MUDLARKING Scotlands Industrial Past! What is Kiln Furniture? Methven Pottery History
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- Опубликовано: 9 фев 2025
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Since we started this channel in June last year, we've been asked about one thing more than any other. So, today, we visit Kirkcaldy's shores to explain these mysterious little pyramids, to tell you what they are, what they were used for, and to shed a little light on their history: Lets talk about kiln furniture.
We’ve come along to Kirkcaldy today to collect kiln furniture. If you have seen our Mudlarkers Guide to Pottery, when we look at Scottish Spongeware and Transferware in some detail, then you may have seen some of the small ceramic pieces we can find here, on account of the area being used as a dump by Methven Pottery until the early 1920's.
Before saying anything else - I want to say sorry, because our schedule has confounded me once again! I promised you that we would find the glass inkwell in this video - we actually filmed material for two videos back to back and, as luck would have it, the glass inkwell appears in the next one, which is due out in two weeks time! Sincerest apologies.
The production levels of the potteries here and elsewhere in Scotland, was once massive, and so too where the kilns that fired the pottery. Firing these massive kilns was an undertaking - each time a kiln was fired, it took a 12 tons of coal. This being the case, it was crucial that the kiln was filled as far as possible to maximise returns on costs.
To get the very most out of a kiln space then, items had to be carefully stacked. In kilns of the type we are speaking about, this meant using a some specialised and some more common types of kiln furniture. Saggers were needed in such large kilns because they could be filled with crockery and then stacked inside the kiln. Inside each sagger, items had to be separated from the others to avoid bonding during firing. Smaller kiln furniture, of the sort still used, serves this purpose; placed between items, ‘spurs’ and ‘stilts’ and various other items made sure clay items did not come into contact with one another.
We often find ‘spurs’ and ‘stilts’ here in Kirkcaldy, though the larger pieces are most often broken. Most common are the small pyramid shaped kiln furniture called ‘spurs’... So, today we are on the lookout for these so that Nicole can make a few unique pieces of jewellery for our ETSY shop!
We hope you enjoy the video
Credits:
Photos
A stack of Saggers, Stoke on Trent, Notfromutrecht
Saggers, Clem Rutter
creativecommon...
Kiln in Pipe Street, Portobelo, Edinburgh, Linkogecko
creativecommon...
Penny Mayes / Bottle kilns at the old pottery / CC BY-SA 2.0
Update:
Todays video was filmed in December 2020, before Scotland moved into its second lockdown.
We have taken time to look very closely at the new regulations so that we can continue to work safely and responsibly. I am happy to say that we can keep doing what we do within the restrictions in place and we can do so without changing how we work.
Our working policies are:
Since March 2020, we have not met with a member of another household or a member of our family. We maintained this even after we were told we could meet up with various others - we chose to lean on the safe side of things at all times.
We never film in a busy location - not least so because we cannot make the restful, calming, or relaxing content we like to make if the area is busy.
When we travel, we always plan out trips so that we can get to our location, film our content, and return home, without ever visiting local amenities.
Our policies are simple and entirely concerned with maintaining social distancing, we will continue to employ them fully while following government guidance related to travel for work.
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Love,love,love...I just sold my kiln...but what a great idea..thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much! We really love the kiln furniture! That must have been so much fun owning a kiln! So glad you enjoyed this one! :D
Wow again an awesome mud lark and history lesson too, I used to live in Bovey Tracey what a small world. Once again your jewellery is stunning thank you both for sharing your beautiful video, much love and blessings to you and your family and stay safe and well 🙏🙏🙏🥰🥰🥰🤗🤗🤗👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️❤️
Oh! That is a coincidence! It looks like a lovely place and the House of Marbles looks fun! So glad you enjoyed the video, always lovely to read your comments, thank you so much! :D xo Stay safe and well
I learned lots this week. Such a beautiful beach too. Stay safe.
Oh! That's great! Thank you so much! It is one of our fave places to go! :D Stay safe and well!
What a wonderful collection you have ! I do enjoy the history lessons !
