Page 119 - Chinese porcelains collected by Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Taft, Cincinnati, Ohio, by John Getz

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WHITE PORCELAIN

White porcelain, not intended for decoration in color, is produced in glazed
and unglazed (biscuit) form. The latter is comparatively rare in Chinese

porcelain, and, as a general thing, is found used only on small objects or
statuettes, in molded form, or with perforated embellishments.

Glazed white porcelain is also of two distinct types i.e., hard and soft
paste; of these the first variety is largest and varies considerably in quality.
Those, however, which may be attributed to the best periods represent
the acme of technical skill and perfection in pure porcelain, and the paste
in such pieces will be generally found of a pure white pellucid texture and

brilliancy, according to its provenance.

The soft-paste porcelain of China is distinguishable more especially by

a very fine crackle in the glazed surface, and a creamy white tint, that in

some specimens resembles new ivory; or, generally speaking, a softer white

is revealed than in the hard-paste porcelain, and in good specimens the
glaze will be found closely blended with the paste, imparting a beautiful
"satiny" texture; and it will be noticed that objects in soft paste are sur-
prisingly light in weight.

The embellishment on objects intended to remain white includes raised

or pressed ornamentation as well as reticulated designs; the "rice-grain"

pattern (a most popular mode) consists in a fret or star diaper motive,
pierced in the body of the porcelain, and then filled in with glaze, leaving
the pattern semi-transparent. The work of piercing the paste requires con-
siderable skill, especially when the design is complicated, such as leaves
and flowers, a dragon, or a phoenix.

The white porcelain from the Imperial factories at King-te-chen (or

Chmg-te-chen) is of a most beautiful quality, both in substance and shape;

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