Bone china is a quality of ceramic that is often found among the varieties of materials used to make plates and tableware, but it often happens that those who have less experience in the field are not familiar with it and wonder what the differences are between bone china and porcelain. So let us look at the history, composition, and characteristics of this highly prized item.
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Characteristics of Bone China
Bone china is composed of bone ash, feldspathic material, and kaolin, and contains at least 30% animal bone phosphate and calculated calcium phosphate. Bone china has superior physical and mechanical strength to common porcelains and ceramics, a peculiarity that allows for making products with thinner sections, but it is especially appreciated by end users for its characteristic ivory color and translucency.

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The reason why it is called bone china
Contrary to what its name might imply, the origins of this porcelain are to be found in 18th-century England, where potters, in an unsuccessful attempt to reproduce hard-paste porcelain like that of East Asia, discovered that bone ash can be a useful addition to add strength to soft-paste porcelain. This process became standard for local companies, and before long by adding kaolin they made the strongest hard-paste product. Since it has always been a product of English origin (and only in more recent times also made by other countries in the world, such as China, which is so far the largest producer of it in terms of quantity), to date bone china is synonymous with English porcelain.

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How Bone China is produced
Its production is relatively like that of classical porcelain, except that the narrower range of vitrification and less textural plasticity make it necessary to handle it with greater care. This, as well as the higher value of the raw materials, justifies a higher price. To obtain bone ash, animal bones are crushed before the gelatin is extracted, and undergo calcination at up to 1250 °C; the ash obtained is then ground. Finally, the addition of kaolin gives the porcelain the plasticity that allows the desired shape to be given to the product.

Yvonne Ellen London Collections
Where to buy Bone China
Since 1923, Livellara has been one of the places for businesses in the hospitality industry in Italy to go to when buying supplies. In our catalog we have some of the best Italian and international brands of plates and tableware, and among our collections we also have exclusive bone china tableware, directly from the English craft tradition.
Want to learn more about Bone China porcelain or view Livellara’s catalogs? Contact us now!