91Èȱ¬

THIS OBJECT IS PART OF THE PROJECT 'A HISTORY OF CORNWALL IN 100 OBJECTS'.

LEACH POTTERY. Studio pottery had its roots in Cornwall when Bernard Leach moved to St Ives. This distinctive kick wheel, which became the archetypal English potter's wheel, was designed by Dicon Nance (son of Cornish bard Robert Morton Nance). In the 1920s potters' wheels were quite crude in design.

Dicon's innovative design was very successful for the following reasons: its 3 legs prevented the wheel from rocking on an uneven floor; the treadle was suspended from a chain which could be adjusted to match the length of the potter's lower leg so it described the same arc as the foot; the bearing on the crank shaft was made of leather to tolerate this arc; a fly wheel, which had lead inserts to adjust according to the weight of clay being thrown, was mounted within reach of the other foot which could be used to assist with stopping and starting.