Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating selected and refined materials often including clay in the form of kaolinite to high temperatures. Raw materials for porcelain, when mixed with water, form a plastic paste that can be worked to a required shape before firing in a kiln at temperatures between about 1200 and 1400 degrees Celsius. The toughness, strength, and translucence of porcelain arise mainly from the formation at high temperatures of glass and the mineral mullite within the fired body.
Raynaud, Medard de Noblat, Robert Haviland and C. Parlon, Haviland, Philippe Deshoulières, Royal Limoges, Bernardaud and others are among the most renowned Limoges porcelain manufacturers. Wedgwood, Minton and Royal Doulton have long historical links with the production of bone china, a type of porcelain developed in Britain in the 18th century. Royal Copenhagen in Denmark and Rosenthal in Germany are also among the leading European fine porcelain manufacturing names.
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