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Porcelain

Porcelain slowly evolved in China and was finally achieved (depending on the definition used) at some point about 2,000 to 1,200 years ago, then slowly spread to other East Asian countries, and finally Europe and the rest of the world. Its manufacturing process is more demanding than that for earthenware and stoneware, the two other main types of pottery, and it has usually been regarded as the most prestigious type of pottery for its delicacy, strength, and its white color. It combines well with both glazes and paint, and can be modeled very well, allowing a huge range of decorative treatments in tablewares, vessels and figurines.

The European name, porcelain in English, comes from the old Italian porcellana (cowrie shell) because of its resemblance to the surface of the shell. It is also referred to as china or fine china in some English-speaking countries, as it was first seen in imports from China. Properties associated with porcelain include low permeability and elasticity; considerable strength, hardness, toughness, whiteness, translucency and resonance; and a high resistance to chemical attack and thermal shock.

Porcelain has been described as being “completely vitrified, hard, impermeable (even before glazing), white or artificially coloured, translucent (except when of considerable thickness), and resonant”. However, the term “porcelain” lacks a universal definition and has “been applied in an unsystematic fashion to substances of diverse kinds which have only certain surface-qualities in common”.

Traditionally, East Asia only classifies pottery into low-fired wares (earthenware) and high-fired wares (often translated as porcelain), the latter also including what Europeans call stoneware, which is high-fired but not generally white or translucent. Terms such as “proto-porcelain”, “porcellaneous” or “near-porcelain” may be used in cases where the ceramic body approaches whiteness and translucency. Reference: Wikipedia

This category has information and price guides to antique and vintage porcelain which have butterflies as part of their design.

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Chinese blue and white porcelain jar
Posted inAntiques Chinese Butterfly Antiques Porcelain Porcelain, Pottery and Glass

Chinese Blue and White Porcelain

The first Chinese blue and white wares were produced as early as the seventh century in Henan province, China during the Tang dynasty, although only shards have been discovered. Tang…
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Posted inAntiques, Chinese Butterfly Antiques, Porcelain, Porcelain, Pottery and Glass
Polychrome Cloisonne Vase
Posted inAntiques Porcelain Porcelain, Pottery and Glass

Polychrome

Polychrome is a word used to describe objects which are painted, printed or decorated in a variety of colors as opposed to monochrome decoration. Below are some examples and price…
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Posted inAntiques, Porcelain, Porcelain, Pottery and Glass
Kakiemon Dish
Posted inAntiques Glossary Japanese Antiques Oriental Antiques Porcelain Porcelain, Pottery and Glass

Kakiemon

Kakiemon is a style of Japanese porcelain, with overglaze decoration called "enameled" ceramics. It was originally produced at the factories around Arita, in Japan's Hizen province. The style was quickly…
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Posted inAntiques, Glossary, Japanese Antiques, Oriental Antiques, Porcelain, Porcelain, Pottery and Glass
A large pair of Chinoiserie gilt and patinated bronze mounted Chinese export porcelain vases, mounted as oil lamps France, late 19th/early 20th century
Posted inChinese Butterfly Antiques Glossary Porcelain Porcelain, Pottery and Glass

Chinese Porcelain

Chinese Porcelain. Porcelain was invented in China over a centuries-long development period beginning with "proto-porcelain" wares dating from the Shang dynasty (1600–1046 BC). By the time of the Eastern Han…
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Posted inChinese Butterfly Antiques, Glossary, Porcelain, Porcelain, Pottery and Glass
Porcelain dish with broad rim painted in underglaze blue, overglaze enamels and gilding in imitation of Imari ware
Posted inAntiques Porcelain Porcelain, Pottery and Glass

Underglaze Porcelain Butterflies

Underglaze porcelain butterflies. Underglaze is a method of decorating pottery in which painted decoration is applied to the surface before it is covered with a transparent ceramic glaze and fired…
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Posted inAntiques, Porcelain, Porcelain, Pottery and Glass
A FAMILLE ROSE COPPER-RED-GROUND 'BUTTERFLY' VASE, MEIPING 18TH-19TH CENTURY
Posted inAntiques Porcelain Porcelain, Pottery and Glass

Copper-red Porcelain Butterflies

Copper-red porcelain butterflies. Copper-red glazes are glazes containing copper which turn red when fired in a reducing atmosphere. The earliest known copper-red glaze occurs on wares made in Shanxi during…
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Posted inAntiques, Porcelain, Porcelain, Pottery and Glass
Pair of Blue and White Porcelain Vases with butterflies
Posted inAntiques Porcelain Porcelain, Pottery and Glass

Porcelain Vases

Porcelain Vases come in many shapes and sizes. Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating clay-type materials to high temperatures. It includes clay in the form of kaolinite. There…
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Posted inAntiques, Porcelain, Porcelain, Pottery and Glass

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