Types of porcelain used for making interior items. Hard porcelain

Many people have a cup or figurine made of bone china at home, but few know what it is or where to buy it. This type of material is distinguished by thin-walledness, translucency and sophistication. It was designed by English ceramicist Josiah Spode. Dishes made from this material are often labeled Bone chine or Fine bone china. According to its characteristics, it occupies an average value between soft and hard material.

What is bone china

This type of porcelain refers to a special type of hard material with the addition of burnt bone. It is very durable, but at the same time white and transparent. High strength properties are achieved by melting the main ingredients during the firing process. It was created in an attempt to recreate the formula for making famous Chinese porcelain. At the end of the 18th century, bone ash began to be added to the material, and as technology developed, a basic formula was developed.

The dishes made from this material do not have the eggshell effect, which is achieved due to the fact that the voids between the particles of white clay are filled with bone ash. Thus, bone china is one of the most popular materials, which, thanks to its whiteness and transparency, has won a leading position in sales on the world market. Sets made from it can have a pleasant creamy tint.

Compound

Before ordering Chinese bone china, pay attention to the composition. Basic formula for the manufacture of this type of material, it requires 25% kaolin (special white clay) and feldspar with an admixture of quartz, 50% burnt animal bones. The first firing is carried out at a temperature of 1200-1300 °C, and the second - 1050-1100 °C. The composition of bone ash includes about 85% calcium phosphate.

Bones that are used as part of the porcelain mass must undergo special treatment, as a result of which they begin to burn out - this is necessary to remove the glue from them and heat them to a temperature of 1000 ° C. Organic matter in this case they burn, and the structure of the bones changes to the required state. From the resulting mass, using gypsum molds, objects are obtained, onto the surface of which, after firing, various designs are applied.

If necessary, the product is covered with a layer of glaze and sent back to the oven. Flowers and artistic patterns and lines are applied to the product using decal - a thin film. Painting is also used. In general, the thickness of the finished plates, cups and other kitchen utensils is less than that of a conventional porcelain base. Modern technologies provide for the replacement of biological calcium phosphate with mineral one. The quality of the dishes does not change.

Advantages

If you need bone china, it is better to buy it in a specialized online store. Some deliver by mail. Branded items have a number of advantages, due to which they gain popularity among consumers. The material has a softer color and a special whiteness, which similar materials do not have. Quality is achieved by adding ground and processed bones to the composition. Many people prefer this type of porcelain for its:

• smoothness;
• airiness;
• translucency;
• sophistication.

What is the difference between bone china and ordinary china?

This type of porcelain differs from its analogues in that a unique component is added to the composition - ground and processed animal bones. Due to the ingredient, the finished product becomes softer and its walls thinner. In the light, the material begins to shine through a little, which gives the sets an airiness and originality, an aristocratic look. Despite all its elegance, thin porcelain has good mechanical strength, making it durable.

How to store

On sale in Moscow and St. Petersburg you can find a wide range of bone-type porcelain products - tea sets, table sets, decorative vases with different decors, figurines, figurines and more. All of them have an attractive and original appearance, different shades and can last for many years due to unique properties mixtures. Before ordering products, please read these care tips:

• do not place items one on top of another - plates, cups, saucers, but if such a need arises, be sure to arrange each of them with napkins;
• arrange kitchen utensils so that they do not touch each other - there should be a distance between them;
• Do not wash items made of thin-walled porcelain with hard sponges or hot water;
• It is better not to use chemical detergents for washing, otherwise they may spoil the design or cause the colors of the cutlery to fade;
• products do not tolerate sudden temperature changes, so before brewing a cup of tea or coffee, preheat them - first warm water, then a little hotter, etc.;
• When cleaning kitchen furniture, move objects made of bone material using paper napkins to prevent chipping;
• wipe the porcelain with a dry cloth, removing dust from cups, saucers, etc. as carefully as possible;
• Do not store sets near open flames - they may become deformed as a result of heating.

Major producers of bone china

The leaders among all manufacturers of products made from such porcelain are the British, who were the first to master the technique of making material with the addition of bone ash. Japanese manufacturers also have excellent skills and considerable experience in the field of creating thin-walled porcelain: they changed the established proportion of the bone component in the composition of the porcelain mass. The Japanese have developed a special formula, thanks to which the familiar technology has noticeably improved. Well-known manufacturers:

