That explains why Memaws collection of figurines could be worth an impressive sum.
We’ve all heard of porcelain.
We’ve all used porcelain.
Credit: Getty/bbibbiggonn
Many of us grew up dusting the Lladro porcelain at Grandma’s house.
Porcelain seems ubiquitousbut have you ever wondered what it is exactly?
And why it costs so much?
Porcelain History
Porcelain making is an old art.
What punch in of Ceramic Is Porcelain?
Porcelain is technically a specialized subset of ceramics; both are made of clay and kiln fired.
But porcelain uses different raw materials and glazesand has higher density and is fired at a higher temperature.
This makes the material more durable and water resistant.
Hard-paste porcelain dates back to antiquity in China and gets its durability from firing at a very high temperature.
Soft-paste porcelain was made by Europeans attempting to achieve the durability and translucence of Chinese porcelain.
It often incorporated materials like ground glass or soapstone and was fired at a lower temperature.
Wedgwood is a well-known maker of bone china thatcollectors still cherishtoday.
Porcelain is thinner and lighter than stoneware, and any unglazed surfaces will appear smooth rather than grainy.
You also can identify porcelain by its translucence.
Depending on the glaze, some light will glow through when you hold it up to a light.
Why Is Porcelain So Expensive?
UNESCO Silk Roads Programme.Chinese Porcelain.
La Force T.The European Obsession With Porcelain.The New Yorker.
Published Nov 11, 2015.
Meissen.The Invention Of The First European Porcelain.
The Museum of Russian Art.Porcelain: What Is It?
Wedgwood.A Guide to Bone China.
