Pottery Marks Series: Brouwer Pottery Marks

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Theophilus Brouwer was one of the most innovative figures in the late 19th and early 20th century. Brouwer was a noted eccentric who lived and worked in a castle on Long Island, and he is nearly as famous for his castle grounds as he is for his pottery in the modern era. However, among pottery enthusiasts, Brouwer pottery, which is also known as Middle Lane Pottery, is considered a rare collectable that is typically valued between $1,000 and $5,000.

The only way to really be certain that you have a Brouwer piece is to have your pottery professionally appraised, but you can also look for certain markers that can offer you more confidence in labeling a piece as coming from the Middle Lane pottery studios. These markers include Brouwer’s signature firing technique and his unusual impressed marking.

Wild Firing Technique

One of the truest “marks” of a Brouwer Middle Lane pottery piece isn’t a mark at all-it’s the open firing glaze technique that made Theophilus Brouwer famous in the Arts and Crafts pottery world. He pioneered the open firing technique, which directly exposed a glazed piece of pottery to the kiln’s flames. The flames interact with the glaze and create stunning colorations and patterns. This glazing technique is truly Brouwer’s best signature; however, he also marked much of his pottery with unique impressions.

Whale Jaws and the Letter M

The most common Brouwer pottery marking is the name “Brouwer” impressed in cursive above the letter M, which is surrounded by a rudimentary figure. As a part of his eccentric decorating, Theophilus Brouwer erected a whale’s jawbones as an arched entrance to the grounds of his castle home. These jawbones came from the body of a whale that washed ashore on his grounds, and Brouwer was more than happy to put them to use. The figure surrounding the “Middle Lane Pottery” M is purported to be a simplified version of the whale’s jawbones.

Variations

Occasionally, pieces can be found with variations on the standard impressed Brouwer marking. These are typically either Brouwer’s name or the whale jawbones surrounding the letter M. Brouwer’s signature is typically present on pieces produced at his West Hampton workshop, which operated under the name Brouwer Pottery for a time. Pieces produced at his East Hampton workshop were created under the Middle Lane Pottery label, so they are more likely to feature the M and jawbones.

Health Clubs Fitness

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Many people are aware that exercise is an integral part for the human body. It helps keep maintain a healthy body and also a sound mind. Millions of people are spending lots of money for this endeavor alone.

The fitness center industry is booming. As more and more people are becoming aware of the potential benefits of a good workout, many more clients are finding their way into these fitness centers. It is easy to become a member, but how long are you going to be happy with them? Some of these fitness centers require their members to sign a membership contract, which in the end, can be difficult to cancel. Here are a few tips to help you decide.

Be sure of what you want.

Always be mindful of what your goals are for your planned exercise. These goals will determine what you particularly need in a gym. A very good example is that if you are more into sports fitness rather than a typical fitness gym, then your obvious choice would be gyms that have sports facilities, and not just treadmills or aerobics.

Check out the competition.

Just like when you are shopping, it would be better if you check out every fitness center that you can find and compare the services and prices they offer. Most importantly, also compare the equipment and the facilities of each center. By doing so, you will be able to choose the most affordable and best equipped fitness center suited for you.

Check your budget and know what you are paying for.

Having a lot of money does not necessarily mean that you get your money’s worth by becoming a member in a particular fitness gym. It is often wise to consider where you are investing your money and if you are getting your money’s worth. Do not just sign up immediately with the first fitness center you encounter. Always follow your budget. It may be healthy to work out, but it is even healthier to stay out of debt.

Is it clean or not?

Always check the health record of the gym. Make sure they have proper hygiene and safety with their facilities and equipment. You are working out to be healthy in the first place, so make sure the center you are planning to join is also healthy.

Bottom line is that you do not have to look for the perfect fitness center. Chances are that the gym that you like will have some aspects that you dislike. It is your overall outlook that matters. As long as you are happy with the center and it helps you get the job done they why not join, right?

Key Factors To Consider When Choosing Your Restaurant’s Food And Beverage Distributor

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When setting up your own restaurant business, there is more to the whole process than simply choosing the dishes that will go into the menu, the décor and set-up of the establishment, and hiring your staff. To make sure that your business is a success, everything should be at its best, especially the food you will serve.

Choosing the right food and beverage distributor can have a great impact on everything that you serve in your restaurant. As such, it is important that you choose the best provider of this service.

You can make sure you will choose the best food and beverage distributor to work with by considering the important factors below during your selection process:

Prices and payment terms and conditions. A good way to begin your search is to get price lists from all possible distributors. You can also request for a sample contract so that you can compare their proposed terms and conditions in addition to the prices. Once you have these documents, make sure you also have your price list of items you will need regularly and calculate how much each product costs from each supplier individually. According to business experts, never accept the first offer from a distributor. Don’t be afraid to negotiate; ask what else they can offer at the price they gave you. Don’t forget to make a counter-offer as well. Also, if the prices a company gives you are suspiciously low, be wary. You can consider their offer by check the quality of the products they deliver and their delivery schedules as well.

Delivery schedule. Consider how often you need your supplies to be delivered to your restaurant. This schedule will usually depend on the food items you need for your menu. If you want to serve everything fresh, you will have to schedule deliveries every day. You will also need to specify what time you need the distributor to be at your establishment: will it be early morning or during closing time? Before agreeing on a contract, make sure the goods will be delivered at the agreed time and try to set it as one of the conditions for the supplier to strictly follow.

Maintenance of quality. Lastly, you may be getting a good price on the delivery of supplies and the service provider will stick to the schedule; however, will they be able to maintain the good quality of all your ordered goods? The last thing you want to happen is to pay a lot for the best ingredients and see this investment go to waste because the vegetables and fruits wilted or the meat rotted because the delivery truck isn’t equipped with the best cooling system or it malfunctioned along the way. It is important that you have a good idea of the delivery vehicles, equipment, and other pieces of technology the distributor has before signing up with them.