• Imperial Porcelain Factory (IPZ). It was founded in 1744 by Empress Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great. At that time, the plant became the first porcelain enterprise in Russia and the third in all of Europe. In the first years, small things were produced there - mostly snuff boxes for the Empress. Over time, a large forge was built and the plant began to produce larger items. The manufactory was reorganized with the accession of Catherine II. The end of the 18th century was the heyday of Russian porcelain, and IFZ became one of the leading factories in Europe. As for porcelain containing bone ash, a suitable mass was first developed in Soviet time- in 1968. The first batch of this type was produced by IFZ. Now the company is the only one in Russia that produces bone porcelain mass and objects made from it.
• Royal Doulton. A company from England that has been specializing in the production of bone material for a long time and has the status of one of its largest manufacturers and suppliers. Together with the British factory Wedgwood, it is part of the alliance. Founded in 1815, the headquarters is located in Stoke-on-Trent (UK). Royal Doulton produces porcelain items of various shapes, sizes and purposes. The collections of this company are extremely popular in many countries.
• Wedgwood. Another well-known company producing bone china products. It has been supplying it to the English royal court for over 200 years. The founding of the Wedgwood brand dates back to 1759, when Yeshua Wedgwood rented a manufactory in Burslem. In addition to classic tableware, the company produces avant-garde lines, which include products of non-traditional shapes and objects of art.
• Spode. UK bone china brand with 200 years of experience. The company offers mugs, plates, sets, made to the highest quality standards. The manufactory has existed since 1770. Josiah Spode (the founder) at one time perfected the bone china formula and became the first to supply tableware for the English royal court of the 18th century. In 2009, Spode merged with Portmeirion Grou – well-known company for the production of luxury porcelain.
• Narumi. A Japanese company that was founded in 1911. Its products combine modernity and tradition, West and East, unique beauty and versatility. Since 1965, Narumi began to engage in mass production of porcelain. Narumi bone china products are mostly handcrafted. The brand has become a leader in the field of luxury porcelain Bone China.

Choice

Buying an elegant porcelain product with underglaze painting requires a competent and serious approach, especially if you are going to choose an expensive souvenir self made. In addition, it is important to distinguish a fake. A real quality creation has a pure translucent white color and shine with good strength properties. Some companies try to combine innovative solutions with traditional recipes and design. Criterias of choice:

• Material color. He must have warm light shade and not be too white.
• Transparency. If the product is of high quality, then its walls will transmit light well. Holding the item in your hands, you will clearly see the outline of your fingers through it.
• Examine the design applied to the porcelain object. It is often applied manually, so you can see characteristic strokes and brush marks.
• Please note the manufacturer. It is advisable that the back of the porcelain creation bear the markings of one of the well-known brands. If the manufacturer is unfamiliar to you, then postpone the purchase, first study all the information about it.
• It is important to make sure that the object is smooth, that there are no holes, inclusions, bubbles, scratches, or chips on the surface and along the edges.

Where can I buy

You can purchase products made from bone china with a cool white tint at retail outlets that specialize in selling luxury tableware. Look for large stores that often run promotions that reduce the cost of goods. Visit retail outlets yourself: you will have a chance to take a good look at the items and ensure authenticity. You can order the following product from a trusted seller online. It will be good if you can agree that you will make the main payment after you have checked the goods.

Porcelain(Turkish farfur, fagfur, from Persian fegfur) - a type of ceramic that is impenetrable to water and gas. It is translucent in a thin layer. When lightly struck with a wooden stick, it produces a characteristic high clear sound. Depending on the shape and thickness of the product, the tone may be different.

Porcelain is usually produced by high-temperature firing of a fine mixture of kaolin, quartz, feldspar and plastic clay (this porcelain is called feldspar).

Porcelain is distinguished by the composition of the mass (hard, soft, bone) and by the nature of the paintings (underglaze, overglaze). Expensive collectible varieties of porcelain are named after the place of production or the surname of the factory owners or inventors

Types of porcelain

Having touched on the topic of the variety of porcelain products, it is impossible not to talk about the different types of the material itself. Depending on the composition of the porcelain mass, soft or hard porcelain is obtained. Soft porcelain differs from hard porcelain not in hardness, but in the fact that when firing soft porcelain, more liquid phase is formed than when firing hard porcelain, and therefore there is a higher risk of deformation of the workpiece during firing.
There is also an intermediate type of porcelain called bone, like a type of soft porcelain.
Hard porcelain It is distinguished by its strength, excellent resistance to high temperatures and acids. World-famous transparency combined with a bell-like sound is a property of hard porcelain. This type of porcelain was called "Meissen" (after the name of a small town in Saxony, in eastern Germany, where almost three hundred years ago the chemist Johann Böttger invented the new kind porcelain). Soft porcelain, developed in Florence two centuries earlier than hard porcelain, is called Medici porcelain. But today you can increasingly hear the term “fritted porcelain”, which refers to the manufacturing method. Soft porcelain, which is used mainly for artistic products, is more transparent than hard porcelain, but its heat resistance is much lower. A compromise between soft and hard porcelain is bone china. The composition of bone china was discovered in England, and its production began there about 250 years ago. In its properties, bone china occupies an intermediate position between hard and soft porcelain. Bone is not as white as hard porcelain, and is more durable and harder than soft porcelain.

Story

Porcelain was first produced in 620 in China. The method of its manufacture was kept secret for a long time, and only in 1708 did the Saxon experimenters Tschirnhaus and Böttger manage to obtain European porcelain.

Attempts to declassify Oriental porcelain continued for almost two centuries in Italy, France and England. However, the result was materials that vaguely resembled porcelain and were closer to glass.

Johann Friedrich Böttger (1682-1719) began to conduct experiments in the creation of porcelain, which in 1707/1708 led to the creation of "rothes Porcelain" (red porcelain) - fine ceramics, jasper porcelain.

However, real porcelain had yet to be created. Chemistry, as a science in its modern understanding, did not yet exist. Neither in China or Japan, nor in Europe, raw materials for the production of ceramics could yet be determined in terms of chemical composition. The same applied to the technology used. The process of porcelain production is carefully documented in the travel accounts of missionaries and merchants, but the processes used could not be inferred from these reports. For example, the notes of the Jesuit priest François Xavier d'Entrecole (English) Russian, containing the secret of the technology for the production of Chinese porcelain, made by him in 1712, but became known to the general public only in 1735, are known.

