I fired the test batch of the EC Brown #1 and was pleased with the results. The clay was very grainy when I threw it and I was worried that this grain would explode under heat, but it must have been some sort of organic material, perhaps a shelled creature about the quarter size of a piece of sand.
The material burned out and the result is a hard, dunky, light piece. The color went from a dark chocolate brown when wet to a lighter brown when bone dry. The fired color is a light buff.
I will formalize the following tests and come up with or use a standard scale for the following:
Weight: With the burn out of the organic material, this clay resembles soft brick used for kiln building with the ability to quickly "sand" it down.
Hardness: The terracotta I use is the Trinity Terracotta or the Armadillo Red, both high in iron and both very tight and hard when fired. If this were on the "normal" end, the EC Brown #1 is much softer.
Throwability: This clay is difficult to throw and form. More on this after my 20 lbs has dried a bit more.
Sound: When thunked, terracotta makes a high pitched ring. This clay wants to resonate the same, but comes out lower. Other clays will ring higher when fired higher so I will glaze the test pieces and report.
Other notes: I spoke with the Ellis County Texas Archaeological Society past president yesterday. I heard her speak several years ago and part of her display had a picture of a pictograph created when this area was filled with a transient native population. While she has the display packed away, she did say that she had a book with pictures of decorative pots of the area and she would scan them and send them to me. With the new batch of EC Brown #1 I will decorate in the same fashion and use some Terra Sigilatta on some.
Good stuff to follow.
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