A Collectors Guide to British Porcelain - Definitions
Shapes & Styles
The picture on the right shows a few of the classical shapes and decorations, with a date when each style was popular. The shapes and decoration changed frequently to suit the fashion of the day. The main limitations were: a) the cost of production and b) the technology available.
For more information and many more examples, see A Collectors Guide to British Porcelain.
Types of Pottery
- Earthenware
- Earthenware is usually made from local clay fired at a low temperature. It has a gritty surface and is often slightly porous.
- Stoneware
- Stoneware is made from refined clay and powdered flint fired at high temperature to vitrify the ceramic body. Different types of glaze are applied to produce a non-porous opaque body that is hard and durable.
- Porcelain
- There are three types of porcelain:
- Hard paste porcelain
- This is made from a mixture of clay, feldspar and flint or glass that has been finely ground, and fired at a high temperature.
- Soft paste porcelain
- The flint or glass which would be used for hard paste porcelain is replaced by bone, and the mixture fired at a lower temperature than hard paste.
- English porcelain or bone china
- This is like soft paste porcelain but contains more bone and is fired at a higher temperature
For more information on all aspects of pottery, see A Collectors Guide to British Porcelain.