Value of Fine Bone China vs Porcelain
While bone china and porcelain can look similar, there are some clear differences between both materials. As the name suggests, fine bone china is made using bone, which produces the most incredible china. Porcelain, on the other hand, is created using high temperatures to create a hard end product. We also have our own Range of Vegan China without animal Bone.
The difference between porcelain and fine bone china
Porcelain is a mixture of kaolin, quartz, and feldspar. The materials will be fired in a kiln at temperatures around 1400-degrees celsius. This creates pottery that is non-porous, white, and hard. In comparison to bone China, porcelain is usually more brittle and it is a lot heavier too, which can cause chipping. You will see that porcelain products tend to be mass-produced and used in many settings. As a consequence, it probably does not come as much of a surprise to learn that porcelain is not valued as highly as fine bone china is.
The quality of the fine bone china is based on the total amount of bone ash that is found within the raw materials that are used to create the piece in question. This is going to determine the true value of your product. The bone china of a premium standard will create a minimum of 30 per cent bone ash, which creates walled and thin pieces that have more translucency and a delicate appearance in comparison to porcelain, enabling more durability and improved chip resistance.
The firing process
The firing process is what is used to create both fine china and porcelain. The temperature being high is what creates a product that is durable and long-lasting. With bone china, the product experiences two firing processes. The first is what causes the product to reduce in size, and approximately 20 per cent of the pieces that are created during this stage will either break or crack, which show that it is such a delicate and expert process. You can figure out the worth fo your fine bone china by looking at the hallmark and doing research to find out the year, origin, and collection.
The second part of the firing process will take place once the piece has been glazed. This is important because it melts the glaze into the piece of fine bone china. The pieces that have not cracked or broken will be decorated with the final patterns. There are different ways that the decoration can take place. A lot of people will either spray or hand paint the pieces.
If you have any further queries about fine bone china, or you’re looking for the perfect china pieces to purchase for your home or business, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us for more information.