Oh thank you! We can't help but pick a few more to add to the collection when we visit! Very kind, thank you so much! :D xo
Luv the pyramid pendants Nicole! Your talent is remarkable! Craig, you’re history on the subjects is so interesting too I love to hear the history of your finds. In Canada there are huge brick kilns in Medicine Hat Alberta. The clays there were perfect for making bricks. They are being used now as pottery kilns and some you can take a tour in. I travelled there when my sister lived in The Hat and it was remarkable to visit there. Nothing like the pottery pieces you are finding however! Thanks for showing us the Scottish countryside and the lovely beaches you go to. It’s so beautiful to see and listen to the waves rolling in. 😊 luv how you show your jewelry making too in your videos it’s so relaxing and enjoyable to watch. See you next Friday!
Thank you so much, that's lovely and so kind! :D
That sounds like a very cool trip! Interesting that they turned from brick to pottery - brick firing is really interesting - not sure if its on youtube, but there was a documentary on the subject of brick making the old fashioned way - fascinating! I'm sure there is still an old kiln nearby - we might have to get along to that when we can travel more widely again. I'm off to search online for that kiln in Hat! :D
So glad you are enjoying our videos! :D Best wishes, see you next week! :D
@@scottishmudlarking I’ve seen some documentaries on RUclips on old fashioned brick making it was quite a process. and they made thousands. I look forward to kore adventures with you! :-D
Such a calming wonderful video. The scenery and ✨music✨ play so well with each other! Just watching the effortless jewelry making is so relaxing and turns out so beautiful. Thank you Nicole and Craig for another lovely video.
Stay safe. 🦋
So glad you found it relaxing - I think one of our aims is to do what we can to bring a great deal of chill and relaxation to 2021 - I know so many of us could use it. Hope all is very well with you and yours. Stay safe and well! :D xo
I recieved the agates that you sent me.they are so beautiful!really special to have been able to purchase these amazing stones.I love the gift you sent as well.thankyou!happy mudlarking 🌞
Thank you so much for letting us know - its always great to know and it makes us so happy to know you are happy with them! It is our pleasure, thank you! :D
Wonderful work!
Very kind, thank you so much! :D
Do enjoy watching your vids. Nice scenery shots and of course, love watching Nicole do her magic in making jewelry 😍 🙋🏽♀️
That's very kind, thank you so much! Its great to hear we are managing a good balance in the videos! :D Very best! xo
The Pyramid stilts are one of my favourite things to find on Seafield Beach and the burn. We've only got a small collection compared to yours, but I've always intended incorporating some of them into the bags I make from recycled clothing as buttons or toggles
They are so cool! Love them! That's an awesome idea, I think they'd make great buttons/toggles! Good luck! Thanks so much! :D
Hi both of you! Enjoyable viewing. I was very interested in the kiln furniture you were collecting. The thrill of the hunt and unique jewellery you were making Nicole
It’s all so enjoyable, thank you.
So glad you enjoyed the video! The kiln furniture is really quirky and it has such a puzzling look! Thank you so much! :D
I have never seen kiln furniture like this before 😯🤔. Working in those giant kilns must have been hard and hot work 🥵. And all that coal smoke 😵. I worked for a couple of years in-between changing from human medicine to veterinary medicine with a ceramic artist. She was a super talented Bulgarian artist who handmade individual tiles. I learned to use slip for decorations on the tiles, and to hand glaze them, also. We used large square kiln furniture with little "shelves" where we slipped each tile into to be fired. Loading a large kiln for maximum usage takes alot of practice and strength 💪😫. Not to mention being careful not to put to much top glaze on so that the tiles didn't adhere to the shelves😨🙄... oops 😬...lost product 😖.
This was quite an amazing video 👍🏻, and what an extensive collection you have, Nicole 🙌🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻.
😲 Wow that rushing current on the stream (I think you called it something else🤔) looked quite "dicey" , one could be swept along and out to sea if not careful!!!
The first round set of kiln finds remind me of white chocolate "bon bon" candies☺️🤭. And how lucky to find that large piece while out that day 🙌🏻👏🏻👏🏻.
I love seeing all the comments on your "stilts" jewelry, Nicole 🙌🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. It so beautifully crafted and you just make it look so effortless 😊!!!
