Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 8.djvu/314

 porcelain. On the other hand, among the various varieties of Kaolin found in Europe, there is not one which contains such a high percentage of silica as the second of the Owari specimens. With regard to the composition of the Ishiko, two specimens out of thirteen analysed gave the following results:—

If this Ishiko be considered with regard to the quantities of felspar, quartz, and clay substance which it contains, great variations are observed, as will be seen from the following table:—

These differences are striking. It is plain that the Owari potter, using such a variable material, can never be sure of his results. This, indeed, is at present the great obstacle to the large development of which his trade is certainly capable. However uniform may be the temperature of the ovens, the condition of the baked ware can never be predicted. Warped plates, distorted bowls, and decrepit vases are just as likely to emerge from the furnace as perfect specimens. Ornamental tiles might be a profitable product of the Seto industry. In such a line Owari could defy competition; for where else is art labour available on terms so easy that the decoration of every tile might be an independent conception? But the Owari tiles are practically valueless. They are too crooked to be used in any symmetrical structure, and to employ only