The understanding of the basic principle underlying the porcelain production process, namely the need to fire a mixture of different types of soil - those that are easily fused and those that are more difficult to fuse - arose as a result of long systematic experiments based on experience and knowledge of geological, metallurgical and "alchemical-chemical" relationships. It is believed that the experiments to create white porcelain were carried out simultaneously with the experiments to create "rothes Porcelain", since just two years later, in 1709 or 1710, white porcelain was already more or less ready for production.

It should be noted that Chinese porcelain, from a modern point of view, is soft porcelain, since it contains significantly less kaolin than hard European porcelain; it is also fired at a lower temperature and is less durable.

Experts and scientists from various specialties worked together with Böttger to create solid European porcelain. European hard porcelain (pate dure) was a completely new product in the field of ceramics.

At the end of December 1707, a successful experimental firing of white porcelain was carried out. The first laboratory notes on usable porcelain mixtures date back to January 15, 1708. On April 24, 1708, an order was given to create a porcelain manufactory in Dresden. The first examples of porcelain fired in July 1708 were unglazed. By March 1709, Böttger had solved this problem, but he did not present glazed porcelain samples to the king until 1710.

In 1710, at the Easter fair in Leipzig, salable "jasper porcelain" tableware was presented, as well as examples of glazed and unglazed white porcelain.

In Russia, the secret of producing hard porcelain was rediscovered by Lomonosov's associate D.I. Vinogradov in the late 1740s. The manufactory in St. Petersburg, where he worked, eventually turned into the Imperial Porcelain Factory, better known in the USSR under the abbreviation LFZ.

Chinese porcelain

Porcelain was invented in China in the 4th-6th centuries. This discovery was facilitated by rich deposits of kaolin (Chinese clay). The surviving products are elongated vessels with a smooth polished surface, often with molded decoration, in light colors. In the Tang (7-10 centuries) and Song (10-13 centuries) eras, blue and pale green vases with relief ornaments, which in Europe were called “celadon” (the main place of Longquan production), were exported to Asian and European countries. These vases and jugs had shapes reminiscent of ancient vessels, often with dragon-shaped handles and animal-shaped necks. Then came milky-white “bei-ding” vessels from Dingzhou with an extruded design, blue “zhu-yao” products, and “jin-yao” vessels decorated with glaze from Henan province. Starting from the 14th century during the Ming era (14-17 centuries), Jingdezhen became the leading center for porcelain production, where the production of products decorated with lead glazes of three colors (sancai) or underglaze cobalt blue painting, which was often combined with overglaze painting (doucai), was established. . During the Ming era, porcelain figurines became popular.

Based on the predominance of colors in painting, Chinese porcelain in Europe began to be divided into families: pink, green, yellow, black. What attracted me to these products was the refinement of their shapes and the cleanliness of their surfaces. Products made from the so-called flaming porcelain with flambé glaze captivated people with the colorfulness of their surface. In connection with the export of porcelain to the West, the subject matter of painting began to expand: subjects drawn from European engravings and custom-made heraldic figures appeared on the products.

In the 18th century, the shapes of products lose their exquisite simplicity and become more elaborate. The surface often imitates varnish, expensive bronze, gold, and other materials. Subsequently, Chinese porcelain experienced decline and stagnation of artistic forms.

Porcelain from Korea and Japan

Porcelain has been known in Korea since the 10th century. Pure whites dominate, as well as those with underglaze cobalt painting. The discovery of kaolin deposits in Japan at the beginning of the 17th century led to the establishment of the first Japanese porcelain manufactory in Arita, which began to produce blue and white porcelain, decorated celadon, as well as products with black and brown glazes. Particularly famous were products in the Imari style (from the name of the port through which Japanese porcelain was exported to Europe) with the finest polychrome underglaze enamel painting. white background and in the Kakiemon style (named after the creator of a new type of decor) with original overglaze painting in the form of flowers, birds, and butterflies. Western European products in the kakiemon style, created according to Japanese models and were in great demand, are widely known.

Porcelain in Germany

IN Western Europe In Florence, under the patronage of the Medici, soft porcelain with a light shard covered with lead glaze was discovered. Outwardly, it looked like Venetian milk glass and was painted with cobalt. A true revolution in the history of Western European porcelain production was the invention of hard porcelain in 1709 by the German alchemist I. Bettger together with the physicist E. Tschirnhaus. Soon a porcelain manufactory was founded in Saxony, which for fifty years had no equal (see Meissen porcelain). Meissen porcelain owes much of its fame to the remarkable artist Johann Heroldt, who created skillful products in the chinoiserie style and invented a decor of seemingly living flowers, called “German flowers,” as well as to the outstanding sculptor Johann Kändler, known for his small sculptures in the Rococo style.

The secret of porcelain did not remain within the walls of Meissen for long. All over Europe they are working on declassification. The center of porcelain production is shifting to Vienna and Venice, where porcelain factories are created, each with its own style. In the second half of the 18th century, new ceramic factories appeared in Germany in Nymphenburg, where the famous Rococo master Franz Bustelli worked, in Hoechst, also famous for the works in the Rococo style of Johann Melchior, in Berlin, in Ludwigsburg and other cities.

