REGARD'OR® Pottery

Pottery

REGARD'OR® pottery is blended with natural color combinations that has not been fired to vitrification, which is the process of crystalline silicate compounds bonding to non-crystalline glass compounds. This makes the pottery more porous and makes it feel coarser. Until the 18th century, pottery was the most common form of ceramics and terracotta.

REGARD'OR® pottery pots are:

• 100% Handmade
• Durable
• Colourfast
• Water resistant
• Refillable
• Suitable for indoor & outdoor

Ceramics

Ceramic objects are made by combining naturally occurring raw materials, such as clay, earthen minerals and water, and molding them into shapes using hand building, wheel throwing or molding techniques. Once formed, the object is fired in a kiln at a high temperature. By firing ceramics, they are hardened and heat-resistant. Ceramic objects are used as building materials, functional tableware, decorative sculpture and of course also for our exclusive REGARD'OR® candles.

Traditional types of ceramic pottery

Well-known examples are pottery, stoneware and porcelain. Clay is one of the widely available raw materials for making ceramic objects. Different types of clay and combinations of clay with different variations of silica and other minerals result in different types of ceramic pottery.

Stoneware

Stoneware is a vitreous or semi-vitreous ceramic, meaning it is coated in enamel to make it appear glassy and to make it non-porous. Stoneware is fired at high temperatures compared to other ceramics. It is typically an earth tone color due to impurities in the clay and is normally glazed.

Porcelain

Porcelain ceramics are made by heating materials, usually kaolin clay, in a kiln to temperatures between 2,200 and 2,600 degrees Fahrenheit. Porcelain is a very heat-resistant and strong material compared to other types of ceramics. This is due to the vitrification process and the formation of the silicate mineral mullite during firing. Common types of porcelain ceramics include bathroom and kitchen tiles, barrels, decorative sculptures, and more.

Bone china

Bone china, also known as fine porcelain, is a type of porcelain known for its translucency, high strength and chip resistance. It is made from a combination of bone ash, feldspar material and kaolin and was developed around 1800 by the English ceramist Josiah Spode. Because it is such a strong material, porcelain ceramics can be molded into thinner shapes than porcelain. It is vitrified but is translucent due to its various mineral properties.

Ceramics throughout history - The oldest known ceramics

The oldest ceramics found date from at least 25,000 BC. This ceramic was discovered in Czechoslovakia by archaeologists and was in the form of figurines of animals and people. They were made from a mixture of animal fat, bone, bone ash and clay and were baked in ground ovens at low temperatures around 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, or simply sun-dried to harden.

First functional ceramic vessels

The first examples of functional ceramic vessels date from about 9,000 BC and were probably used to store food, grains and water. This was also around the time when small farming communities became more common in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Decorative glazes and surface design

Early ceramics were generally simple in design and texture and fired without glazes. In the 6th and 5th centuries BC, Greek attic vases showed the first known use of oxidizing and reducing atmospheres during firing to achieve surface patterns and varying colors.

The invention of the wheel

One of the first breakthroughs in ceramic manufacturing was the invention of the wheel in 3500 BC. It enabled potters to go beyond the limitations of manual building and dive into creating pieces with radial symmetry.

The introduction of porcelain

Around 600 CE, Chinese potters introduced high-temperature kilns and developed china from kaolin clay, also known as China clay. This opened up possibilities for less porous and much stronger ceramic vessels. Throughout the 16th century, low-fire pottery remained the most common type of ceramics in Europe and the Middle East. It was not until the Middle Ages that trade via the Silk Road allowed the introduction of porcelain and high-temperature kilns in Islamic countries and Europe.

Contemporary ceramics

Over thousands of years, the ceramic industry has undergone a huge transformation. After World War II, ceramics contributed to the expansion of technology, electronics, medical equipment, transportation, and more. Today, you can learn ceramics for artistic or practical purposes.