Ceramics can be delicate and decorative or unrefined and utilitarian. Bone china, porcelain, stoneware and earthenware - this month well review them all. How Ceramics are Made.

Different kinds of stone are ground into a fine powder, mixed with water resulting in a paste. It is fired in a kiln (an oven) at very high temperatures until the particles of stone melt and fuse together to create a strong substance.

Bone China.

It is shiny and smooth non-porous pottery made with bone ash, china stone and fine kaolin (china clay). Bone china is light weight and thin and fired at a high temperature. Patterns are usually formal. Despite bone chinas delicate appearance, it does not chip easily. It is the finest and most expensive dishware available.

Porcelain.

It is a non-porous pottery made from fine kaolin that is fired above 1250 degrees Celsius. Porcelain is translucent, thin and light weight. Originating in China, this delicate looking dishware is stronger than stoneware. Porcelain is less expensive than bone china and is available in casual and formal patterns.

Stoneware.

A dense kaolin is fired between 1200 1450 degrees Celsius to create this porous ceramic. Neither translucent nor heavy, stoneware chips more easily than porcelain or bone china. It has a casual appearance and is generally glazed in muted earth tones. It can have fine detail or be rough and grainy. Stoneware is more affordable than porcelain or bone china.

Earthenware.

It is a coarse porous pottery and fired at a low temperature between 800-1000 degrees Celsius. Earthenware chips quite easily and has a casual appearance. It is often glazed in bright colours and formed by hand.

Care.

You should always follow the manufacturers instructions for care. Keep in mind that direct heat sources can cause rapid changes in temperature causing cracking. Never put an antique or any fine ceramic in the dishwasher. Fine gilding wears off easily, so keep this in mind when handling antique pieces. Damage or chips greatly reduce the value of any ceramic.

Martin Swinton

A lifelong lover of all things old, Martin was born in Toronto, Canada and spent time in Malaysia as a child.

Martin learned to restore furniture when he was a teenager and has worked at an auction house. He owns Take-A-Boo Emporium, an antique shop located at 1927 Avenue Road, Toronto, Canada.

His television appearances include Canadian Living Television, Breakfast Television, Daytime and Toronto Living.

Martin teaches courses on antiques and he writes a regular column "Let's Talk Antiques" for the Town Crier newspaper and "Antiques 101" for the Home Advisor. He also does appraisals for estates and community events.

When Martin is not appearing on television or teaching, he can be found in his shop restoring well-worn furniture, gluing vintage tables or re-caning and rushing chairs. On warm summer days, he has been seen multi-tasking out front of the shop when he chats up the locals and works on his tan.

Martin recalls that he has always been interested in things from the past, so it is not surprising that he graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Archaeology. He holds a high school equivalency diploma from the Ontario Ministry of Education. Martin completed his grade 2 course of studies at Cedarvale Public School before being home school through to high school. At the age of 7 Martin was diagnosed with a bad case of dyslexia, which explains a lot of the problems that he had in Mrs. Mansica's grade 2 reading circle.

His personal areas of interest are Asian art, European furniture and the Arts & Crafts movement. Martin is a member of the Monarchist League of Canada. He lives in Toronto with his wife Andrea and Kurt, his basketball mad 14-year old son.