Pottery and stove tiles

The discovery of figurative ceramics and fragments of vessels made of fired clay on all continents of this earth has proven that the production of ceramics dates back to 25,000 – 20,000 years BC.

The perception that fat, moist earth (clay) is fertile, air-dried and hardened by fire was a discovery of cultural history.

The art of freely modelling vessels by hand from clay is one of the very first crafts practised by man.

In all parts of the world, the art of pottery developed in its typical and independent culture.

With the invention of the potter’s wheel 5000 years ago, the potter was able to twist a lump of clay with both hands on the rotating disc plate into hollow and flatware of any desired shape.

From the 8th century onwards, a wide variety of ceramic products emerged from the art of pottery making in Europe. In the 14th century, dense stoneware was fired in Kannebäckerland on the Middle Rhine and in England.

In addition to the simple, glazed and engobe-painted earthenware, white-glazed and colourful painted faience, coloured majolica and richly modelled and painted stove tiles were already being produced in the 16th century.

During this period, several potters in Zell am Harmersbach, in the central Black Forest, made everyday and cooking utensils, and later also stove tiles. They find clays and quartz sand in the surrounding area.

In 1795, the master potter Ferdinand Schreiber founded the Zeller Stadthafnerei. Since then, 6 generations and 13 members of the Schreiber family have practised the ceramic craft.

In the 8th century, the most precious ceramic product, porcelain, was created in China. The alchemists Tschirnhaus and Böttger invented the production method of white, European hard porcelain in Dresden and Meissen from 1707-1709.

A further technical development of white-firing creamware by Josiah Wedgwood (1731-1795) is groundbreaking for future ceramic development and machine production.
Subsequently, numerous ceramic manufactories and large factories for the industrial production of porcelain and creamware were established in Europe.
The history of ceramics in Zell began in 1790 with the founding of a modest workshop for the production of faience by Josef Anton Burger, a potter. Burger laid the foundation for a successful creamware and porcelain factory in Zell am Harmersbach, which continues to this day as a creamware manufactory.