Well done again my friends 🙌🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. Blessings to you and your precious families and friends. 🙏's for health and safety for all our lovely friends across the pond ✌🏻☺️🤗🤭😘
That's so cool! Its always lovely to be able to share something you haven't seen before! :D Its really great to read your insights on the process and the appreciation of how loading a kiln is no straight forward matter! I imagine each sagger must have been a hefty load... with so many stacked into a kiln, as you say, what a job that must have been!
That sounds like it must have been a very interesting and rewarding thing to have done between medical roles! I think its amazing to do something like that, if even only once, because there is nothing more insightful than doing in practice and getting a feel for how things work.
In Scots language a stream is called a burn, so we most likely called it that. This is called the Tiel Burn - its funny that it was running so fast that day, it changes depending on the way the tides leave the shore here - sometimes its slow and wide, sometimes it twists and turns, sometimes its shallow, sometimes its too deep to walk through... The word Tiel derives from Gaelic word, tuil, meaning torrent! Very appropriate that it was running fast that day! When its strong flowing its best to be careful! :D
The collection is around five years worth of hunting these wee things - love finding them and seeing if we can find one we haven't seen before!
So glad you enjoyed that and great to read about your experience with ceramics!
Thank you so much - hope all is very well with you and yours - stay safe and well! xo :D
Great post! You are such a lovely couple! I really enjoy your videos and the jewelry that Nicole makes.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much! Have a great week! :D
Happy New Year Craig and Nicole very interesting video, love your jewelry, stay safe and healthy. ❤️🇨🇦
Very happy, healthy New Year wishes to your and yours! Thank you so much! Stay safe and well - better days are in front of us, of that I'm sure! :D xo
Once again a wonderful video from you both. Love the history and the beautiful jewellery.
Lovely comment! Thank you so much, so glad you enjoy the videos, we love making them! :D
I love kiln pieces, have collected a lot and thinking of projects to make from them too! ^_^
They are so cool! We know someone who makes wind-chimes from them too! Good luck! Thanks so much! :D
I always enjoy your historic articles. The hunting for articles and jewelry making is interesting too. I always appreciate your show. Stay safe!!
Really great to hear that, thank you so much! Very kind! :D Stay safe, best wishes.
So many pieces of history! As usual, Nicole’s artist flare is a joy to watch.♥️
They are such quirky, interesting wee things! And yes, we love the fact that these wee pieces of kiln furniture were stacked into a kiln over 100years ago! :D Thank you so much, glad you enjoyed the video! :D xo
Such lovely kiln jewelry.
Very kind, thank you so much! :D
Hello Nicole and Craig, great video, loved learning about the kiln furniture (especially the saggers) and as always enjoying those big skies! Take care, Josie and Andy 😍
Hello to you both! :D Than you so much! Glad you enjoyed it - the skys, at least on the good days, is just awesome... It be awesome to find a sagger, we've only seen them in photos - such a pity that, unlike elsewhere, we don't have a museum or anything much to celebrate this stuff! Good luck, and have fun, stay safe and well! Craig & Nicole! :D xo
Hi 👋 that’s the ones I find down the shore in Bo’ness. You can also make a wind chime with them, there not as loud but still lovely. Great video and history x
Cool! They are really quirky things - a wind chime sounds great, nice and delicate sound, and very interesting visually! Glad we helped you find out what these are - my guess is you have an old pottery dump nearby! :D Thanks so much! xo
You’re so lucky to have access to pieces from history!
Thanks so much Tina! We do feel truly blessed 😊
Really interested to learn more about kiln furniture, we've never found any, but we have collected coal of the beach here and burned it in the open fire 🔥 when we had it , lovely long burning to. The jewellery as always beautiful, it's amazing how much something transforms into something more by being used in a different way xx
So glad you found it interesting... We think the kiln furniture is really quirky looking and quite unique - we actually heard, just last week, of another place where it shows up! Well, we will have to wait a wee while to visit that.
It sounds like such a lovely thing to do, collecting coal from the beach and then making a nice fire! Thank you so much! All best! xo
I like the sound that the clay pieces make when they clank together. They would make nice wind chimes. To me its an awesome sound. Thanks for a great educational video. I however do have a question, what is a fife?
Interesting - I just read a comment from someone across the River Forth from us who mentioned making windchimes with them! :D Sounds like a great idea... nice gentle sound! Glad you enjoyed the video, thank you so much!
