Guides · Craft
Materials & craft
Guides to the materials and craft we meet in vintage finds — hand-blown glass, ceramics and tableware — and how to care for them so they last for years to come.
4 guides
What is the difference between ceramics and porcelain?
The difference between ceramics and porcelain lies mainly in the raw materials and the way the material is fired. Porcelain is in fact a type of ceramic, but it is made from a finer clay body and fired at higher temperatures. That gives a denser and often paler material than many other kinds of ceramics.
What is ceramics?
Ceramics is a collective term for objects shaped from clay and then fired at a high temperature. It can be anything from plates, cups and bowls to vases, jars and decorative figures. The material has been used for thousands of years, but the way it is shaped, glazed and fired still leaves room for huge differences in both look and quality.
Do's and don'ts when washing up old treasures
How do you best wash up your old drinking glasses, plates and tableware so they keep shining like gold? Our rules of thumb.
The ultimate guide to Murano glass
What is Murano, really — and how do you tell the original from something that just looks like it? Our long-form guide to the history, the tells and the different types of vintage Murano glass.
