The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-08-29

tation he was imprisoned by the Elettor At Saxony
Frederic Augustus H., who wanted to Zurich him
SELF by the invention Of his subject. Experiments
which Boettcher made, led to his discovery of the
manufacture of china, which had, in the beginning,
reddish color; but the inventor not being satisfied
with It, improved its manufacture till he produced
the white china, in the year ITO. The Meisssn
china produced was even then far superior to the
real china in Wilderness and in regard to the painting
OF it. This important discovery drew Immediately
the attention of the whole of Europe but the Saxon
government watched over its manufacture and even
punished the expectation Of the china or uDeelain
earth with death. Within twenty or thgsy years
after, china manufactures were established in Vien-
ma and other parts Of Germany; in l76O, a factory
was established in Berlin which is at present in the
hands Of the government; France established its fac
tory in Sevres; England, Holland and Italy soon
followed. America has lately commenced the man.
ufacture of china, and already given indications
that this country will be able to compete with
the world in the production of porcelain.
The principal ingredients Of the finest porcelain
are petuntze and kaoln two kinds Of EARTH from the
mixture OF which the paste is produced. The kaolin
is intermxed with small shining PARTICLES the other
is purely white, and very fine to the touch. These
first materials are procured In the shape Of bricks.
The petuntze, which s very fine, is nothing else but
fragments of rocks taken from certain quarres, and
reduced to powder. Every kind of stone is not ft
for this purpose The color Of that which is good,
according to the Chinese ought to incline little to-
wards green large iron club is used for breaking
these pieces Of rock. They are afterwards put into
mortars, and by means Of levers headed with stone,
bound round with iron, and moved by manual labor
or by water, they reduced to very fine powder.
The dust afterwards collected Is thrown into large
vessel full of water which is strongly stirred with
an iron shovel After it has been left time to set
te kind OF cream rises on the top about four inches
in thickness which is skinned Off and poured into
another vessel filed with water. The water in the
first vessel is stirred several times and the cream
which arises is still collected until nothing remains
but the coarse dregs, which precipitate. These
dregs are carefully collected and pounded anew In
the second vessel Of water, the paste is allowed to
settle and form crust on the bottom, from which
the water is poured, leaving it to be dried into
large moulds for the purpose. The kaolin re.
quires less labor for preparing it than the petuntse
Nature has greater share in the preparation of it.
1t is found in large mines in the bosom of certain
mountains, the exterior strata of which consists of
kind Of red EARTH The Chinese have also discovered
substance proper to be employed in the compost.
tiOn OF porcelain. 1t Is stone, species of chalk
called hoache, which is glutinous and has Yesem.
blance to soap. Porcelain made with hoache, is
very rare and much dearer than any other It ia
noted for ITS exceedingly fine grain, and in compar-
son with common porcelain the contrast in its favor
is very great. This porcelain Is, besides 80 light
that it surprises those who are accustomed to handle
other kinds. HOache is seldom used in forming the
body OF the work; the vessel is plunged when dry,
vanished. But hoache, when washed, pounded and
dissolved in water Is alone sufficient to make porce-
lain, an is sometimes used instead OF kaOn though
it is much more rare and costly.
The petuntze and kaolin are mixed with oil or var.
nish to give 1t the splend0r or whteness which be-
longs to it. This oil is of whitish color aud is ex-
tracted from the same kind of stone which produces
is added one pound of chekao, a mineral something
like alumni which is put into the fire until il becomes
red hot, and then pounded. When the various
ingredients are mixed into one mass, the workmen
large states, where they knead and roll them in
every direction, carefully observing to leave no va
cuum in them, and to keep them free from any
extraneous matter. It is astonishing how much care
the whole work, as it must be perfectly clear and
transparent. All plain works are fashioned with
wheel. first workman gives it the height and
diameter It then goes into the hands Of another,
his mould, and gives it q proper FORM and fourth
gives another touch, and thus with wonderful dex
tcrity and rapidity it goes through many hands
sometimes from seventy to hundred. The largest
works are made in parts, and joined afterwards with
cement made Of the same substance as themselves.
After being Joined, the seams are polished both
without and within and when the vessel is covered
with varnsh, not trace of them is to be seen. In
40 ~1,v Ill Lii
handles, legs, &C. With regard to the Towering and
ornamental part Of these wares they either en-
graved or imprinted with a stamp. Ornaments in
relief prepared separately, are added to pieces of
porcelain In nearly the same manner as lace or en-
br0dery is put upon Dress
The most interesting process Of its manufacture
is the painting. 1t passes into the hands of the
painters after 1t has been fashioned as above. In
diversified among great number Of hands. One
paints the landscapes, another the figures and ano.
ther the birds, &c. The Chinese have never been
equal!ed for their genius in making porcelain. In
more singular kind Of porcelain than known at the
present day. They painted upon the aides Of YES
sells, fishes figures, &C., which could not be seen
till the vessel was filed with water. This secret is
much to be regretted. This kind Of porcelain is
known by the name Of Kiatsia,g or pressed AZURE
The Chinese have often attempted to revive this ma
gic painting. but without success. After the porce
lah mas IeceiVeu its proper Iorm, us Color and all
the intended ornaments, it is put into the furnace
Immense quantities of porcelain are prepared at one
baking. The porcelain of Europe never equalled
that Of the Chinese, although probably the best Of
European manufacture is the Sevres Of France. In
Paris, and other places in France, the enamel or
polish of porcelain is made of a mixture of quartz
&C.; in Germany, Of broken china, gypsum silver,
earth, &C.; but all these substances must be ground
to dust, and undergo process similar to th 1t de.
scribed for the preparation of petuntze and kaoin.
For the past three quarters of O century the es-
tabshment Of the 5evres porcelain has belonged to
the government, and been supported by the State at
tries the finest works Of the Seyres 20 into the pa
laces of France, or are given away to foreign mo-
narchs throughout Europe In the collection at the
Crystal Palace, are some Gne vases, unequalled by
anything before seen in our country. One pair
of these vases, which are about three feet
high, and two feet in diameter, are valued
at between three and four thousand dollars These
vases are surrounded with dictures and paint.