ALBERT R. VALENTIEN FOR ROOKWOOD, 1882

The Smear glaze line was one of the most versatile created by Rookwood. Though introduced in the firm's early years, the line proved so popular that it can be found on decorated pieces in other lines as well, including the rare French Red glaze from the 1920s. The line, created by 'smearing' a clear glaze around the interior walls of a 'Saggar' (the protective clay box that protects the vessels when fired in the kiln) and then dispersing and settling onto the unglazed areas of the object upon firing results in an extremely thin translucent glaze that is evident only on close inspection.