Customer Reviews

Syracuse China

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This book should be called the History of the Syracuse China Co. Anyone looking to ID patterns using this book is going to be disappointed as there are very few of them.

This book was not what I expected, so I agree with the other review it should be called "history of syracuse china". I was looking for patterns, but decided to take the challenge, keep the book, and read on. I did, and there was some surprisingly good information in it. However, it was very confusing because the author and editor must believe the reader knows as much as they do. It should have started with a step-by-step description (with pictures) of pottery making and definitions of all the terms used. Coopers, saggers, glost kilns, etc., were brought into the text with no idea of what they were. Also, people were introduced into the story with no idea of who they were, explanation or introduction. It may have come later, but it really takes the flow out of the reading process.

One gets a little used to the light fare provided by most of the "Collector's Book" type formats - this is definitely a full-course meal on the history of the pottery. If you study Ms Reed's other works and her long-standing tenure as a scholar-in-residence at Syracuse University, you find a better appreciation for the effort and direction put forth in the book. As the other reviewers have mentioned, this is by no means a pattern id book (though I'm told that one is in the works). It's a scholar's look at the history of a notable American pottery, and when taken in that context, it's a worthy work.

This book was very good but I was hoping for a catalog of the patterns of Syracuse China. The information in the book was in depth and the deciphering of the markings very interesting and useful.

This is a wonderful book that is heavy on the history of Syracuse China. Although it does have some info on the different patterns, I was hoping for less history and more pattern information and samples. The book arrived quickly and was safely packaged. Thank you for an excellent transaction.