Things You Should Know When Collecting Bone China Pottery

Bone China Pottery refers to the kind of porcelain that began to be manufactured in Staffordshire potteries by the end of the eighteenth century. Simply put, it is porcelain with added animal bone ash as stabilizer. Traditionally, the recipe was 3.5 parts kaolin or china clay, four parts china stone (later on replaced by feldspar) and six parts of bone ash. The output was stronger, more translucent, ivory-like porcelain.

Experiments on the mixing of bone ash and porcelain had been undertaken in several potteries before 1750. In 1748, an English potter called Thomas Frye who had his factory near cattle markets and slaughterhouses tried formulating for this kind of china china and called his product "fine porcelain" but he didn't gain commercial success. Later in 1799, another English potter, Josiah Spode, led the development of this new way of making china. He created the most durable porcelain of his time that put him in pottery history. It gained much praise for its quality and became the standard English porcelain from the 1800's.

Real bone china is almost snow white, unlike the greyish hues characteristic of other types of china. Also,when you hold a piece of china in the light, you should be able to somehow see your hand through it. Most china pieces today are bone china; but instead of using real animal bones, the pure form of the essential substance in the bones is used, which is calcium carbonate. Bone china lasts through generations and can be passed on as heirlooms.

There are simple ways to make your china collection last. One is to avoid using harsh detergents, as these can harm the colors of the piece, especially if they have gold edgings. It is recommended that china wares be washed carefully by hand. Another is to avoid placing the pieces directly against each other as they could scratch each other. Placing table cloths or tissues between pieces and never stacking them too high should prevent damages.When holding bone china plates or platters, be sure to handle them carefully by supporting them from underneath.

If you are using wire plate hangers, be sure that they are plastic coated (although wire hangers are not advisable since they can put a strain on your bone china pieces which could lead to a higher risk of chipping). You should also avoid hanging china cups by their handles because they could easily be in harm's way. Bone china pieces should be placed in a safe, stable place that should prevent them from getting moved in any way that could increase the risk of damage like jiggling. Lastly, never put your bone china ware in a microwave. Make no bones about using your pieces though, because they say bone china pottery is really made to be enjoyed. And they also say that nothing beats tea or coffee from a bone china cup.