What is the Difference Between Earthenware & Porcelain?

Porcelain figurines

Porcelain and earthenware pieces are both made from naturally occurring substances found in and on the earth. Porcelain is made from the porcelain stone, while earthenware comes from clay. Porcelain is often used for figurines, and both porcelain and earthenware can be fashioned into dishes.

Firings

Earthenware vessels.

Both porcelain and earthenware pieces are fired. Porcelain is fired at a higher temperature (approximately 2,282 to 2,552 degrees Fahrenheit), and earthenware is fired at a lower temperature (approximately 1,292 to 2,192 degrees Fahrenheit). Earthenware is covered with a dense glaze before firing; if porcelain is glazed, it is a nearly transparent glaze.

Stone vs. clay

Porcelain is water-resistant; earthenware absorbs water if it is unglazed. This affects the earthenware, making it practical only if it is fired. Unfired earthenware is good for display, not use---it is not durable.

Identification

When tapped, porcelain will give a clear, almost metallic, sound. Earthenware produces a lower, denser sound. To identify what a piece is made of, if sound does not reveal it, then hold the piece up to a light. If the light shines through the piece it is porcelain; if it does not, it is earthenware.

Porcelain

Porcelain is primarily produced overseas in the east and in Europe. There are three kids of porcelain---hard paste, soft paste and bone.

Earthenware

Earthenware dishes are made of clay similar to that used on bricks that have been heavily glazed and fired. The heavy glazing fuses to the clay, making it water-resistant.

References

• Porcelain vs. Earthenware
• Encyclopaedia Brittanica: Earthenware
• Pot Web: types of pottery