Collecting Asian Art - Porcelain By Isadore Chait

Porcelain is an integral thread of the fabric of Chinese culture. In the 14th century, while Europeans were still eating from low-fired earthenware or wooden dishes, the Chinese had developed the first underglazed porcelain. They were using cobalt, originally imported from Iran during the Yuan period (1279-1368 A.D.), to add exceptional shades of color, from pale blue to nearly black, to translucent white wares. As soon as Marco Polo brought back a few samples, the world couldn'tFor a complete discussion of Imperial Porcelain and Export Ware, Japanese Satsuma and other fine Asian porcelains, please see Collecting Asian Art, by I. M. Chait, due to be published late fall 2008. For more details please visit www.chait.com