Jasperware, or jasper ware, is a type of stoneware first developed by Josiah Wedgwood, although some authorities have described it as a type of porcelain[2]. It is noted for its matte finish and is produced in a number of different colours,[3] of which the best known is a pale blue that has become known as 'Wedgwood Blue'[4].
The term "jasper" is not the personal name Jasper in this context, but the name of a mineral; it comes from the Greek ἴασπις iaspis, itself of oriental origin and related to the Hebrew ישפה yashpeh, for an opaque variety of quartz, usually red, yellow or brown.
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Wedgwood jasperware can often be dated by the style of potter's marks, although there are exceptions to the rules:
Wedgwood's main designs are jasperware and black basalt.[5] Many of the Wedgwood designs were based on the art of making cameo glass and on the looks of The Portland Vase.
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