RETAIL/WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS

2442 Ludelle Street  Fort Worth, Texas  76105
Toll Free: 1-866-535-2651  Fax: 1-817-536-7120

Site Index

Contact

Directions - Hours

CERAMICS HISTORY

            “Ceramics are all around us. It is one of the most ancient industries on the planet. We often take for granted the major role ceramics has played in the progress of mankind. Once humans discovered that clay could be dug up and formed into objects by first mixing with water and then firing, the industry was born. As early as 24,000 BC, animal and human figurines were made from clay and other materials, and then fired in kilns partially dug into the ground. 10,000 years later, as settled communities were established, tiles were manufactured in Mesopotamia and India. The first use of functional pottery vessels for storing water and food is thought to be around 9,000 or 10,000 BC. Clay bricks also began to be made around the same time. Glass was believed discovered in Egypt around 8,000 BC, when overheating of kilns produced a colored glaze on the pottery. Experts estimate that it was not until 1,500 BC that glass was produced independently of ceramics and fashioned into separate items.”¹
        Hobby ceramics, as we have come to know it today, exploded into the conscience of the public during the Great Depression. Erma Duncan, founder of Duncan Enterprises and Francis Darby, founder of Paragon Industries, began making glazes and kilns, respectively, for the home artist to enjoy making ceramics at home. The hierarchy of the ceramic manufacturer, distributor, traditional dealer and customer was formed.
         The manufacturer made the molds, color, brushes, tools and kilns. The manufacturer required a distributor to stock a large inventory of the product and educated the distributor on the product. The distributor then educated and sold the product to the dealer or traditional ceramic shop, school, finished ware producer or potter. The public was required to purchase the product from the distributor. Of course, some distributors and dealers did a better job of selling because they did a better job of educating and servicing the end customer. Manufacturers offered certification programs to distributors and dealers. Those receiving certification were then able to teach ceramics to the general public.
         From the 1920’s and until the introduction of the contemporary ceramic studio in the 1990’s, for the general public, there were only traditional ceramic dealers and potter’s studios. At the traditional ceramic shops, molds were purchased from mold distributors or manufacturers. Owners mixed liquid slip, poured it into the molds, let it set-up, poured it out, and set the greenware out on shelves for sale. Customers purchased glazes, brushes and tools from the shop and either worked on the projects at the shop or took them home to work on them. Then they would bring them back to the shop to be fired. Often times classes were offered for the beginner, intermediate or advanced students.
        In the potter’s studio, one or more master potters worked long and hard on their potter’s wheels to create beautiful and functional works of art, but the experience wasn’t available to customers off the street. Years and years of study and apprenticeship were the only way to go if one wanted to become a master potter. Many potters went on to become finished ware producers as their businesses grew, creating not only functional ceramics, but ceramic fine art.
        From the 20’s and up until the mid 1980’s, the ceramic industry boomed and flourished. But during the mid 80’s, some of the manufacturers that were not keeping up with new products and new education began to suffer loss of sales. When they began selling directly to the public, bypassing the distributors and dealers, the education process suffered, as well, and thus the decline of the business of ceramics began.
        In 1993, the contemporary ceramic studio concept, today popularly known as paint-your-own-pottery (PYOP), emerged to offer the general public paint, brushes, glazing and firing, bisque instead of greenware - all for one price, in an appealing studio setting. This new concept coincided with the huge growth in America involving the home and garden niche markets and “Do-It-Yourself” genres of business. Lowe’s, Michael’s, Martha Stewart, Home Depot, Home and Garden TV (HGTV), Home Shopping Network, Hobby Lobby and Garden Ridge were all part of an exploding craft industry. Today, approximately 1800 studios exist around the world, up from 50 studios in 1995.  Around the year 2000, studios began showing up in Europe and Asia – England, Germany, France, China, Japan, Austria and other countries.
       The Internet, the growth of the DIY and the new paint your own pottery concept put a much needed jolt in the ceramic industry. In 2002, and as recent as late 2006, the magazines, Craft Trends and Craft Reports, stated Wall Street was paying very close attention to the overall craft industry – and with good reason. Super hobby and craft stores like Michaels, Hobby Lobby and Jo Ann’s Fabrics were consistently showing staggering profits. Everyday, not only new craft shows, but also whole craft networks were showing up on television and the ever-growing cable and satellite franchises.
       And here we are at the birth of the 21st century. In 2009, the world economy is unsure and shaky, at best. What does this mean for the ceramic and fired arts industry? When we consider the history of ceramics and especially its popularity in the last century - remember, it exploded during the Great Depression, as did the entertainment industry - we can see ceramics and fired arts will always be with us for so many reasons. Mankind NEEDS ceramics - for functional reasons and for artistic reasons. We have to express ourselves and making something creative that can last a lifetime with our hands is relaxing, stimulating and enduring. So there is no surprise that during these difficult times, while other industries struggle to survive, ceramics is enjoying yet another boom.

