Bone china – Information about premium porcelain
Table of contents:
- What is bone china?
- Skyline bone china tableware from VEGA
- How is bone china made?
- Properties of bone china
- Buy bone china at LUSINI
What is bone china?
Bone china is a particularly fine type of porcelain. It is very delicate, thin-walled, white and translucent. This is possible because bone ash from animal bones is used in the manufacture of this type of porcelain. This is also where the name of the porcelain comes from, which is literally translated as ‘bone porcelain’ in German-speaking countries. The base material of bone china must consist of at least 30 per cent calcined animal bones. Bone china was first produced in England in the 18th century and remained a largely English product until the 20th century. Today, China is the largest manufacturer of bone china. In the 18th century, English potters tried in vain to produce hard porcelain that could compete with Asian porcelain or Meissen porcelain from Germany. Instead, they discovered that adding animal bones to the production of soft porcelain resulted in an attractive end product. Bone ash soon became standard in porcelain production in England. Even today, bone china is still considered the highest quality material for tableware production and impresses with its elegant appearance and fine feel.
Our tip: Skyline bone china tableware from VEGA
The Skyline series from VEGA, part of the LUSINI brand family, is a high-quality bone china tableware range with a stylish and elegant look. The comprehensive collection offers you all the tableware you need, including various plates, cups and bowls.
Skyline at a glance:
- Classic shape with relief
- Modern design
- High durability
- Brilliant glaze
- Dishwasher and microwave safe
How is bone china made?
Like conventional porcelain, the base material for bone china consists of kaolin, clay, quartz, feldspar, dolomite, chalk and calcite. In the production of bone china, up to 50 per cent of incinerated ash from animal bones, mostly cattle bones, is also added. The amount of bone in the base material depends on the manufacturer.
Once the base material – a fine powder – has been mixed, it is shaped using various methods: the moistened porcelain mass is either shaped directly or pressed into a mould. Alternatively, the base material can also be poured into moulds. The porcelain product is then fired at high temperatures between 1,240 and 1,280 °C. In comparison, conventional porcelain is fired at over 1,300 °C. The lower temperatures for bone china are necessary because otherwise the animal ash would burn instead of vitrifying. After the first firing process, the glaze is fired at a low temperature between 920 and 1,125 °C. The result is a robust yet fine soft porcelain.
Are you interested in different tableware materials? Read our magazine articles ‘What is stoneware?’ and ‘What is porcelain?’ to find out more about the properties and manufacturing processes of these types of tableware.
Properties of bone china
Compared to conventional porcelain, bone china appears even thinner and finer. Bone china tableware is ivory white and appears almost translucent like frosted glass in thinner areas. Compared to classic porcelain, bone china is slightly softer and more sensitive to knocks and blows due to its bone content. Nevertheless, bone china is edge-resistant, stable, dishwasher-safe and can be used in the microwave. This means that this fine porcelain can be cleaned hygienically and used without any problems in everyday life – even in the catering industry.
Bone china is considered a luxury item. The raw materials for bone china are expensive and the production of the material is labour-intensive: the bones used are crushed, collagen is removed from them and the bones are heated to a high temperature so that they calcine and bone ash is produced. Due to its noble properties and higher purchase price, bone china tableware is particularly suitable for special occasions or upmarket restaurants. Bone china is also popular with artists, who use it to make delicate figurines or vases.
Bone China – Discover tableware at LUSINI
Discover high-quality bone china tableware! Are you looking for more top-quality porcelain options? You'll find what you're looking for in LUSINI's comprehensive range. Choose from high-quality tableware series or click through our range of plates, cups, bowls or coffee tableware and find your favourites!