Porcelain in France

In the first half of the 18th century, manufactories operated in France in Rouen, Saint-Cloud, Mennesy, Chantilly, and Vincennes, producing elite items from soft porcelain. Vincennes porcelain was distinguished by its high skill in casting porcelain flowers in the Rococo style. True hard porcelain appeared in France only in the last third of the 18th century. The true trendsetter since the 1750s was French Sèvres porcelain, which was produced at the manufactory in Sèvres from 1756.

The manufactory was under the patronage of Louis XV and his favorites, Madame DuBarry and Madame Pompadour. One of the classic colors of Sevres porcelain is called "Pompadour roses". Talented artists and sculptors (Francois Boucher, Claude Duplessis) were attracted to work in Sevres. Special place were occupied by biscuit sculptures.

English porcelain

English porcelain of the 18th century also received worldwide recognition. In terms of the number of ceramic factories, England at that time consistently ranked first in Europe. Unlike continental European factories, which were under the financial patronage of august families or other noble persons, English enterprises acted on on a commercial basis and when determining their production program, they took into account market conditions. Real porcelain was created in England quite later; products improved by J. Wedgwood were widespread.

Founded in 1745, the Chelsea factory produced English versions of products in the Oriental and Rococo styles. Chelsea porcelain is characterized by original tureens in the shape of animals or vegetables, plates with floral patterns, elegant perfume bottles, snuff boxes, pin boxes, and bonbonnieres. In 1769 Chelsea was sold and merged with the Derby factory. The Bow factory, opened in 1744, was one of the largest English ceramics factories of the time. It is also known as "New Canton" due to the production of blue and white porcelain with the addition of bone ash in the Chinoiserie style. In Bow, the technique of imprinting from a printing plate onto a porcelain surface was first mastered.

The Worcester ceramics factory, founded in 1791, was the first to produce tea and coffee sets with the addition of soapstone. Mass production in the style of Meissen, Sevres and Oriental porcelain was established here. Among other English factories founded in the 18th century, it is necessary to highlight the factories in Derby (1750-1848), specializing in the production of both figurines and fine tableware, in Coalport, which is characterized by products decorated with inlaid flowers, in New Hall ( Staffordshire), which produced exotic tableware in an oriental style, pink pallets with wildflower decorations.

At the beginning of the 19th century, at a company in Stoke-on-Trent (opened in 1776), J. Spode invented bone china, from which they began to produce products in the English Empire style. Spode's closest competitor was Minton porcelain (the factory was founded in 1793); Victorian-style art ceramics are also known. In the 19th century, porcelain production became increasingly oriented towards the mass consumer, the artistic side receded into the background, but already from the end of the 19th century, the art ceramics of Doulton, Spode in England, as well as Rookwood and Wright in the USA began to develop intensively. Modern products dating back to the 20th century bear a strong imprint of functionalism.

Danish porcelain

At the end of the 18th century, the later famous royal ceramic factory was founded in Copenhagen, where the subsequently widespread “Danish” technique of underglaze painting, which had the property of not being erased by time, began to be used. The Copenhagen factory created the famous Flora Danica service with extraordinary beauty floral ornament.

Russian porcelain

In 1744, the Porcelain Manufactory was founded in St. Petersburg, where three years later D. I. Vinogradov discovered a method for producing hard porcelain from local materials. Since 1765, the Porcelain Manufactory began to be called the Imperial Porcelain Factory. The company produced simple and elegant vases, sets, snuff boxes and other products. From the day of its foundation, the plant worked on orders from the imperial court.

In 1766, in the village of Verbilki near Dmitrov near Moscow, the private factory of F. Ya. Gardner (now the Verbilok Porcelain factory) was founded, where magnificent “order” services were produced by order of the imperial court, figurines, vases, services that combined empire forms with a genre interpretation of visual motifs. In the village of Gorbunovo, Moscow province, A. G. Popov’s factory produced genre figures that were very popular and distinguished by good taste and light folk humor. The largest entrepreneur was M. S. Kuznetsov, who bought up the Gardner factories, factories in Dulevo near Moscow (founded in 1832), Konakovo and others. Kuznetsov porcelain is distinguished by its impeccable technical performance and exquisite, but eclectic decor. Kuznetsov's factories also produced earthenware.

Contemporary porcelain

Since the end of the 20th century, porcelain production has become increasingly widespread. Mechanical methods are being introduced in all countries. The image is obtained using stamps, stencils, layering, and decalcomania. In general, only at the Copenhagen factory they strive to create aesthetically new forms and paintings that are in tune with the quest of modernity. Many businesses in different countries They produce products based on old developments.

In Russia, after the revolution, propaganda porcelain was created at the former Imperial Porcelain Factory, the aesthetics of which are close to the aesthetics of the Russian avant-garde. At the same time, later the products of Russian enterprises become significantly worse: they often borrow easel forms, and there is no correspondence between paintings and forms. Many products are too flashy, overloaded with gilding, and the shard has become significantly worse. At the same time, at a number of Soviet enterprises, products are painted by hand. Elegant small plastic continues to be produced at the porcelain factory named after. Lomonosov, old Kuznetsov models are produced here, and they continue painting with cobalt.

By the way

Some manufacturers mark their porcelain products on the bottom with the designation "CHINA. Made in -–". Buyers are often confused by this phrase. But connoisseurs know the answer for sure: “CHINA” is the international designation for high-quality bone china. It came from a distorted title of the Chinese emperor, who in ancient times had a monopoly on the production of table porcelain. Sometimes the mark of porcelain manufacturing factories bears the words Fine Bone China, which means real bone china. Now bone china is more popular than ever. This is also true for Royal Fine China tableware. With its pure white color, transparency and lightness, but at the same time unsurpassed strength, bone china has firmly taken a leading place on the shelves of true connoisseurs and even collectors of porcelain. It is believed that bone china has no analogues in its quality and strength in the whole world.

According to British quality standards, porcelain is called Bone China if the content of bone components in it exceeds 35%. Bone china is characterized by milky white color, transparency and weightlessness, and has won an excellent reputation and a leading sales position in the global market.

The inscription Fine Bone China means real bone china.

Ceramics

The word "ceramics" comes from the Greek word "keramos", and this group - a group of ceramic products, includes earthenware and porcelain and bone china.

Fine ceramics in turn are divided into:

• porous ceramics (faience, semi-porcelain, majolica)


• dense ceramics (porcelain, bone china)

Porcelain and earthenware differ in their composition. Faience characterized by a large amount of clay (up to 85% by weight), fairly low mechanical strength, high porosity and, as a consequence, high absorption up to 20%. In this regard, all earthenware products must be covered with glazes. As a rule, all colored mugs are earthenware mugs with special glazes. The firing temperature of faience is within 1050 - 1280 degrees Celsius.

Porcelain this is the same ceramics, but it contains much less clay and more other components - kaolins, quartz, feldspars (orthoclases). These components increase the “vitreousness” of porcelain, increase its transparency, eliminate porosity, and give increased mechanical strength to porcelain products. Porcelain firing temperature is 1200-1460 degrees Celsius. As a rule, glaze is always used, but the glaze is translucent, which practically does not differ from the color of the porcelain itself.

Bone china or Bone China invented in England. The amount of calcium phosphate in the bone china mass can reach 25-50% of the total volume. This explains the high cost of products made from Bone China or bone china. Products made from bone china are distinguished by their exceptional whiteness, translucency and, at the same time, high fragility.

What is the difference between ceramics and porcelain

Without focusing on whether the question is asked correctly - what is the difference between ceramics and porcelain or what is the difference between earthenware and ceramics - the interest is on the main thing.
How do porcelain mugs differ in appearance from earthenware mugs? The first and most basic thing is that both earthenware and porcelain belong to the same group, which is called ceramics or ceramic products. In order to distinguish porcelain mugs from earthenware, you can take several mugs and try to determine which mugs are porcelain and which are earthenware

1. Turn the mug over and look at the bottom unglazed edge of the mug. If the lower unglazed edge of the mug (shard) is white, approximately the same as the mug itself, then it is most likely porcelain (photo on the left). In faience, as a rule, the shard is light gray, beige, or significantly different in color from the color of the glaze of the mug itself (photo on the right).

2. Raise the mug and if you feel that it is too heavy and its walls are too thick for its size and volume, then it is most likely a faience mug.

3. Porcelain is usually translucent and thin-walled items may be partially translucent. Faience is completely opaque and always covered with glaze.

4. If the mug is colored, then, as a rule, it is a mug made of earthenware. There are also colored porcelain mugs, but they are, as a rule, very rare, really expensive and distinguished by their thin walls and elegance.

The given examples will allow you to answer the question “what is the difference between earthenware and porcelain” with almost 100% certainty and always distinguish them. And you can avoid the questions “what is the difference between ceramics and porcelain” or “what is the difference between earthenware and ceramics”. Both porcelain and earthenware are types of ceramics that differ in their composition. And all faience mugs, like porcelain mugs, belong to ceramics.

Verbilki

Lomonosov porcelain

Dulevo porcelain

This is a white, durable clay dish characterized by amazing lightness and transparency. You can distinguish porcelain dishes from products made from other types of ceramics by the clear, long ringing sound that they make when struck.

China symbolizes luxury and comfort. A porcelain tea set can turn an ordinary breakfast into a ceremony of beauty and taste. Using elegant porcelain cups and plates, you not only enjoy the true taste of drinks and dishes, but also receive extraordinary aesthetic pleasure. One of the important advantages of porcelain tea sets is their amazing ability to retain the warmth of drinks. Porcelain dishes can decorate your home and improve your mood. Among wealthy people Lately It has become fashionable to purchase porcelain dishes to match the style and interior design of your home.

History of porcelain tableware

Porcelain dishes are a classic. Time simply has no power over her.

Porcelain dishes appeared back in the fourth century in China. And for ten centuries it gave joy only to its founders-producers. This precious gift from the Chinese to the world was seen by the Old World only in the 14th century. But it was immediately received with a bang. Europeans valued amazingly beautiful and airy porcelain dishes as worth their weight in gold. And not only figuratively, but also in the literal sense: porcelain dishes in those days were very expensive pleasure. Not everyone could afford to buy it for their home. Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers for a long time kept the secret of porcelain tableware production. Europeans could not figure out the secret of its manufacture. Only at the beginning of the 18th century was the German alchemist Better able to finally reveal the secret of porcelain production. It turned out that the Chinese obtained it from kaolin (white clay) and feldspar by firing at high temperatures. Thanks to Better's discovery, today we can all enjoy the convenience and beauty of porcelain tableware in our homes.

