Jasperware

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of stoneware known for its smooth, matte finish that is often used to create decorative pottery and figures
2. A distinctive ceramic material that combines fine clay with stone to produce a durable, elegant surface frequently used in ornamental crafts
3. A form of pottery characterized by its unique glazed surface and often adorned with intricate designs, typically made from a special type of stoneware clay

Etymology: Josiah Wedgwood, the English potter, developed the style, and the word is simply a product name that stuck. "Jasperware" is built from "jasper," the name of the semi-translucent, opaque stone, combined with "-ware," the old English term for manufactured goods, especially pottery. The name points to the look Wedgwood was after: a matte, stone-like body that resembled the mineral. Wedgwood's invention was a fine, unglazed stoneware body that could be colored throughout rather than only on the surface. Its most famous variant is the pale blue ground with white relief figures, which lets the designs stand out in a way that recalls the carved gems and cameos of antiquity. Wedgwood's company went on to produce it for decades, so the product name and the maker became inseparable.