The Porcelain Spy
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For centuries, Chinese porcelain was considered a "white gold" — more precious than silver or gold in Europe. Kings and nobles craved the delicate, translucent ware, but the Chinese closely guarded their production techniques. Enter Johann Friedrich Böttger, a German alchemist who claimed he could turn lead into gold.
King Augustus II of Poland locked Böttger in a lab, demanding riches. But instead of creating gold, Böttger accidentally unlocked the secret of porcelain. After sneaking into Chinese kilns disguised as a merchant, he discovered that the key ingredient was kaolin clay, fired at extremely high temperatures.
After years of trial and error (and several small explosions), Böttger finally succeeded in replicating Chinese porcelain. Meissen, the first European porcelain factory, was born — and Böttger earned his freedom, not for creating gold, but for perfecting the art of clay.
Our Ceramics Collection is crafted in Jingdezhen, the renowned origin for Chinese Imperial porcelain across successive dynasties, with the kaolin clay. Find our products: