Ceramic figurines have been discovered that humans made in 24,000 B.C. This was a time when nearly everyone was a hunter-gatherer. Around 10,000 B.C. craftsmen began creating pottery from clay, resulting in vessels that could be used for drinking, as well as storing food and water. The use of clay bricks in construction began at approximately the same time. Eventually, most human populations began using pottery. It became so common that today’s archeologists can get an approximate date of an early human settlement by observing the style, color and materials of its pottery.
Chinese production of fine china began in the Jiangxi province during the T’ang Dynasty (618 – 904). The key to its creation was the use of a white, finely grained clay known as kaolin. It is the result of weathering, natural elements slowly breaking down rocks. Chinese artisans developed methods for:
- Mixing kaolin with other materials, usually quartz and feldspar.
- Transforming the mixture into the desired shape.
- Firing the object to fix its shape and improve its strength.
Naturally, European craftsmen began trying to replicate these wares, but their initial efforts were unsuccessful. They were unable to match the strength and quality of the imported product. Finally, in the 1748, Thomas Frye began production of bone china in England. Its name comes from the fact that bone ash was added to the mixtures, which greatly improved its strength. His factory was located near the stockyards of London, which gave him an ample supply of cow bones.
It was another English potter, Josiah Spode, who developed the formula for bone china that is still used today. His factory began production in 1796, after he spent several years getting his mixture and process just right. Spode mixed six parts bone ash with four parts china stone (contains feldspar) and 3.5 parts china clay (contains kaolin).
As trade grew between Europe and China, there were many Chinese goods that were highly desired by Europeans. Silk was one of those items, which gave the overland route its “Silk Road” name. Other items include jade, tea and spices such as cinnamon, ginger and clove. In the 1200s fine china became another highly sought-after item. It was prized for its strength, durability, translucency, color and overall beauty.
Nearly all bone china was produced in the United Kingdom until the mid-1900s. The next country to produce bone china in significant amounts was Japan. Since then, many other Asian nations have begun manufacturing bone china. Significant producers include India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia and China. China now manufactures more bone china than any other country in the world. The only major manufacturer of bone china in the United States was Lenox. They made dinnerware for six presidents:
• Thomas Woodrow Wilson
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt
• Harry S. Truman
• Ronald Wilson Reagan
• William Jefferson Clinton
• George Walker Bush
Numerous United States embassies and the official residence of the vice-president also have bone china tableware from Lenox. Unfortunately, the Kinston North Carolina facility that manufactured their bone china products closed in 2020, a victim of the Covid-19 virus.