Chinese blue and white porcelain has always been a favourite choice with collectors, but people need to go to the long history of China to find the beginning of blue and white’s popularity.
It was as early as the 9th century when the first or, prototype blue and white was fired during the Tang dynasty.
But there is a need to fast forward to the early 14th century, when the production of fine translucent blue and white porcelain began at the Imperial kilns at Jingdezhen.
Jingdezhen was sometimes known as the porcelain capital of China, although at this time and for the following 300 years, it in fact was the porcelain capital of the world, as it was not until the early 18th century that porcelain began to be experimentally made in Saxony.
It was Persia, which originally supplied the Persian blue to the Chinese porcelain makers; it was, of course, cobalt oxide, which put the blue in blue and white.
Cobalt was one of the valuable commodities traded along the Silk Road and was of such importance to the Chinese that it was traded for bolts of pure silk.
The European love affair with Chinese blue and white was started by the Portuguese in the 16th century. It was eventually taken over by the Dutch, who were the good shippers of Chinese ceramics to the West. The love affair still retains its passion with blue and white still as well-liked as ever.
Interior lighting is an important element in decoration and can influence the mood of a room in a variety of ways, by example, soft romantic lighting.
Table lamps offer that something additional, providing a refined and finished look to an interior. Blue and white with its bright, cobalt blue and bright white always keeps its fresh, clean look. A blue and white room is a sight to behold and how better lit than with blue and white lamps.
The Antique & Vintage Table Lamp currently have a choice range of antique, Chinese, blue and white table lamps as single lamps or as pairs.