Criminal receiver getting hold of excellent ceramic wear (7)
I believe the answer is:
faience
'ceramic wear' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'criminal receiver getting hold of excellent' is the wordplay.
'criminal receiver' becomes 'fence' (a fence is a receiver of stolen goods).
'getting hold of' is an insertion indicator.
'excellent' becomes 'ai' (resembles 'A1', old-fashioned term for excellent).
'fence' placed around 'ai' is 'FAIENCE'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for faience that I've seen before include "A glazed earthenware" , "ceramic ware" , "porcelain" .)