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Porcelain is a white hard noporous pottery and has a translucence effect ( the ability to let light through). Although porcelain can be used in other ways it is primarily used for high quality decorative items. Porcelain is sometimes called china or chinaware because it was orginally made in China from a mixture of two ingredients...kaolin and petunse. Kaolin is a pure white clay that forms when the mineral feldspar breaks down. Petuntse is a type of feldspar found only in China. This mixture is ground into a fine white clay. It is then molded and fired in an oven for approximately eight hours at 1200_C. It is then finished with a glaze, underglaze, or bisque finish. Glazing produces a high gloss; under glaze produces a matte finish. Bisque is a matte finish without glaze. After finishing, the item is "cooked" for 6 hours at 800 degrees.
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