| The Chalre Collection comprises a diverse range of | | | | porcelain results from the clear glaze that contains |
| pottery styles used over the past 1,000 years. | | | | iron in small amounts. When applied over a white |
| Tradeware ceramics tell the story of how the | | | | porcelain body the glaze produces a greenish-blue |
| peoples of Asia forged social and commercial ties | | | | colour. Some have incised or moulded decorations. |
| with each other during ancient times. The descriptions | | | | Underglaze Black |
| below represent the primary styles of tradeware | | | | Long before the Chinese made blue-and-white |
| ceramics in the Chalre Collection. | | | | porcelain using cobalt, a black iron oxide was used to |
| Celadon | | | | paint motifs below a clear protecting glaze. This |
| Celadon is a western word used originally to describe | | | | technique, used at Cizhou in northern China, |
| the green glaze of ceramics from Longquan in China. | | | | developed independently from the celadon production |
| The glaze is made of clay mixed with wood ash and | | | | in southern China. |
| is 2-5% iron, and must be fired in an oxygen reduced | | | | By the 14th century, the so-called underglaze |
| atmosphere. | | | | technique appeared in Thailand and Vietnam. Fish, and |
| The celadon method began to be used in the 7th | | | | chrysanthemums representing long life and happiness, |
| century in China. By the time of the Song dynasty | | | | were preferred at Thailand. In Vietnam, a flower |
| (960-1280), the skills of the potters had advanced to | | | | motif was common. It is highly possible that the |
| a high degree that fine vessels had a jade-like | | | | underglaze decoration technique (painting with oxides |
| appearance and texture. By the 14th century, motifs | | | | and then applying glaze) arrived in both Thailand and |
| such as lotus flowers and stylized chrysanthemums | | | | Vietnam with immigrating Chinese potters. |
| were incised for decoration. | | | | Three-Colour Ceramics (also called "Sanci") |
| Celadon production in Thailand seems to have started | | | | Sancai means three-colours. However, the colours of |
| in the later part of the 14th century - around the | | | | the glazes used to decorate the wares of the Tang |
| time of the 'Ming ban' of 1371 when emperor Hongwu | | | | dynasty (618 - 911) were not limited to three in |
| decided to prohibit his subjects from trading with all | | | | number. In the West, Tang sancai wares were |
| other people. It is thought that Chinese migrants | | | | sometimes referred to as egg-and-spinach by dealers |
| were responsible. | | | | for the use of green, yellow and white. Though the |
| Blue-and-White Porcelain (also called "Underglaze | | | | latter of the two colours might be more properly |
| Blue") | | | | described as amber and off-white / cream. |
| Porcelain is the best known type of ceramic | | | | Sancai wares originate from northern China. At kiln |
| tradeware. It is often referred to as `Blue-and-white' | | | | sites located at Tongchuan, Neiqui county in Hebei |
| from its 'underglaze blue' (blue cobalt oxide below the | | | | and Gongxian in Henan, the clays used for burial |
| glaze). The reason Chinese porcelain became so | | | | wares were similar to those used by Tang potters. |
| famous is probably because it was traded widely by | | | | The burial wares were fired at a lower temperature |
| Europeans from the 17th century onward. By that | | | | than contemporary whitewares. Burial wares, such as |
| time, China had already exported blue-and-white | | | | the well-known representations of camels and |
| porcelain to the Middle East and Southeast Asia for | | | | horses, were cast in sections, in moulds with the |
| five centuries. | | | | parts luted together. In some cases, a degree of |
| The first Portuguese merchants to visit China | | | | individuality was imparted to the assembled figurines |
| eventually realized the value of the "white gold" and | | | | by hand-carving. |
| started importing limited quantities for the nobles of | | | | Multi-Coloured Qing |
| Europe. It was however first in 1603 that the Dutch | | | | During the Qing dynasty (1644 - 1911), potters began |
| East India Company (VOC) sent a load of porcelain | | | | using bright colours to adorn plates and vases with |
| to Amsterdam where it was sold for enormous | | | | meticulously painted scenes. Porcelain ceramicists |
| profit. From that date on, Chinese blue-and-white | | | | began producing five-coloured ware by applying a |
| porcelain became known as the finest in the world | | | | variety of underglaze pigments to floral, landscape |
| and much desired in Europe and North America. | | | | and figurative scenes - a style which was (and is) |
| "Blue-and-white" porcelain first appeared during the | | | | highly sought-after in the West. |
| Yuan dynasty (1127 - 1279) but became so pervasive | | | | During the Yung Cheng era (1723-1735) porcelain was |
| during the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644) that today | | | | enhanced by the development of fencai enamel in a |
| blue-and-white and Ming are commonly used | | | | wide range of colours and tones. |
| interchangeably. | | | | Earthenware |
| Whiteware | | | | Earthenware is the earliest type of pottery known to |
| Whiteware porcelains began to be made on a large | | | | have existed for the past 10.000 years. Secondary |
| scale in the Jingdezhen region of China and at many | | | | clay was formed on the pottery wheel or rolled into |
| other southern kilns from the time of the Song | | | | strings and laid on top of another to form the pot. |
| dynasty (960 - 1279). The most famous of the early | | | | Earthenware was commonly fired in simple open pits |
| porcelains was qingbai (pronounced ching-pie). | | | | and therefore found in most early civilizations. Firing |
| Whiteware porcelains were traded throughout | | | | temperatures normally reached 400C to 700C. |
| Southeast Asia. Until eclipsed by blue-and-white in the | | | | It is thought that most of the earthenware found its |
| 14th century, it was the dominant Chinese porcelain | | | | way on trade ships as necessities of the men sailing |
| of its era. | | | | the vessels. Their limited number suggests that |
| Qingbai (also called yingqing) translates literally as | | | | earthenware was never made for export. |
| "clear bluish-white." The jade-like texture of the | | | | |