Special Designs

Chinese export porcelain was made for many markets, and each country favored special designs. The English ordered dinnerware called armorial china which had a family’s coat of arms or crest emblazoned in the center of each plate. It was made to order in China and sent by ship to England. When a piece was broken, the replacement was often ordered from the English porcelain factories of Worcester, Spode, Wedgwood, and Leeds. The English firms copied the design onto the English porcelain. Chinese export porcelain had a grayish-colored body. The English firms made their ware to match the Chinese sets. Because the English porcelain was white, the English firms often tinted the glaze.