I certainly am not knowledgable enough in the area of Chinese porcelain and it is not something that I regularly collect but every once in a while I come across a piece that catches my eye. Such is the case with this piece of Kangxi (1662 – 1722) porcelain – I think. The blue colour is derived from cobalt oxide which is then painted onto a white clay. It then is covered by a clear glaze and baked in a kiln oven at very high temperatures. Blue and white porcelain wares appear to have their beginning in the Tang dynasty (618-907). The quality of both porcelain and artwork improved and some believe peaked during the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368). During the 14th century this blue and white porcelain began to be mass produced with quality being carefully monitored.

The blue and white pottery industry became more important during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. It was at this time that it became a commodity on the international trade market and expanding to become a worldwide commodity. Blue and white wares are common to this day in daily life in forms ranging from dinner sets to vases.

And to finish a small piece made with a yellow and brown glaze with a favourite dragon image.