The art of molding mud into an extravagant piece of art, known as pottery originated as early as 6000 B.C in China. The art of pottery and ceramics flourished during the various dynasties that ruled present day China and Japan, ranging from storage vessels to precious décor items. Here are some facts about Chinese pottery and antique Asian vases from the realms of history that will leave you amazed:
1. Chinese Porcelain Was First Exported 2000 Years Ago
Chinese porcelain was exported as early as 206 B.C during the reign of the Han dynasty, due to massive advancements and prosperity of trade through the silk route. With the start of the Song Dynasty, porcelain was exported massively to various western nations via ship trade.
2. Porcelain Was First Introduced in China
Authentic porcelain was first produced during the Han dynasty reign, and continued to be a sign of national pride and significance till the last imperial Dynasty-Qing dynasty till 1912.
3. An Authentic Piece of Chinese Porcelain Can Last a Long Time
As far as quality and durability was concerned, the Chinese were known to never compromise. An authentic piece of porcelain made with the right proportions of kaolin, quartz and feldspar can last for over a 1000 years.
4. It Takes a Lot of Hard Work and Time to Craft a Porcelain Piece
From the initial gathering of raw materials, cleaning and mixing them in the right proportions to avoid any impurities to molding them in the desirable shapes, there’s more to a well-crafted piece of antique porcelain than what meets the eye. When you see antique Asian vases, you are seeing true hard work.
5. The Raw Materials for Chinese Porcelain Are Extremely
Inexpensive
The key ingredient used in manufacturing porcelain is kaolin, a widely accessible clay mineral. Other raw materials include glass, bones, quartz and ash that are insanely cheap and widely accessible.
6. An Antique Piece of Authentic Porcelain Ware Is Highly Sought
Out by Collectors
While the raw materials that go into making porcelain are insanely cheap, a well-crafted piece of porcelain ware is extremely valuable and deemed as every collector dream because of the unique craftsmanship, artistry and durability that goes into designing a beautiful piece of porcelain ware. A well designed piece of porcelain can range from $84,000,000 making it extremely expensive. Most of the time you will see antique Asian vases in luxury hotels or in mansions of rich people.
7. Every Porcelain Ware Was Marked with the Emperors Reign and
Dynasty
An original porcelain ware was always marked. Apart from the potter’s brand, the emperors name and dynasty with reign was also included at the bottom of each piece which is also used as a symbol of proving authenticity and comes down as a piece of value in history that explain the higher costs.
8. The Most Famous City for Chinese Porcelain is Jingdezhen
Known as the Porcelain Capital of China, the city is known for its beautiful bluish and white hues of porcelain that were specially made for the Emperor Jingle of the Song dynasty.
