COLLECTING CHINESE EXPORT PORCELAIN
By Elinor Gordon, The Main Street Press, NJ, 1984.
Lavishly illustrated with 20 color and 150 black-and-white photographs, this scarce  out-of-print book pictures, with in-depth captions, Chinese export porcelain “representative of export production from the late 1600s to the early 1800s – the most important years in which wares were manufactured specifically for foreign customers.  The commentary throughout the text is based primarily on three hundred and fifty objects which are currently on public exhibit; of these, approximately two hundred are illustrated in this volume.”
The rich narrative in this text coupled with the large number of patterns pictured and described, make this book an invaluable reference work.  The book sections the various patterns into chapters.  The chapters are: British and Continental Armorial Services; Floral Decoration; Blue and White Decoration; European and Oriental Gentre Scenes; Blanc de Chine; Animal Forms; Assorted Forms; “Fitzhugh” Decoration; Order of the Secretary of Cincinnati China; American Ship Designs; American Family Services; American Eagle Designs; Selected Bibliography; and Index.  The captions with each picture are in-depth and cover the descriptions, dates, pattern names, makers, etc. when known.
“The vast majority of the wares illustrated and explained were specifically made for European and American customers from the 1730 to the beginning of the nineteenth century when export ware began to decline in quality.  The justly acclaimed
famille rose
enamel colors predominate in the decoration of the wares illustrated.  The variety of objects is extensive – from dinner plates to soup tureens to animal figures to various sorts of bowls and accessories.  Those made for the American market account for only a small proportion of the illustrated examples since the trade between the United States and China did not commence until after the Revolution.  Included, however, among the American pieces are such rare items as Cincinnati china, objects bearing ship and eagle designs, and true armorial objects.  Not included are pieces decorated in Rose Medallion, Canton, Nanking, and Mandarin patterns which, for the most part, were shipped to North America in the nineteenth century.”  This book is one of the better pictorial guides on this subject, and would make a wonderful addition to the permanent reference library of the student, collector, dealer, historian or museum curator of Chinese export porcelain wares.
8” x 10” softback in very good condition.  160 pages.
This book is signed by the author.
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