I needed to be schooled please

i’m riding on the excuse that I’m new to the digging in the boxes at thrift store, so go with me on this please.
Can some post some different picture and give me examples of porcelain, bone china porcelain, ceramic, resign, bisque and so on.
I’m finding myself likening the I found a cool nicknack treasure but I need to learn what they are made out of.
Thank you

 

I would take a look on ebay and see what they have. But I must point out, some sellers have absolutely no idea what they are selling and call items by the wrong names. Good luck.

 

Thank you.
I noticed that also, that’s why I came here to ask the question. I was getting confused by the same description for items that were obviously different types of material.

 

This is how I am learning. I read posts here and try to understand what characteristics members discuss when commenting on an item. I click on the links to get further information. There are plenty of examples already here by just looking at the Pottery, Glass and Porcelain Forum. Just an idea for you.

 

It's going to be hard to explain the differences from pictures alone, unless the pictures include the marks which often say when something is "bone china" versus "vitreous porcelain."

FYI - "Ceramic" is the generic term for all kinds of "baked dirt." It includes all the other words you used above and then some.

 

If you are digging at thrifts, and can afford it, maybe buy a few items for research? The best way to learn this kind of thing is hands on experience. Even really cheap damaged items can teach a lot.

Once you start handling the pieces and IDing them you will start to see and feel the differences

 

Although it's tempting, I would advise against using the internet as a first choice for educating yourself about this topic (although coming to this forum is an exception, of course!)

The problem with searching for terms and examples on the internet, as has been pointed out, is more likely to confuse and frustrate, since there is no "fact check" button. Once some inaccurate information shows up, others copy it for their own pages, and the misinformation quickly compounds. One can easily find similar "information" on many websites, which doesn't confirm that it is true, only that it has been copied and repeated endlessly.

I'd suggest the first purchase should be a few good books on the subject. One that's been around for awhile, and contains facts, confirmed and checked by experts, before publication. A pottery supply company would be a good place to find some good examples, or most likely someone on this forum could suggest helpful and informative titles.

 

I don't mean to discourage your exploration of the different types of ceramics but I've found it rarely helps me as a seller or collector to know the differences. I have often tried to understand the differences between the types of ceramics you mention but I do not have the background to understand the distinctions. I would suggest that if you would like to know about any given piece you have that you post it here on the board. There are some folks here that are excellent in identifying ceramic types and who can explain the manufacturing specifics and the chemistry involved if you are interested. I'm afraid such an understanding is beyond my capacity.

I'm not sure why the composition of your potential treasure would matter. Whether pottery or porcelain most pieces are collected for reasons other than their ceramic classification. I would recommend you post it here and let the kind people here evaluate your find.
Don

 

the Pottery, Glass and Porcelain Forum will give you hours of good research.....

 

I agree with Don about whether it actually helps in the sale. Knowing the maker is much more helpful.

My interpretation that may not be accurate:

I. Ceramic- broad term for all baked clay (as Bakers said)
A. Porcelain-
1. Higher quality of baked clay
2. Held to light porcelain is translucent
B. BONE China - (this might not be correct)
1. A type of porcelain in which bone ash has been added to make it stronger.
2. No longer translucent
C. Bisque
1. A type of ceramic that is fired and not glazed
D. Resin
1. Manufactured - from oil based products.

 

The above was supposed to be in outline form and it didn't post with the indents sorry.

@janetpjohn Feel free to correct me.

 

Thank you thank you thank you for all the support and help. I will continue to keep reading on this site and learning from the best.

 

As pointed out already, ceramics is the very broad category, which when talking about collectibles and antiques, is generally defined as consisting of an inorganic, non-metallic material (clay, for example) which is permanently transformed into a solid by the application of heat.

Ceramics, as used here, includes earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain, which are defined and determined by the temperature at which they have to be fired to in order to be permanently changed from clay to a solid state.

Clay varies widely, and each clay (and glaze, if that applies) has a certain temperature it needs to reach that point. Earthenware generally fires from 1745℉ (950℃) to 2012℉ (1100℃). Stoneware can range between 2124℉ and 2350 °F (1162-1288℃). And porcelain usually fires between 2381℉ and 2455℉ (1305℃ and 1346℃).

But to complicate matters more, ceramics also include bricks, glass, and numerous non-clay advanced ceramics used in aerospace, medicine, and virtually every modern technology.

Plus Native American potters in the Southwest refer to their traditionally-made pots as "pottery," and those items made from greenware molds, as being "ceramic." So definitions can vary somewhat, depending who's doing the defining.

 

Holy Cow Taupou, you just over loaded my brain with information, lol. Actually that is pretty interesting. Thank you!
Maybe I just stick with the description of, it's breakable.