China and Porcelain
The best china pieces to come from the famous Sevres region of France were made during the second half of the 18th century. It is widely held that the quality of Serves porcelain began to drop just before 1800. Not to suggest that Sevres china from after that are junk; far from it. They are beautiful and valuable collectibles. However as a starting point for what we hope will be a Collectible Antiques Etc.’s Catalog of Porcelain Marks - we offer a few early Sevres marks..........................
In our last installment of our growing catalog of porcelain marks we covered some of the marks of the Sevres China manufacturers of the late 18th century. Today’s list covers the first half of the 19th. This list is far from complete but you have to start somewhere. Be sure to check back as we will be adding more marks soon..........................
It is a simple fact of antique collecting that if you want an item in perfect shape you’re going to pay top dollar for it. Many people just beginning to collect are driven to distraction and sometimes to abandoning their desire to acquire antiques of any kind, ceramics in particular because the only pieces they can afford are chipped, stained or otherwise damaged.........................
To gain real proficiency as a collector of antique porcelain and china, it is necessary to gain a working knowledge of the many famous porcelain factories that have set the standard in china manufacture. To assist the novice in this enterprise today’s article will be a short list of some of the better-known porcelain factories in France.........................
When considering buying a bowl or antique vase one important thing to know is whether the piece is porcelain or pottery. While only experience will enable you to do this quickly and with complete accuracy there are some simple things the novice collector can do to help make sure that they get what they're paying for.........................
Wedgwood was a family name long before it came as close as any surname can to being synonymous with a craft. Josiah Wedgwood was not even the first potter to bare the name. His great-great-grandfather, Gilbert, is described in a surviving document as a master potter. ........................
Once Josiah Wedgwood ended his partnership with Thomas Whieldon and struck out on his own, his career began to truly hit its stride. The shop he rented from his uncles, the Ivy Works, was soon too small to hold his expanding business. ........................
Every visual art medium from wood carving to painting, from textiles to mosaics, will sooner or later be used to glorify the human, usually female, form. Ceramics and porcelain are certainly no exception.......................
The world of 18th century English porcelain was a small one. Due to the necessity of soil with just the right mixture of elements in the making of porcelain factories have always been closely bound by geography......................
One of the great pleasures of owning old china and porcelain is that unlike many antiques, you get to use it in the same manner as the first hands that held it. It is a wonderful sensation to take a moment at a holiday dinner served on old china and contemplate the number of families that have done precisely the same thing.........................