Hard-Paste Porcelain China – The Tableware Classic from Europe
Since its invention over 300 years ago, hard-paste porcelain has proven to be the modern standard for high-quality tableware. In the hands of experienced craftsmen, this versatile material is used to create an infinite variety of tableware for all occasions. From a casual dinnerware set for everyday use to a full set of fine china for festive occasions, hard-paste porcelain can do it all. Discover a stylish selection from Europe's leading brands and manufacturers, carefully curated by Artedona.
What is Hard-Paste Porcelain?
Kaolin clay, feldspar, quartz. At first glance, the recipe for porcelain seems simple. But every detail counts. From the quality of the raw materials to the exact mixing ratios and the temperatures in the kiln, every gesture influences the final result. A distinction is therefore made between several types of porcelain with different properties based on certain criteria.
The art of making porcelain originates from China. The delicate Chinese soft-paste porcelain reached Europe for the first time in the 16th century. With its exotic decorations in cobalt blue, porcelain took the royal houses by storm and China became synonymous with high-quality tableware. However, the far-travelled porcelain pieces were extremely expensive and their production a well-kept secret.
In the centuries that followed, so-called arcanists from Italy to Great Britain researched their own porcelain recipes. In 1708, in the city of Dresden, Johan Friedrich Böttger and Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus succeeded in producing the first hard-paste porcelain in Europe. Their breakthrough marked the beginning of European porcelain craftsmanship.
Hard-paste porcelain consists of about half kaolin, also known as china clay, and is fired at over 1400 °C. In comparison, soft-paste porcelain consists of a quarter of kaolin and is fired at lower temperatures. As small as these differences appear, their effects are substantial.
The extremely high temperatures create a non-porous, glass-like ceramic that is hard, resistant to thermal shock and slightly translucent. The high kaolin content gives the hard-paste porcelain its emblematic white colour. The typical glossy glaze also plays an important role, making the surfaces exceptionally scratch-resistant and robust.
Hard-Paste Porcelain Dinnerware at Artedona
Tradition for centuries. Whether Germany, Austria, France or Denmark, hard-paste porcelain has been produced in all parts of Europe since its discovery. From heritage patterns with historical decors to modern dinnerware collections by renowned designers, discover your new favourite dinner service made from the best hard-paste porcelain at Artedona.
KPM, short for “Royal Porcelain Manufactory Berlin”, has stood for style-defining design since 1763. From classicism and new objectivity to technical minimalism, KPM's tableware ranges are made to stay.
Under the name Hering Berlin, designer Stefanie Hering creates pure porcelain pieces of captivating beauty. Her technically sophisticated designs can only be realised by master artisans.
The dinner services from Sieger by Fürstenberg combine the ingenious design of the sieger design agency with the centuries-old expertise of Fürstenberg, one of the oldest porcelain manufactories in Germany.
Tradition in the heart of Vienna. The Austrian Augarten Wien porcelain manufactory is famous for its delicate, graceful shapes and diverse decorations from all periods in Western art history of the last three centuries.
Also visit our brand pages of Augarten Wien, Fürstenberg, Ginori 1735, Herend, Hering Berlin, KPM, Nymphenburg, Royal Copenhagen and Sieger by Fürstenberg.
