CHINA-WARE, or porcelain, once so exten sively exported from China, is now almost con fined to the commonest and cheapest descrip tions of stoneware. The patterns made by the Chinese seldom change, while the European manufacturers both consult and lead the taste and fancy of their customers ; and it is owing to this, in some degree, that the demand for the Chinese finer ware has ceased, though the Mongols, Siamese, Hindus, and islanders in the Archipelago are still largely supplied from China. When the productions of the East were first carried round by the Cape of Good Hope, the porcelain of China bore an enormous price ; and the profits of manufacturing it having been ascer tained, the European nations began to make it, and soon outrivalled the Chinese. China-ware is sold in China in sets, consisting of a table set of 270 pieces at from 12 to 75 taels, a breakfast set of 20 pieces at 3 taels, a long tea set of 101 pieces at 11 to 13 taels, and a short tea set of 46 pieces at from 5 to 6 taels.
The Ow-mi-ew, or black China-ware orna mented with gold, is very much prized in China ; to make it they mix three ounces of azure and seven of the oil of stones ; this is laid on the ware, and when perfectly dry it is baked, after which the gold is laid on and the vessel is re-baked. The To-wi-kie is a porcelain prepared simply by varnishing the vessels with a whitish ash-coloured varnish, made from calcined translucent white pebbles. This has the property of marbling and veining the ware, and giving it an appearance as if it had been fractured into many pieces, which had been carefully reunited. This China-ware is highly prized under the designation of cracked porcelain.—Compendium by Hon. Mr. Morrison. See Ceramic Manufactures.