not be unhappy
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