Somehow tea tastes better in Fine Bone China cups. Apart from
the ceremony of preparing tea, the delicate rims of these cups give way to the
almost imperceptible passage of the tea from cup to lip. I am most attracted to
porcelain and Bone China cups where the cobalt blue dominates. It is a
mini-vacation to hold these cups and sip on aromatic, bold, dark or green teas.
When in Taiwan, I have learned to appreciate the porcelain
cups made in Yingge. Actually it is through such artwork made in Yingge that I learned
about the shades of cobalt blue.
I was visiting a hospital in Taichung and on the way there
mentioned to my colleague my interest in porcelain and Bone China. I was told
that Taichung had small, artisanal factories where unique Bone China is made. I
immediately asked for a visit!
After 2 hours of touring the smallest workshop in Taichung I
learned about the cattle bones they use to make Bone China. Indeed, these low-iron
bones are pulverized and mixed with the porcelain product. Every shop seems to
have its own recipe and formula. The bones, the fineness and amount of the
pulverized ash, the mixing and firing process all define the clarity and strength
of the Bone China. Some cups are so thin-lipped that are translucid!
But, the process produces a lot of fine particle dust from
the bone ash and the mixing of the porcelain ingredients. Large factories have
well organized ventilation and vacuuming systems to minimize workers’
inhalation of the airborne particles. Not in this small, artisanal workshop.
The lady polishing the first-phase porcelain vases was wearing a nuisance mask
and had only a fan next to her and another one behind her to expel the dust out of the room. I was in that room for 15 minutes, took a
couple of pictures, and learned about the process. When out of the room, the
glass of my camera lens was covered in a fine film of white powder.
Picture taken with a Nikon F and Nikkor 50mm 1.4 lens.
December 3, 2013
©Vahé Kazandjian, 2013
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