Types of porcelain

Depending on the composition and processing method, the following types of porcelain tableware are distinguished:

• soft porcelain dishes;
• bone china dishes;
• dishes made of hard porcelain.

Porcelain dishes certainly contain elements such as kaolin, spar and clay.

“Real” (hard porcelain) is often called spar porcelain, based on its main constituent element.

Hard and soft varieties of porcelain differ from each other in the concentration of kaolin. The more of this substance in the composition, the harder the porcelain becomes.

As for hard porcelain, it has amazing strength, amazing heat resistance, and good resistance to acids. Externally, dishes made of hard porcelain are distinguished by their refined transparency, snow-whiteness, giving off a faint blue, and conchoidal fracture.

Soft porcelain contains glassy substances (frits) in large quantities. This porcelain can be described as a fused glass-like substance with a small proportion of clay. Externally, soft porcelain dishes are even more transparent and have a creamy tint. white, straight (grainy in areas not covered with glaze) fracture. Soft porcelain is inferior to the hard variety not only in terms of whiteness and strength, but also in resistance to high temperatures.

Bone china got its strange name due to its unusual composition. In addition to kaolin and feldspar, this porcelain contains lime phosphate from burnt bone. In terms of quality characteristics, bone china is somewhere between soft and hard varieties. Unlike soft porcelain, bone porcelain has greater strength, hardness, and a lower degree of permeability. But these two varieties have the same soft glaze. The color of bone china is whiter than that of soft china, but not as snow-white as that of hard china.

All porcelain dishes three varieties Suitable for use in the kitchen. However, dishes made of hard porcelain are more valued due to their perfect whiteness, amazing strength and heat resistance. It can even be found in high-end restaurants and at dinner parties. outstanding people states. The remaining varieties of porcelain are less popular in high society, but are simply irreplaceable in our everyday life!

Porcelain tableware decor

Today, the most popular dishes are made from natural white porcelain, classic, without any decoration. Pure porcelain tableware - elegant and luxurious - simply demonstrates its high origin and exceptional external properties. The series of white porcelain tableware differ only in design; the quality of the products in all is equally impeccable.

However, many people prefer original porcelain sets with unique decor.

There are two main types of porcelain tableware decoration:

Colorful decor.

This decoration of porcelain dishes is done either under the glaze or above it. As for underglaze painting, it is especially common on Chinese porcelain. This method involves applying a design directly to the shard, after which the product is fired along with the glaze. The oldest overglaze technique is painting porcelain dishes with enamel paints, the disadvantage of which is that their palette is rather limited.

Different types of porcelain have their own characteristics of drawing. On hard porcelain, for example, such paints often stand out plastically on the surface of the glaze, since they cannot be fired at high temperatures and therefore do not combine with the glaze. On soft porcelain, they often melt along with the glaze and merge with it.

Relief decor.
This type of decoration of porcelain tableware is embedded directly into the material of the object itself by engraving, perforation, or through relief-like elevations. Porcelain dishes are either cast in molds together with the relief, or the relief or plastic parts of the decor (flowers, buds, leaves, figurines as handles, etc.) are molded separately and then glued on.

Caring for porcelain dishes

One of the disadvantages of porcelain dishes is that after prolonged use they darken and lose their flawless original appearance. But porcelain dishes can always be restored to their former whiteness by wiping them with baking soda, or salt and vinegar, or a piece of cloth moistened with turpentine or tartaric acid. Stains on porcelain dishes (plates, soup bowls, etc.) can be removed by wiping them with warm water with the addition of a small amount ammonia. To preserve the design on porcelain dishes, it is not recommended to wash them with very hot water. To keep porcelain plates that are rarely used well, you can line them with white paper cut to the size and size of the plates.

Video: making porcelain tableware

Date of publication - 05/05/2008
Update date - 12/10/2010
Reproduction without an active link is prohibited!

Olga 01.04.2014 17:27
A friend bought porcelain saucepans from the Lakidaki store, brand Vabene. Has anyone bought this brand? How high quality is it? What are the differences between using metal pans?

Yana 22.05.2013 10:27
Natalya, bone china of the traditional recipe had a milky white color, but now the shade depends on the manufacturer’s factory.

Natalia 22.05.2013 10:13
So what color is bone china?? As I understand it, it no longer looks blue, but it doesn’t sparkle with white either???:ir:

Anastasia 05.01.2013 12:36
Lyudmila, no: the unpainted bottom of porcelain dishes does not at all indicate a defect. This is a common occurrence. It is said that this unglazed fragment of a cup/saucer reveals the true color of the porcelain.

Lyudmila 30.11.2012 23:33
Very interesting article. I bought some cups and decided to read about porcelain. Enough information, thank you. And if the glaze on the bottom is a little worn off, is it a defect?

Pottery is one of the most ancient crafts on Earth. From its inception to this day, clay products are used every day almost everywhere: in everyday life, technology, construction, transport and many other areas of life. With the development of progress, the range of goods and the materials used to make them have expanded significantly. Porcelain, earthenware, majolica... It’s easy for an ignorant person to get confused. How to distinguish them from each other and what to choose?

What is the difference between ceramics and porcelain and earthenware?

A short excursion into the history of the appearance of these materials and their manufacture will help us answer the question about the difference between faience and porcelain or ceramics.

A little history

If we talk in simple language, then ceramics are fired clay. People learned to make the first ceramic objects in ancient times, long before the advent of our era. Thus, the first products made of baked clay date back to 29-25 millennia BC. With the development of this trend, a variety of materials began to be added to clay. inorganic substances and mineral supplements. But only at the beginning of our era more advanced materials were invented - earthenware and porcelain. They are a type of ceramics and differ from each other in composition, production conditions and characteristics.

Ceramic products are obtained by sifting and mixing clay with mineral additives and inorganic compounds, after which they are fired at very high high temperatures(up to 1500 degrees Celsius). Depending on the amount of additives and firing temperature, fine and coarse ceramics are distinguished. Fine ceramics have a fine-grained or glassy shard, while coarse ceramics have a coarse-grained shard. The first includes porcelain, majolica, earthenware and other types, and the most popular and expensive of them are earthenware and porcelain. Coarse ceramics are materials obtained during the pottery production process.

Earthenware and porcelain have similar production. They are made from the same materials, but taken in different proportions and fired under different conditions. At the first stage, the raw materials are prepared and processed, sifted and filtered. After this, the mass is kept in a cool room and processed again. At subsequent stages, the products are formed, dried, fired in special ovens and decorated using special paints and relief decor.

Faience is a material that contains more impurities than clay, and the firing temperature is 1000–1300 degrees. It is used most often for household purposes (for example, everyone in the house has earthenware). Porcelain contains a higher percentage of clay and is fired 2 times - before applying the glaze and after. In this case, the second firing occurs at a temperature of about 1500 degrees. In addition to household use, it is used for decorative and research purposes (for example, in laboratories).

It is not difficult to distinguish porcelain or earthenware from ceramics. Porcelain and earthenware look delicate, elegant and beautiful, while ceramics seem rougher and less skillful. It is much more difficult to distinguish porcelain from earthenware. Let's name the main differences:

• porcelain, even covered with glaze, shines through in the sun's rays, while earthenware is dense and does not allow light to pass through;
• on the lower part of a porcelain figurine or cup there are necessarily roughnesses due to the fact that the bottom is not covered with glaze, while the surface of earthenware is completely smooth and has no irregularities;
• if you lightly hit a porcelain product, it makes a long, high-pitched sound like a crystal ringing, while earthenware makes a sharp crack, similar to the sound of broken glass or a dull sound;
• earthenware has low thermal conductivity properties, so the handle of a earthenware cup with hot tea will always remain cold, while the porcelain container will heat up;
• Despite the fact that porcelain has no pores, it is much lighter than earthenware.

Products made of porcelain, earthenware and ceramics

Ceramics turned out to be such a practical material that objects from its different types are very extensive. Let's consider their main groups from the field of decorative and applied arts.

Behind porcelain products lies a centuries-old history from the heroic invention of the recipe to the discovery of the finest forms and the purest paints for painting. Thanks to the work of talented craftsmen from all over the world, porcelain tableware was born that is striking in its beauty and diversity. These are luxurious for the royal table, exquisite and mesmerizing with the subtlety of the design, and much more.

The second group of porcelain products is represented by interior items. These are a variety of flowerpots, chandeliers, iconostases, etc. These are figurines and porcelain layers.

They have enjoyed success at all times, because porcelain makers in this direction managed to achieve unprecedented skill. Looking at the figurines, we, together with the authors, experience the cheerfulness of a milkman starting a new day, the joy of frolicking animals, admiring the beauty of porcelain princesses or reflecting on life while seeing genre scenes.

They are picturesque paintings, panels or inserts that never fade or crack. Bright and skillfully made porcelain paintings will immortalize an event or become an expensive gift for an art connoisseur.

The third group is household items. These are inkwells, press folders for papers, cutting knives and others that will not only decorate the room, but also be useful in everyday life.

Earthenware products are also very diverse. This includes numerous earthenware dishes, elegant figurines, and household items. They cost less than porcelain products, but they will also last much less than their porcelain counterparts. Earthenware is more fastidious in care (more on the properties of earthenware below).

Vases, jugs, tea pairs, sugar bowls and other utensils are also made from ceramics. Ceramic products are thicker and rougher and are best suited for making large dishes or household items.

More ceramics, good and different!

There are many more varieties of ceramics. The highest grade faience with the least amount of impurities is opaque. It is whiter than traditional earthenware and more durable. The art of majolica - elegant painting on decorative items and finishing tiles - is widely known throughout the world. For better distribution of paint on the surface, highly porous clay is used, fired at low temperatures, on which opaque enamel is applied. This clay is used as a raw material and has no value in itself.

IN individual species Ceramics can be distinguished into so-called hard and soft porcelain. Hard porcelain contains more kaolin, and sometimes cow bone ash is added to it. Soft porcelain is actually such and is more susceptible to mechanical damage.

In general, in terms of complexity technological process and cost, types of ceramics can be arranged in the following order (from cheap to expensive): majolica - faience - opaque - porcelain.

Earthenware or porcelain - which is better to buy?

When choosing dishes, the question invariably arises: whether to give preference to porcelain or earthenware. The characteristics of these materials will help answer this question.

