Porcelain Oriental

Porcelain Oriental

Porcelain-From Pots to Potties

Once I started selling porcelain figurines, it became painfully obvious that I needed to learn a lot more about them than I knew at that time. It was quite a revelation to find that porcelain's roots go back tens of thousands of years. Not real porcelain; the roots of porcelain. At first it was just clay.Then clay cooked under an extremely hot fire. Then glaze was added. Millenia would pass as these developments were refined.

The addition of two elements was required before the ceramics were to become porcelain. the white clay used for the finest ceramics had to be combined with feldspar and then be subjected to even higher heat than before. Heat between 1250 degrees Celsius and 1450 degrees Celsius was required to turn ordinary ceramic into a magnificent piece of porcelain.

While it was discovered in the 6th century AD during the Tang dynasty, it was not until the 9th century during the Song dynasty that porcelain achieved the status of decorating royal habitats.
Like anything that has been coveted by the rich and powerful, porcelain spread to Korea, Japan, and eventually to Europe.

Porcelain reached its peak during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing(1644-1912) dynasties. While fine porcelain has been made in other countries, none has been able to equal the efforts of the Chinese. European porcelain or "china" made its debut in Meissen, Germany and the story behind that is worth a read of its own.

English porcelain was individualized by the addition of "bone ash" and came to be known as "bone china". This kind of porcelain is sometimes referred to as "soft-paste" porcelain.

Outside of the Orient, Italy seems to garner the most respect for their porcelain. The Capodimonte product demands attention anywhere porcelain is discussed, though there are others that are arguably equal. While there is a huge market for porcelain, the really fine pieces are in museums for everyone to enjoy. While such pieces demand prices in the many millions if at all, there are fine pieces readily available in the thousands or even the hundreds. Of course I'm speaking of the works of art by names such as Santini and Sabadin, not your dinnerware.

Unless one is educated in such matters, it is best not to speculate on the worth of porcelains. With modern technology most things can be copied to a degree of faithfulness indiscernible to even an experienced eye. If you should opt for a porcelain piece of artwork, be certain to get a certificate of authenticity from a well-known manufacturer.

One salient piece of porcelain not mentioned so far in this article is the toilet. I was not able to discover whether that vital utility was actually made from porcelain.

About the Author

I am James Mizzell, owner of 3 websites;
www.ghilliesandstuff.com
www.uniquegiftsandfigurines.com
www.melanesianskincare.com
I am retired, living in Florida and working on another site.

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