Ceramic - Pottery Dictionary

by Susan Mussi

HANDLES (a) In pottery.

ca: NANSES (a) En ceràmica.

es: ASAS (a) En cerámica.

Handles and how they are attached to a pot, plate, bowl or jug should be thought of as an overall part of the design, a functional and decorative asset. There are three types of handles, Loop, Lug and Knob which is round and usually they are formed separately and then attached.

a) A loop handle is made with a separate piece of clay which is added to the side or lid of an object and always has a big enough space between it and the main body for it to be held by hand while being moved.

b) A lug handle has little or no space between it and the main body. It can be made in two ways, either by making the lug separately and attaching it or by joining the clay to the main body and pulling it. The illustration is seen from above.

c) A knob A knob is a small handle made to put on the top of lids and can also be used on the sides as a handle. There are different types of knobs and these are explained in the lids section.
With a teapot which has a spout or a jug with a lip the handle must be placed at 180º or 90º in relation to them for pouring out the liquid. With a piece that is round it can be attached to any part of the outside wall.

Note: It is very difficult to define these sections as pottery language is different from the language of every day. In everyday language the words lug and loop would never be used, the two words normally used are knob and handle.

The next section; Handles (b) Loops