Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1873-03-11
MS CELIA N E Gus.
How Porcelain is Made.


Chinese knew how to make porcelain. They
were very careful not to let the secret go out
of their own land. and would not export their
choicest wares, lest some one should discover
how they were made. Even the japanese,
their nearest neighbors, did not gain the art
for many years.
All the world admired the beautiful cups,
vases and dishes which came from China. and
called them Chiuawarc. Some evil>miuded
persons used to suspect that these dainty
white wares were made of human bones ::
which was of course very false, for porcelain
Is made from king of porcelain clay This
clay is very pure. and is ohtnned By the de-
composition Of feldspar granite rocks. The
Chinese call this clay kaolin.
1t was wonderful, the perfection which the
Chinese attained in making porcelain. The
ancient and celebrated egg shell wares were
especially delicate and beautiful. Ege>shell
cups, jars, aud vases, at one time, we're made
as thin as bamboo paper, and almost trans>
parent. Some were left pure white, others
tInged dainty cream color, and others we're
painted a delicate blue. The favorite shade
OF the Chinese in blue was called, "blue as the
sky after a shower" The most extensive
ware manufactured was called "crackle. -
Vases of this crackle would be covered with
network Of tiny cracks, produced by sud-
den chilling in the baking. These vases
would afterwards be dipped in colored glaze.
perhaps ruby red, which. settling in the
cracks, gave them lovely appearance
The Chinese artists take great pains in dec
Grating these porcelain wares, and US each
artist has his specially, it often rconires sew
era era to paint single cup. One paints the
flowers, another the birds. third paints the
al,
figures.
Sometimes they arrange these pictures cum
nlngly between layers of norce!ain the outer
layer being ground very thin Tn this case,
the picture does not show at all until the vase
is filled with some colored liquid, which, by
giving it a dark background reveals it as If
by magic. There were 8 900 furnaces at one
time IL King g-te>chin, aud, as may be i'm
aeined, they manufactured great deal of por.
celnn. Indeed, SO important had this manu-
tacture become, that. whenever baking of
porcelain is finished, day is set apart for
thanksgiving aud rejoicing
Porcelain became plentiful in China.
that tower was built of porcelain tiles, near
Nankin. This tower was nine stories high.
and each story was furnished with gallery,
cnrnice and roof of green tiles while at every
corner were hung bells so light as to be easily
moved by the wind. 1t must have been grand
to have heard those bells in a storm. This
tower was once considered the eighth wonder
of the world but these bells rune together
for the last time in 1856, when the tower was
blown down in a storm.
Wedgewood, an Engiishman who lived in
the last century, was very successful in man.
utacturin. beautiful cream colored wares
lie asked permission of Queen Charlotte to
call his wares queen ,0dres which was granted
and since that time, the term queensware has
been applied to many other varieties.
ln making plates the porcelain paste is
rolled out as if for pie-crusts, and then laid
over mould with wet sponge Some of
the articles are shaped hy hand with the belp
of the po'tcr's wheel, aud fnrmed in this man
ner the delicate tracing and carving is done
with knife. In making tea pots. cups vases
and other articles of like kinds, the spou,s.
handles and ornaments are made separate and
fastened on afterwards.
It is refreshing 10 see how many Quaint
pretty fancirs are worked out of this porcelain
paste now "a days, even. In our commonest
dishes cream cup. for instance, is made
tn represent an ear of CORE, spoonhoIder n
sheat ct wheat, tea pot pine apple, a fruit
stand plate of leaves
Many beautiful figures too, are being made
out of Carrara porcelain, which so nearly re-
sembIes marble, and which is cheap enough
tn be within the reach Of all Some scu,n-
tors make all the models for their great
statues of this Carrara of biscuit porcelain
The effect of lace is ingeniously produced
on figures, by wrapping piece of real lace
around them. which is burnt off in the fir;no
When the articles are all moulded and
shaped Alright, they are gone over carefully
with the potter's wheel, to remove auy rough
ness or unevenness of surface. There il,
great danger now of their shrinking uueyenlv
with the heat and to prevent this they are
lain away to dry on shelves where the sun
cannot reach them. After driving enough
they are placed in drum shaped earthen boxes.
and taken to the furnace and baked.
A MOTHERS LovE.-Lamartine gives this
illustration "ln some spring freshet. river
widely washed its shores and rent away
bough whereon a bird had built a cottage for
her summer home. Down the white and
wbirling stream drifted the green branch,
with its wicker cup of unledged song, and
finttering beside it went the mother bird
Unheedipg the roaring river. on she went,
her cries of agony and fear piercing the pauses
in the storm. How like the love of an old
fashioned mother, who followed the child she
had plucked from her heart. all over the
world. Swept away by passion that child
might be, it nat:ered not; though be was
bearing away with him the fragrance of the
shattered roof>trse, ye. that mother was with
him, Ruth through all his life, aud Ra-
chel at his death."