Enfilade

From Rizzoli:

Gaye Blake-Roberts and Mariusz Skronski, with a foreword by Alice Rawsthorn, Wedgwood: A Story of Creation and Innovation (New York: Rizzoli, 2017), 304 pages, ISBN: 978 08478 60104, $60.

Founded in 1759, Wedgwood has a deep heritage in pottery making that represents timeless design and enduring style. The eponymous founder, Josiah Wedgwood, was an entrepreneur and visionary who quickly became Britain’s most successful ceramics pioneer, elevating pottery from a cottage craft into a luxury good and an art form. He was the mastermind behind Wedgwood’s most enduring pieces, including Queen’s Ware, Black Basalt, and Jasperware. That tradition of master craftsmanship and innovation continues today as Wedgwood works with celebrated designers such as Vera Wang and Jasper Conran.

With historic photographs, drawings, and watercolors from Wedgwood’s extensive archive, which display the craftsmanship and technical innovation, this book is a visual celebration of English design. It offers a lavish look at some of the most timeless china creations in history with a focus on Wedgwood’s 100 icons, in-depth essays on the brand and its history, and pattern books and sketches from the Wedgwood archives. While paying homage to the pioneering spirit of Wedgwood, this volume documents the achievements of a brand that is a symbol of elegance and timelessness, infusing classic craftsmanship with fresh design, and promises to impress fans of Wedgwood, old and new.

Gaye Blake-Roberts is a design historian and the curator of the Museum at Wedgwood. Alice Rawsthorn, OBE, is a British design critic who writes for the international edition of The New York Times. Mariusz Skronski is the creative and strategic director at Fiskars Living Brands.

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