TABLE EQUIPMENT 319

China and Porcelain. The synonymous terms china and porce-
lain refer to all china that is in any degree translucent. An entire
piece may appear opaque because of its thickness, but if the edges
or a thin fragment of it are translucent it is porcelain.

We are now fully accustomed to beautiful porcelain or china-
ware and take it for granted, but in the eighteenth century it was
so highly prized that many of the factories had royal support, and
the nobility generally made collections of it. China was the name
given to this ware by the English, because it first came from China.
Porcelain consists mostly of a special clay (kaolin) and feldspar.
It is baked in a kiln to the fusing temperature, which means that
most of the ingredients are nearly melted into each other so that
they become almost one substance. A broken piece of china shows
that the glaze and the body have merged completely, making a
very hard material. The advantage of the hardest china is that it
is most durable, and, if it becomes chipped or cracked, the exposed
break will not absorb dirt but will remain clean.

There are three classes of porcelain: hard paste, soft paste, and
bone paste, which is medium. Hard-paste porcelain is sometimes
called true porcelain. It is very hard, impermeable to liquids, and
dazzling bluish white. Bone china is medium in hardness and im-
permeability. Soft-paste porcelain is more translucent but less
hard and more permeable than the other porcelains.

Earthenware and Pottery. These are synonymous terms refer-
ring to entirely opaque wares. The usual test of an article is to
hold it against very strong light; if it is so opaque that the fingers
do not show through at all, it is considered to be earthenware.
Earthenware includes products ranging from clay flower pots to
fine tableware. Earthenware is made of potter's clay, and usually
of earth containing lime and sand. It may also be classified as soft
or hard, depending upon the nature of the ingredients and the
degree of heat at which it is fired. A broken piece of pottery
shows the glaze like a separate layer on the outside and the body
more porous than porcelain. Cracks and chips in pottery soon
become unclean and discolored. Some American manufacturers
and retailers designate the lighter pieces as earthenware and the
heavier ones as pottery. The average customer usually makes the
mistake of calling all fine dishes china.