800.663.4533 ~ 905.250.8880 ~ ocp@oldchinapatterns.ca

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Bone China The ingredients of bone china are china clay, china stone, silica, alumina, alkalies, lime and bone ash. It is fired at high of 2,300 to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. In the best grades of English bone china, 50% or more of the body consists of refined bone ash prepared from specially selected animal bones which are reduced to a fine powder by heat. The bone is mixed with the finest china clays and highest quality Cornish stone. Specially skilled workers are needed in the manufacture of bone china and the best and most highly skilled in the world are found in the pottery district of England. For more info click here.
Earthenware The basic mixture for earthenware is potash, sand, feldspar and clay. This type of dinnerware is fired at anywhere from 600 to 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit — usually around 900 degrees Fahrenheit. Earthenware (often mistakenly referred to as "china" is not made from a hard paste. It has a softer body and is much cheaper to produce. It can be made almost as thin as bone china, but it lacks translucency. It is not as durable as bone china and chips more easily. However, it is much less expensive, lends itself to colorful decorations and is often interesting and quite beautiful.
Fine China Dinnerware designed as "fine china" usually indicates that feldspar, a glassy and hard crystalline mineral made up mainly of aluminum silicates rather than bone ash has been used as the fluxing (fusing or bonding) agent. Fine china does not have the pure white body seen in bone china. It tends to have a grey-white hue.
Ironstone The trade name for a high grade type of Earthenware. Ironstone is the name given to a higher-fired, durable formula for white-glazed earthenware that was developed in England. Sometimes the term "ironstone" is used indiscriminately to describe white-glazed earthenware of many qualities -- not always the high standard set by the original English ironstone.
Porcelain Today, the term porcelain is used loosely to describe shaped clay fired at extremely high temperatures, much higher than used in conventional china manufacture. When shaped thin enough, porcelain is translucent, as is bone china. As a matter of fact, the recipe for both porcelain and bone china are closely aligned. The term "bone china" however, indicates that calcified animal bone ash (usually 25% to 50% of the total mixture) has been added tot he basic batter of white clay and pulverized stone.
Semi-porcelain A harder, more durable form of earthenware. The principle ingredient is china clay or feldspathic clay baked at a high temperature. Often the term semi-porcelain and high-grade earthenware are interchangeable.
Stoneware A non-porous ceramic made of a special clay that can be fired at temperatures around 2,50 degrees Fahrenheit. A high quality stoneware is made from various mixtures of kaolin, ball clay, feldspar and flint; each manufacturer having his on recipe. Stoneware is fashionable, strong, resistant to chipping, microwave-safe, oven-proof and dishwasher-safe. It goes from freezer to oven (before the oven is hot) and oven to table.
Crazing The term "crazing" means tiny hairline cracks in the glaze, not in the body of the ware. The glaze is put on to enhance the pattern and make the dishes more attractive but it is also there to protect the body of the ware which is porous. when this crackling of the glaze has occurred, then moisture can get under the glaze and discolor the body of the ware. This crazing does not affect the value of many art pottery items but it does affect the value, useability and attractiveness of dinnerware pieces. Earthenwares are particularly prone to crazing but it does occur in china wares as well.
Knife Marks It is natural to find some knife marks or scratches on dinnerware; after all, we are dealing with used dishes. We know that sometimes a plate with some scratches is better than no plate at all. Especially when they have not been made for several years.
We make every attempt to keep the quality of items in stock as high as possible. We will accept some items with some wear, particularly when that pattern or item is difficult to find. However, our prices are adjusted according to demand, degree of wear and intended use of the item. For more details, look into our condition policy.
In a well lit room, try reflecting light off the surface of a plate into your eyes. You can readily see knife marks. Here is an example on a plate rated at about 40%-off due to the scratches.
Items with deep scratches that cut through the glaze into the body of the ware or an abundance of minor cuts or a combination of both may be unsalable.
Dishwasher Wear Dishwasher damage occurs when items have been exposed repeatedly to high temperatures and harsh detergents. The glaze becomes thinner, dull and sometimes opalescent in color. The outline of decals (the clear outside portion of the decal) becomes readily apparent. Once this damage has occurred, it cannot be repaired. For more information about dishwasher usage, see our page on how to care for your dinnerware