Customer Reviews

If These Pots Could Talk: Collecting 2,000 Years of British Household Pottery

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Being quite familiar with much of Noel Hume's previous output, I was bowled over by both the size and scope of his most recent endeavor. In addition, the quality of the illustrations and reproduction make this book one of the great values in publishing today. His stories of discovery with his late wife Audrey are tender and illuminating, both in terms of the way he has lived his life and in the way he teaches.
Much of the subject matter involves areas of ceramics used in America; ceramics that, while popular, have still remained below the scope of most academic study. The photos by Gavin Ashworth add considerably to the beauty as well as the information transmitted in this essential volume.

The quality of the book is unsurpassed, beautiful photographs of the pottery items. The book even has two built in ribbon bookmarks, something rarely seen these days. Hume's use of the language has always been amazing to me, he writes very well, and always has. His colorful career is reflected in his writing, and the collection of artifacts from GB. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in Colonial American or British archeology, or pottery from the past centuries. "Bravo" to the Chipstone Foundation and Ivor Noel Hume!

This is a comprehensive review of British pottery and ceramics written by eminent retired archeologist of Colonial Williamsburg and writer Ivor Noel-Hume. It reviews British ceramics for a period covering the past 2000 years and is particularly interesting to Americans because most of the ceramics recovered in American colonial sites were of British origin or European origin associated with the British colonial trade and were therefore exported to the colonies. Noel-Hume is an excellent and entertaining writer and he make the book interesting with personal accounts of how he and his wife Audrey,also an eminent archeologist,collected or recovered many of the examples shown. I would recomend this book to anyone interested archeaology or pottery/ceramics.

When I look for a good book on pottery and Porcelain, I always look for something that will not "lull me to sleep" with drole monotone type sentences, but rather something that presents not only important details, facts and descriptions but does so in a interesting manner. With "If these Pots Could Talk" you get everything! From enjoyable "in the field stories" to truly illuminating facts that ever increases ones appreciation of the "pots and dishes" that so many are hasty to overlook once they hear that they hold no "intristic market value".
This book makes the studying of pottery and porcelain not only interesting but also something that is rarely heard of in the "sophisticated collecting field" FUN!

One of the better overviews of everyday household pottery I've come across. The author makes it like taking a lively personable tour of pieces from 2000 years ago to the present. Great ideas for potters and a nice presentation for pottery lovers as well

This is the largest, heaviest book I own. Really! I thought it would take years to get through, but the pages are quite thick, and it's well-written. A fun book for the pottery enthusiast who is already familiar with the basics, it gives numerous insights into the detective work employed in the course of archeological research. Refreshingly personal on the part of the author. Each chapter is an appitizer that stimulates the reader's interest in another facet of (unfortunately) rarely encountered pottery. The charming cover adds to the book's appeal as a coffee-table selection, but make sure the table has sturdy legs!

Noel Hume compiled this wonderful treasury of ceramics mostly from his personal collection. This book is invaluable in my Colonial Archaeology class. Even if you are midly interested in ceramics, this beautifully illustrated book is an easy read, and very informative.

Buying any reference book can be a gamble. Will the book suit my needs as a collector? Will it enhance my knowledge on the subject matter? And for me, will it help to identify objects in my own collection? For myself, this book touched all of the bases, and then some! "If These Pots Could Talk" is a WINNER!

As a relic hunter for the past 39 years, I have personally collected thousands of pottery, and ceramic shards from all over the Charleston S.C. area. I have also pieced together and found some whole pots on my own. And this book has helped me date and identify hundreds of items in my collection. Knowing what you have found and from whence it came is what this book does best. It puts all the puzzle pieces into place and provides the answers that all collectors ask. Such answers as how old, where was it made are what makes this book stand out and shine above all others. Mr. Hume's vast knowledge and expertise in the ceramic field has no competition here. His wisdom shines as do his words, on a part of collecting that a laymen such as myself can now understand. And all because of this beautiful book.

And this book is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! The photography and content are unparalleled by any other book. It has no peer, and certainly no other author could make this books content more interesting and enlightening than Mr.Ivor Noel-Hume. He has no equal.

Buy this book and enjoy. It's place in your library will be filled with a marvelous work of art. Mr. Hume has once again produced a literary masterpiece!