| Knickknacks, tchotchkes or even your fine wedding china may have something in common. They might be made from porcelain. |
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| First produced by the Chinese, porcelain has been a highly valuable commodity internationally since the late 6th century. It has come in the form of figurines, tableware and even jewelry. |
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| What exactly is porcelain? To be technical, it is made from a mixture of kaolin (a type of pure white clay) and petuntse (a type of feldspar). When heated to a high temperature the composition yields a hard glass-like product, porcelain. |
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| There are three main types of porcelain: hard-paste porcelain, soft-paste porcelain and bone china. The basic difference between the types is the materials that the body is made from. |
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| Hard-paste porcelain often is referred to as true or natural porcelain. It is the type that was developed by the Chinese during the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618-907). This type of porcelain is made from the kaolin and petuntse mixture mentioned above and is considered ideal for porcelain makers. |
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| Until the discovery of kaolin deposits in France in the 16th century, the materials needed to produce hard-paste porcelain only were found in China. Porcelain was very expensive and often referred to as "white gold." The European demand was high and an extensive trade between Europe and Asia ensued for years. |
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| The "recipe" for porcelain was a well-kept secret in Asia, but after much trial and error, soft-paste porcelain was created by the Europeans. Though often thought of as inferior imitation to hard-paste porcelain, the soft-paste porcelain industry in Europe flourished. One of the most celebrated soft-paste porcelain manufacturers is the French maker, Sevres. |
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| The easiest way to tell the difference between soft- and hard-paste porcelain is its appearance. Hard-paste is usually pure white in tone and has a very fine and smooth appearance, whereas soft-paste has more of a creamy tone and granular appearance. |
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| Bone china was developed in England in the late 1700s. It is made by adding bone ash to hard-paste ingredients. Bone china is very thin and translucent and often is used for making fine dinnerware. Known bone china makers include Minton, Spode and Rockingham. |
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| It is important to understand the difference in the types of porcelain and their origin before beginning to evaluate your items. The second part of this article, which runs Aug. 11, will explain the different factors that affect the value of the different types of porcelain. |
