Starting with children's sets for toy tea drinking and ending with luxurious antique china, the services that came to us from the East have become an integral part of everyday life. Neither a friendly meeting, nor a festive dinner, nor family gatherings can do without them. A porcelain set is not only an interior decoration, but also a practical dishware that will bring aesthetic pleasure to those who use it over and over again. Read more about its history, types and subtleties of care read on.
Back to the past
Pottery has been accompanying man since time immemorial and is found in excavations around the globe. However, tea and table sets in the closest sense to today have appeared in China, where china was invented in 620. The ruling Song Dynasty built factories for the production of dishes from this material. Moreover, in the north of the empire produced white porcelain, and in the south - light blue. He came to Europe in about 1400, where services of an unprecedented beauty for those times became very popular among the rich.
Moreover, for 300 years, the Chinese managed to remain monopolists in this area. And only in 1708 was it possible to experimentally obtain European porcelain. In Russia, his formula was discovered by the scientist D.I. Vinogradov in the late 1740s, which made possible the production of such dishes in St. Petersburg.
What does a traditional Chinese porcelain tea set consist of?
It includes not only elements familiar to us, but also a lot of interesting utensils:
- kettle;
- tray;
- small cups strictly in the shape of a bowl;
- tea tools (a spoon for transferring tea to the teapot, a needle to clean the tea spout, a funnel for falling asleep tea, tongs to take hot bowls, a knife for cutting the pressed product);
- strainer;
- A beautiful small clay figurine of an animal is a necessary decor item, which is contemplated while enjoying a drink.
Chinese porcelain service is usually painted with complex patterns with a very high degree of detail.
New traditions
Europe has actively embraced Eastern customs and over time has set its standards. Denmark was the first to popularize china and tea. The services of this country were distinguished by a light color, practical, slightly rude, but durable design. They often applied drawings depicting scenes in a pastoral style. The cups had a round wide bottom in order to keep the warmth of the drink longer.
In their love of tea, the Russians yielded only to the British and achieved unprecedented craftsmanship in the manufacture of beautiful dishes. The services were made from fairly thick porcelain with complex, ornate patterns. The dishes had rounded edges.
The British, who treat tea not just as a drink, but as a lifestyle, have made the porcelain service a real work of art. Elongated shapes and floral patterns have become especially popular. In the Victorian era, beautiful tea and dinner sets were required for all meals in wealthy homes. And since porcelain is a fragile material, for a long time there were several popular designs on sale, and if necessary, customers could replace a broken item or simply increase their set of dishes, keeping everything in one style.
Present day
The composition of the modern porcelain service includes at least 6 cups, 6 saucers and 1 teapot. But there are also larger sets. In addition to a larger number of cups and saucers (12 pieces), they may include: several teapots, a sugar bowl with a lid, a ladle for cream, a plate for cake, a tray.
And what is the difference between a porcelain coffee service and a tea service ? First of all, the size of the cups: the stronger the drink - the smaller they are. In addition, for tea, the saucer should be indented so that it can be consumed as a drink, while coffee is completely flat.
A table set can have much more components: deep plates for soup, small ones for snacks, plates for dessert or pies, tureen, salt shaker, oiler, etc.
For everyday use, it is better to get a separate kit with thicker porcelain and a stable form of dishes. White color is especially popular, because it beautifully sets off and does not distort the color of drinks and dishes. In addition, it is easy to combine with other dishes and the overall style of the kitchen.
Proper care
A porcelain set with exquisite decor can become a family heirloom. But in order to keep it safe and sound for as long as possible, it is important to know some rules. Here's how to care for porcelain tea and dinner sets:
- wash dishes with a non-aggressive detergent and do not rub the areas with gilding, otherwise they will quickly wear out;
- when storing saucers in a pile, put a piece of thick paper between them;
- carefully raise and lower the lids on the dishes;
- try to carry teapots, cups, tureens and other similar objects not only by the handles, but also slightly holding them with your hand;
- saucers and trays should not be taken by the edge, but closer to the center.