Chances are you’ve probably heard the name Josiah Wedgwood, who produced beautiful lines of pottery in England during the mid- to late-18th century. He is most remembered for his pale blue and green urns, plates, cameo jewelry, and other decorative pieces with white gossamer figures applied to them. While these works are known as Jasperware, Wedgwood and his factory also created other types of pottery, such as a series intended for more daily, practical use called caneware.
Whereas Jasperware often portrays classical subjects or themes from antiquity, caneware typically reflects more natural elements, including plants, animals, and produce. Because of these bucolic attributes, it’s believed that the term caneware was derived from early pieces depicting bound bamboo reeds, wheat, and other stalk-like vegetation. Caneware also lacks the colors characteristic of…
