Interesting facts about flaming
A long tradition
The flamed is still decorated following a 300-year-old custom to this day.
In the 1990s, a fluid writer pen – called “Piperl” in Gmunden – was used to apply the paint onto countless housewares.
After the “Piperl”, a fluid writer pen made of ceramic was used. The fluid writer pen was also made in the production workshops themselves.
The flaming station has been used for flaming since about 15 years.
How did this technique develop?
Austria stands out with its rich and distinctive ceramics-tradition. There used to be a great number of pottery workshops in the Traunsee region.
The pottery workshops were mentioned already in 1492. Already back then did the potters pipe patterns onto bowls of clay using green paint in horns.
Around 1600, a typical contemporary décor became prevalent, an indifferent pattern which was very popular at the time not only in Gmunden, but also in other pottery regions. An initial hallmark of this décor were colourful points and spots on white lead glaze, which achieved a type of marbled effect. From a bright green used at first, in combination with cyan, rich green and brown, in the second half of the 18th century the striping in green became predominant, which in combination with the white glaze foundation in the firing went on sale under the collective term “green-flamed goods”, and is stocked until today. The usage is representative primarily for utilitarian pottery or domestic pots.
The Gmundner crockery-makers can also be credited with leaving their mark on the region. They were not only in the markets, but also shipped their products along Traun River to Vienna.
The “green-flamed” aka “Gmundner crockery” went on sale already in the 18th century, and can thus look back on a tradition of more than 300 years.
The traditional craftsmanship “the flaming” found a new home and workshop with Franz Schleiß I. In 1843 he acquired the Hafnerhaus am Graben, which had existed since around 1500, and his son Leopold founded the Gmundner pottery factory in 1903 on the current site of Gmundner Keramik, where the flamers still practice their craftsmanship today.
Starting in 1923, wonderful shapes and patterns using the flaming-technique were developed with artist Gudrun Wittke-Baudisch.
Sources:
Gollner, Irmgard, Gmundner Keramik, Töpfertradition einst und jetzt, Linz 1991.
Gollner, Irmgard, Gmundner Keramik, Kunst aus Ton, Feuer & Farbe, Linz 2003.
„Gmundner Keramik. Von der grüngeflammten Hafnerware bis zu den künstlerischen Entwicklungen der Gegenwart“ Ausstellungskatalog (maschin.schriftl.) Kammerhofmuseum-Kammerhofgalerie 17/6 – 31/8/1978.
So what is being flamed?
In Gmunden, more than 900 different articles are currently flamed.
These include:
- Cups, mugs, beakers, plates, table accessories, pitchers, pots, bowls, dishes, platters and other accessories such as vases.
The flamed décor is available in three varieties and various colours:
- Flamed, multicolour flamed or Pure flamed