Porcelain

Porcelain is by Edward Dillon, and its preface speaks of the literature that has grown up of late years round the subject of porcelain. The preface says that, as far as the writer knows, the very definite subdivision of ceramics, which includes the porcelain of the Far East and of Europe, has never been made the basis of an independent work in England. The book includes a key to the bibliographical list and an alphabetical list of topography and subject.

The text says it is doubtful whether we can point to a single specimen of porcelain in European collections whose history can be traced back as far as the year 1500. The text adds that in old French inventories quoted by the Marquis de Laborde, various kinds of shell-ware, such as frames inlaid with mother-of-pearl, are referred to as porcelain. The text describes a design of iron red, two shades of green, a brownish purple, and a cobalt blue of poor lavender tint, all these colours over the glaze.