Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

This pictorial encyclopaedia, suitable for either the inexperienced amateur or the seasoned collector, introduces all aspects of the world of porcelain and ceramics, guiding the reader from era to era, factory to factory and craftsman to craftsman. Each chapter is written by an expert in the field, and also acts as a reference and identification guide.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Beautiful illustrations and a detailed yet concise historical text by Sotheby's director David Battie and a team of notable experts chronicle the evolution of porcelain from circa 600 A.D. to the present. Chapters focus on the decorative innovations and commercial efforts of the primary fine porcelain producers, from the Orient to Europe and America, helping the reader distinguish among hard and soft paste porcelain, wucai, encre de Chine, and Imari. The book also highlights the Oriental influence on such European earthenware as delftware, faience, and maiolica porcelain. A particularly delightful chapter by Battie treats fakes and forgeries. Support material includes a glossary of terms and a list of key factories and important names in the development of porcelain. This invaluable guide will be appreciated by collectors of all kinds.-- Stephen Allan Patrick, East Tennesssee State Univ. Lib., Johnson City (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Sotheby's is synonymous with authority and credibility in the world of antiques. So it makes good publishing sense that the firm would share its expertise via the printed word and photograph. Fifteen well-respected experts outline the beginnings of porcelain in the Far East to the early twentieth-century wares of the New World, in a narrative intended not as an exact provenance but as an introduction to collecting. Excellent color photographs add considerably to the text and, in fact, could stand alone. A brief overview of fakes and forgeries in the last chapter helps novices realize that a little knowledge goes a long way. Select bibliography; index. ~--Barbara Jacobs