Amazing Enamel

Do you know enamel? Have you ever thought about its making process?

Enamel making has a history of 600 years. An enamel product has to undergo 53 steps last at least two months to complete. In earlier times, such products were considered luxuries much favored by the royal family and nobility.

Enamel work, also known as “cloisonné”, which means “wiry enamel”, spread from Persia to China during the Yuan Dynasty. Mass production began in the following Ming Dynasty, reaching a peak during the reign of Emperor Jingtai (1450-1457). Cloisonné vessels that have been preserved were hand-made largely from the Qing Dynasty, reflecting very complex craftsmanship. The vessels collected are much cheaper than the porcelain made in official kilns over the same period, thus having a relatively larger appreciation potential.

Copyright: 5,000 Year Comparision of Chinese And Foreign Civilizations, China Pictorial Press.

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