Read more - The American Ceramic Society, 1990 and Ceramic Studio of Prague, 2007

More Ceramic History sites to visit:

Most excellent site for an overview of ceramics and history:
http://www.visual-arts-cork.com/ceramics.htm

http://www.depauw.edu/acad/art/faculty/dherroldweb/pages/histp1.html

http://global.kyocera.com/fcworld/first/history.html

Back to American Home Page

E-Mail Us!

American Ceramic Supply Company has been servicing the ceramic industry for over 35 years. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, American Ceramic Supply Company services and supplies ceramic equipment and supplies to traditional ceramic shops, paint your own pottery studios, ceramic potters, art teachers and art educators, ceramic and pottery finished ware producers, ceramic and pottery home based hobbyists. American Ceramic Supply Company provides education, training and consulting services to traditional ceramic shops, paint your own pottery studios, potters, art teachers and art educators, ceramic and pottery finished ware producers and home based hobbyists. American Ceramic Supply also educates and assists the architects, contractors, builders and electricians for our customers as they create their ceramic shops, paint your own pottery studios, ceramic rooms in their new schools and buildings and in their homes.

American Ceramic Supply Company has been selling and servicing ceramic, pottery and glass kiln for over 35 years including Paragon Kilns, Skutt Kilns, Amaco/Excel Kilns, Shimpo Kilns, and Olympic Kilns. American has been selling and servicing potter’s wheels including Creative Industries Pottery Wheels, Shimpo Pottery Wheels, Amaco and Brent Pottery Wheels, Pacifica Pottery Wheels and has added Thomas Stuart Pottery Wheels as Skutt Kilns has taken over this in demand pottery wheel line. American Ceramics also offers pottery equipment and supplies from such major brands as Lehman Pouring Equipment, Northstar Pottery Equipment, Laguna Pottery Equipment and Supplies,  Amaco and Brent Pottery Equipment and Supplies including pugmills, slab rollers, potter’s stools, banding wheels, ware carts, extruders, slip pouring tables and slip pouring mixers and slip pouring reclaimers.

American Ceramics is a master distributor and education center for Mayco Colors and Glazes and Mayco Bisque, Duncan Ceramic Colors, Glazes and Duncan 04 Bisque offering almost 1000 designs in properly fired ceramic bisque or pottery bisque to home based hobbyists, traditional ceramic shops, paint your own pottery studios and art teachers and educators. From functional bisque to kid’s bisque, home decor bisque and seasonal ceramic bisque, American Ceramics stands behind the exceptional quality of the Mayco Bisque and Duncan Bisque lines. Having properly fired, clean and durable ceramic bisque is critical to American Ceramics on-going customer satisfaction.

American Ceramic Supply Company is the parent company of American Glass Supply Company and The Pottery Consultant. American Glass Supply Company offers COE96 sheet glass, glass molds, glass fusing tools, glass fusing jewelry accessories, Dichroic glass, glass fusing classes and is a glass education center. American Glass Supply Co. also offers a vast array of glass kilns including Paragon Glass Kilns, Skutt Glass Kilns, Olympic Glass Kilns, Shimpo Glass Kilns and Amaco Glass Kilns. Glass kilns such as the Paragon Janus Glass Kilns, Paragon Ovation Glass Kilns, Paragon SC Series Glass kilns, Paragon Caldera and Coffin Glass Kilns, Skutt Glass Master Kilns - Skutt Hot Start Pro Kilns and Firebox Glass Kilns and Top Loading and Coffin Glass Kilns.

The Pottery Consultant has helped open almost 400 paint your own pottery studios - whether as a storefront or home-based - all over the world. From business plans, startup budgets, cash flow projections, leases and floor plans, education and training for ceramic equipment and supplies, ceramic bisque, glass fusing, resourcing for fixtures, marketing materials and web sites, marketing and advertising and on-going technical and marketing support, The Pottery Consultant aids paint your own pottery studios in their on-going success as ceramic and pottery businesses. The Pottery Consultant is an innovative trend setter and the number one consultant in the ceramic industry to paint your own pottery studios.

American Ceramic Supply Company continues to sell, service, educate and provide on-going marketing and technical support to the ceramic and pottery industry. Our goals are the best customer service we can possibly offer, generosity of information to our customers so that they can succeed and accomplish their ceramic dreams and desires and doing the right thing by God and Country.

American Ceramic Supply Company, Inc. - est. 1975
parent company of:
American Glass Supply Co.
The Pottery Consultant - The Glass Fusing Consultant
Pampered Pottery
copyright 1996 - 2009 - all rights reserved