This is a comprehensive study of American art/studio pottery, dinnerware, and other functional wares (including china painting and ceramic decoration and design) produced without a primary profit-making motivation. Researched over a period of six years, it documents ceramics activity from the first recreational china painting enthusiasts, through varying stages of formal ceramic instruction, to the shift from ceramics as craft to art. This invaluable resource details works from non-commercial programs, including the Saturday Evening Girls, the Works Progress Administration, and many others.

About the Author:  A longtime collector of American decorative ceramics, Ken Forster is a respected dealer in American art pottery and other applied art. He lives in the Washington, DC, area.