It may not come out from the china cabinet often but there is little doubt that the “best china” is a treasured item in the homes of many people. When people speak fondly of their “best china” they are usually making reference to bone china crockery, this means that bone ash has been used in the manufacture of the dinnerware. Bone china that is sold in the US must contain at least 25 percent bone ash to qualify for this prized designation but most has 50 percent, the remaining ingredients being china stone and kaolin clay.
Bone china crockery is made in many countries. Many dinner sets are porcelain but bone china has the distinct advantage of being lighter and yet stronger than porcelain. Bone china is also more costly than porcelain.
It tells several steps to produce bone china. First off the clays and the bone ash are mixed with water to form slurry. The slurry is rolled into large cylinders which are then cut into lengths which can be formed into crockery; plates, saucers, bowl etc. Once these items are released from the mold, any excess clay or any other surface imperfection is removed and the item is then fired at about 2,300 degrees F in a kiln.
When the items are removed from the kiln they are far from finished. At this stage they are polished smooth, re-heated, glazed and then fired again which sets the glaze permanently. The next step is decoration which is either accomplished by hand or by machine and finally the decoration is set with a final trip through the kiln. As the items are carefully inspected, any product that does not meet the high standards set will either be destroyed on the spot or sold as seconds.
Creating fine bone china crockery is very labor intensive and as a result, the product is expensive. The dinnerware is sold in many different venues and depending on the store and its location, the price for a single dinner plate can easily reach $100.
Bone china is something that stays in a family for generations and to ensure that it stays in pristine condition it is recommended that it be cleaned with a mild detergent and soft cloth and that it be carefully washed by hand which will help to avoid any damage.