The advantages of porcelain are:

• has excellent quality, including a flawless glazed surface;
• resistant to temperature changes;
• distinguished by its sophistication, variety of shapes and splendor of decoration;
• Dishwasher resistant;
• resistant to aggressive detergents;
• environmentally friendly;
• has low moisture absorption (less than 0.2%);
• The service life of regularly used products exceeds 50 years.

Faience has the following characteristics:

• It has good quality;
• due to temperature changes, microcracks may appear in it; when coloring substances (coffee, tea) get into them, indelible marks remain;
• the products are varied, elegant and beautiful, but are not distinguished by such whiteness and thin walls as porcelain;
• the coating of earthenware may be damaged by washing in hot water and in the dishwasher;
• has a relatively low moisture absorption level of 9-12% (much more than porcelain, which means a greater risk of cracks and chips);
• the service life of regularly used products is about 20-25 years;
• costs much less than porcelain.

As we can see, porcelain is superior to earthenware in many properties. Porcelain dishes are more durable, practical and elegant, but they are also more expensive. However, the latter does not apply to rare items. Antique earthenware can cost more or equal to antique china. Here, a lot depends on the rarity, age of the item, the fame of its author and other factors.

You can purchase antique porcelain, earthenware or ceramics in our gallery. We have collected for you a collection of the best factories and craftsmen of past centuries. Famous or rare porcelain and many other porcelain companies are presented in our catalogue. To order, go to the page of the product you like and read the terms of sale.

- siblings, but not twins. The elder brother is strong and strong - the younger brother is thin and hard. Faience is rich in body and rough in appearance; porcelain is delicate in appearance and famous for its refined beauty. One of the brothers is dark by nature, but loves to decorate himself colorfully and brightly. The other one shines with light and prefers pastel colors. At the same time, both do not shy away from gold – and fame!

Faience and porcelain – noble ceramics

This is where the similarities end.

Differences between porcelain and earthenware

Unpainted areas of porcelain and earthenware differ not only in light transmission, but also in color. Porcelain is always whiter than earthenware! The difference is determined by the recipe: faience contains more clay, which darkens when sintered. However, there are certain varieties of earthenware, the whiteness of which can compete with the whiteness of porcelain due to additives and.

Earthenware dishes are usually thicker than their porcelain counterparts. Primarily because the strength of earthenware is lower than that of porcelain. The relative fragility of faience is explained by the lesser “baking” of its shard. Numerous pores penetrating the earthenware thickness and constituting up to 12% of the volume of ceramics reduce the resistance of the object to mechanical loads.

Porosity causes the ceramic mass to become wet. To reliably isolate earthenware from moisture, the glaze on the surface of the product is made with a layer thicker than that of porcelain. Thickened glaze smoothes the reliefs - that's why earthenware is simple in shape.

Faience and porcelain in the history of mankind

Ceramics, made from light clay and covered with a layer of glaze, began to be called faience in honor of the city of Faenza (province of Emilia-Romagna, Italy). Faenza manufactories became famous during the Renaissance - however, materials similar to modern faience were produced for a long time and everywhere, starting from Ancient Egypt and Ancient China, and ending with the most remote regions of the spread of civilization.

The invention of porcelain, associated with the discovery and development of deposits, spurred the growth in the quality of earthenware. It is safe to say: modern faience was born in attempts to reveal the secret of the porcelain recipe. This is a cause-and-effect paradox...

Artistic differences between porcelain and earthenware

Are porcelain dishes richer in relief details than earthenware? This means that she does not need a lot of coloring. But the smooth contours of massive earthenware are like a primed canvas for a painter! Painting on faience has long become a separate variety visual arts. True, the golden details of artistic decor - strokes, ornamental stripes and solid edgings - look equally advantageous on porcelain and earthenware.

Earthenware or porcelain: which is better in everyday life?

Porcelain is expensive and therefore suitable for making designer jewelry and formal sets. Earthenware is cheap to produce and therefore is used much more widely than porcelain.

At the same time, porcelain is not afraid of heat and sudden temperature changes. In earthenware, such tests can cause cracking of the glaze with subsequent penetration of moisture into the shard. Strong coffee, poured into a faience cup with microscopic cracks in the glaze, will leave behind indelible marks...

Earthenware is not porcelain

Physical properties:

• porcelain is whiter, earthenware is darker;
• porcelain is louder, earthenware is duller;
• porcelain is translucent, earthenware is opaque;
• porcelain is durable, earthenware is fragile.

• porcelain is dense, earthenware is porous;
• fused into a monolithic mass, sintered grains are observed in the structure of the earthenware;
• porcelain is covered with a thin glaze, earthenware glaze is thicker and not always uniform;
• Porcelain tableware has an unglazed rim on the bottom. Earthenware dishes are most often completely covered with glaze.

• Porcelain figurines are beautiful with elaborate details and amaze with the subtlety of plasticity. Earthenware objects are less intricate in shape;
• The color range of earthenware products is rich in colors thanks to painting on top of the glaze. Artistic porcelain is usually not so flowery;
• porcelain does not age. Over the years, earthenware becomes covered with a network of small cracks (craquelure) - which does not in any way affect the value of antique earthenware.

• mass-produced porcelain is more expensive than mass-produced earthenware;
• porcelain antiques are not necessarily more expensive than rare earthenware.

Instead of a conclusion