Purple Glaze Porcelain
Purple glaze porcelain comprises distinctive vessels and figures defined by rich violet and aubergine tones, offering a striking display of historic ceramic artistry.
Purple Glaze Porcelain
When you search for purple glaze porcelain, you are looking at items spanning diverse eras from the eighteenth century to the twentieth century. The selection includes decorative bowls, vases, ewers, and figurines reflecting styles ranging from Art Deco and Art Nouveau to Qing Dynasty aesthetics.
You are most likely to encounter twentieth-century pieces such as French faience vases, Art Deco perfume lamps, and lustre bowls alongside earlier Imperial-quality Chinese wares. These objects often incorporate related ceramic forms like glazed earthenware, faience, and standard porcelain.
The assortment demonstrates how various workshops utilised rich purple, aubergine, and flambé finishes across functional vessels and decorative display items. Each period brings distinct characteristics to the surface treatment and overall form of the piece.
Materials and techniques
Potters achieved these characteristic finishes by applying specialised glaze formulations to ceramic and porcelain bodies before high-temperature firing. Metallic oxides interacted within the kiln to produce the deep purple, aubergine, and flambé colour variations seen across the wares.
Selected pieces received additional surface embellishment through the application of gold leaf and gilding to accentuate moulded details. Lustre glazes further enhanced the reflective quality of the surface, creating a metallic sheen that interacted with the underlying colour.
Listings feature porcelain, glazed earthenware, and faience decorated with gold leaf, gilding, and lustre glazes across five distinct decades.
Distinctions in quality
The sophistication of the glaze chemistry and the control achieved during the firing process mark the distinction between standard production and exceptional examples. Complex flambé effects and evenly saturated purple tones require precise kiln management.
Argilor Paris·Daisy Makeig Jones·Wedgwood and Co Ltd·William Duesbury and Co
The Purple Glaze Porcelain Glossary
- Aubergine
- A deep brownish-purple glaze colour resembling the skin of an aubergine or eggplant. This rich tone appears frequently on Chinese monochrome and flambé ceramics.
- Flambé glaze
- A streaked or mottled high-fired glaze resulting from the complex behaviour of metallic oxides in the kiln. It often creates dramatic transitions between red, blue, and purple hues.
- Faience
- Tin-glazed earthenware traditionally associated with French and European pottery production. It provides an opaque white base that accepts coloured glazes and decorative painting.
- Lustre glaze
- A type of ceramic glaze containing metallic elements that produce an iridescent or metallic sheen upon firing. This technique creates shimmering surface effects.
- Brush washer
- A vessel designed for cleaning calligraphy brushes in East Asian scholarly traditions. These forms often feature sophisticated monochrome glazes such as the Ge-type finish.
- Bonbonniere
- A small decorative box or container originally intended for holding sweets or bonbons. These ceramic pieces often date from the Art Deco period.
Purple Glaze Porcelain: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I clean purple glaze porcelain?
Dust these ceramic pieces gently with a soft, dry brush to prevent the accumulation of surface dirt.
Avoid using abrasive cleaning agents or immersing delicate gilt or lustre surfaces in water.
Are these pieces suitable for daily use?
Most items listed are intended for decorative display rather than functional household use.
Fittings like perfume lamps and brush washers should be treated as historic display objects.
What periods do these ceramics cover?
The selection spans from the eighteenth century through the Edwardian era and into the Art Deco period.
Each era brings distinct stylistic approaches to the purple glaze and ceramic body.
How do I identify Art Deco pieces?
Look for stylised geometric forms, streamlined silhouettes, and characteristic motifs such as flappers and abstract animals.
These designs typically date from the nineteen-twenties and nineteen-thirties.