When we speak about Fife we are speaking about the place where we live - it was once a very important part of Scotland. These days it is a council district area that sits between two of Scotland's main rivers, the Forth and the Tay. :D
Thank you so much!
I used to work in ceramics and as you said there a stilts of many different sizes and shapes each having a specific purpose.
Thank you so much! We are hunting around in the hope that we might find a detailed photograph of the stacking and placement of these in the saggers, but doubt we will find such a thing... A few mentions have been of pyrometric cones, though I am doubtful the conical items we found were that - so much to learn! :D Many thanks!
been waiting for you two another very interesting and informative treasure hunt, you have the knack of combining history, treasure finds without over complicating or fussing around if that makes sense? I love watching you both, such an inspiration and thank you for all you do, there is a lot of hard work involved I can imagine . Keep well and going look forward to your next adventure! Amanda Head.
That's very kind! Thank you so much... Yes, it makes perfect sense, and its very very kind of you to say - we try to balance things and, always feel even a brief historical context really helps the place come alive. The work put in is so very much worth it when we read a comment like yours :D We're doing what we can to keep a new video appearing at 7pm GMT every Friday. Thank you so much! Best wishes, Craig & Nicole xo
Craig, thank you, I always look forward to and enjoy your bits of history and commentaries. Nicole, would it be possible for you to explain the purpose of the modeling clay that you put at the bottom of your container? I haven't attempted to drill anything yet although I do have the tools necessary, all except the clay. You are very inspiring. Thank you.
Hi JoAnn, have you had a look at our ‘how to drill sea glass’ video yet? It’s a good guide to get you started! I use the modelling clay as a buffer, you do tend to drill into it a little bit and it buffers the impact and also keeps the sea glass or pottery secure in one place (more or less!) ❤️
That's very kind, thank you so much! Its a real pleasure to dig around in the archives and shed a wee light on the places we love to visit! The modelling clay - I think Nicole is going to answer that! :D Thank you!
@@scottishmudlarking yes, I have viewed the tips video three times. I hadn't thought about the fact that the clay would keep the items secure. You have exceptional control that allows you to drill to the clay but not through the clay. Again, thank you, I learned from you both every video.
Yet another fascinating and informative video, thank you! I didn't know about beach coal harvesting.
You guys clearly know what you are looking for, but I'm always looking at things you don't seem to touch and saying "What's that?... and What's that?!"
Some of those longer kiln stilts would be used here in Japan as chopstick rests!
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed the video! :D
I guess the coal harvesting came from the fact that there was once such a glut of coal in this area that huge amounts went to waste - when we spoke about Crawford Priory, a few weeks back - one of the reasons Mary Crawford could afford the place was that she had collieries and used the less profitable coal to heat the house. Much later, the waste and byproducts of coal production were used at a much larger scale - an example of that pops up next week! I can't say too much as I am in mid-edit just now.
When we can, we focus on a particular thing, as you say, it means we leave a lot unsaid - let us know if there is anything in particular and we'll see if we can cover it at some point. I'm always surprised at the number of things I don't see until I'm editing! You're so right - they'd make some really quirky chopstick rests! Great idea!
All best! :D
Beautiful necklaces.
That's very kind, thank you so much! :D
Kolejny piękny odcinek ukazujący historię Szkocji,brawo
Josef there is sadly no option to have your comment translated ... but I think you said you enjoyed the history ?
@@scottishmudlarking Another beautiful episode showing Scottish history, bravo,the next comments will be in English(╭☞σ ͜ʖσ)╭☞
That’s very kind of you to say 😃 glad you enjoyed the video !
I like the pyramidal item !! I suggest to name it "Jupiter pendant" to give a wink at Kepler's platonic model of the cosmos where the tetrahedron ( 4-sided-pyramid) corresponds to that planet. Also, remember that tetrahedral "pyrometric cones" play a critical role inside a kiln.
Interesting finds, great video.
Thanks for sharing.
Oh! That's interesting... I'll have to do a wee bit of reading around that! I wonder about the conical pieces being pyrometric cones - they are made of the same material as the furniture and have not been distorted in any obvious way... Its certainly worth considering. Interesting! Thanks!
Very many thanks, glad you enjoyed the video! :D
@@scottishmudlarking :
Hummm...🤔
In my previous coment I meant that "pyrometric cones" are realy not "cones" but elongated tetrahedrons.
Intriguing shape !!
I should improve my english writing.😫
@@abdelhak6470 Oh! my bad - its definitely not your English, that is perfect! :D
Fascinating furniture for kilns - thanks for researching and presenting it so succintly. Nicole you read my mind about showing how to drill so thanks for sharing that technique. Can you recommend a good drill, I've been meaning to get one for years but never had much luck and slightly nervous to jump over the first hurdle.
Hi, very many thanks for asking! If you have not checked it out, we have a more detailed video on drilling glass, shells and pottery - I'll pop a link in here. I use a cordless dremel and a non branded rotary tool, which is just as good and a lot cheaper - so long as it can rotate at 25,000 rpm or more, it will do the job! :D Good luck!
ruclips.net/video/MD2eNYimKiM/видео.html
You cant go look down around here without seeing spurs, pottery & stilts. I too failed to find any info on G & Co & due to archieves been in lockdown I cannot look any further.
Lovely video guys
Wherever there was large scale pottery work, these wee things will be around - glad you find them, they are lovely wee things. Oh! I know, we can look forward to a time when the archives will reopen and we can get digging for information... Hope that won't be too much longer.
Thank you so much! Best wishes, Nicole & Craig xo
Hey I caught you before it started!!! Yay!
Awesome! :D
Hi I found some at the weekend there amazing and this video has clear my mind up to what they are as there’s loads beautiful work 💕
That's awesome Joanne :) We love the pyramids and the kiln furniture too!
@@scottishmudlarking omg thank you so much for replying 🥰 I absolute love you’re videos! Me to x
Nicole a small triangle piece of kilm stilt would look nice in a mens leather necks coucher (please excuse my spelling).I still have my duffel coat old as it is.Getting ready to post.Cheers. 🇦🇺........
A leather choker would be a great surfers necklace!!! Looking forward to your parcel - we will let you know as soon as it arrives 😃
BENDICIONES DE LUZ Y EXITOS NICOLE Y CRAIG...SON ALEGRES ME ENCANTAN ...ABRAZOS DESDE APOSTOLES MISIONES ARGENTINA.
Very many thanks for your kinds words! Best wishes from Scotland, Nicole & Craig xo
I'm with you Craig, definitely looks like Thor's hammer, great history lesson yet again. You guys find so many treasure on your beaches, here in Perth W.A all we find is mile upon mile of pristine sands with the occasional shell and bits of sea glass, oh and lots of seaweed! Take care and stay well, Kind regards Dena.x
Yay! We need a mini-Thor to wield it! :D So glad you enjoyed the video - these kiln stilts are so cool, and mysterious wee things until you know what they are! I visited Fremantle when I was in Perth - some really gorgeous coast there, but I didn't manage to make it to the beach - with luck, we'll get a chance to visit again one day. Very many thanks! Stay safe and well, best wishes from "sunny" Fife! :D xo
Gonna do a giveaway? hint, hint, nudge, nudge!? Would the beach be snow covered now? 1-8-2021? The kiln feet I have used has a metal tip at each corner. I have to use several to make it level. My art teacher always said if the feet get glaze on them you used too much glaze. The charms turned out really pretty, can totally see them as anklets.
Hmm... we will have a giveaway when we reach another milestone 😃 ! Thanks so much Chris, glad you enjoyed the video and the jewellery 😊
Hag stone next to the first kiln stilt 😱😱 grab it quickly ! Oh no you didn’t take it I keep seeing them tonight I guess you don’t collect them 😢
We'll try to remember you next time we see one and scoop it up! You have me wondering why so many showed up in this video... Hmmm! Thank you so much! :D
I am please you are careful staying away from others, stay well. Here in California we are just starting to open up a little
We are very lucky to have the space to enjoy being outdoors - its a real privilege. We know many places that are not at all popular, so, if we arrive somewhere and there are people around, we just travel onto the next place and we know we will find a nice empty shoreline before long! :D
Stay safe and well! Hope all goes well as things open up.
@@scottishmudlarking on our last camping trip to Fort Bragg, last years, there were very few people there. So we were able to enjoy the shores like we never have before.
Miss Nicole I like you skirt
Oh! That's very kind, thank you! :D xo