How to Distinguish between Bone China and Porcelain

We are quite certain that pretty plates and vintage cups have the power turn the most ordinary meals into a festive occasion. Depending on where you live porcelain crockery is sometimes called China. The term china is more commonly used in the US, while the term porcelain is more common in Europe and the Commonwealth. The two terms describe the same thing while bone china is a completely different product. This post teaches you how to distinguish between the two for when you are looking to add to your very own collection or looking to hire vintage crockery for a special meal. The term "china" comes from its country of origin, and The origins of the term “porcelain” are the Latin word for seashell which is Porcella. This is in reference to the delicate, yet lustrously smooth texture of the inner side seashells. No wonder Ariel the little mermaid was fascinated with human inventions! Contrary to its delicate appearance, porcelain is actually very resistant to chipping due to the extremely high temperatures of the kilns that bake the clay into the forms we use them in. Porcelain crockery tends to be mass produced at a lower price point making it affordable and easy to own more than one set in different colors.

Bone china has a more dainty appearance than porcelain. This is because crockery made of bone china is less dense and has a smoother glaze. The finer texture is a result of the addition of bone ash to the same mixture of raw material as the porcelain china making process . The addition of bone ash creates a soft, almost translucent shade of milk to crockery. One of the ways of testing the authenticity of bone china is holding it to the light and seeing if your hand is visible through it. The addition of bone softens the mixture by making it less brittle and more likely to survive little thuds and bumps. This alone makes it worth the higher price point!