Parian Porcelain - What is it?

From Hobbies August 1942 by Thelma Shull:

Part I - (more to follow within the next few days)

Ever since its discovery about 100 years ago, Parian has been one of the most popular porcelain. The dainty figures, the interesting groups, and the well-known hand vases are sought for and prized by the collector of today.

There is always the question as to whether or not a colored porcelain can be called Parian. It was first used only for making busts, statues and other reproductions of large sculptured pieces; but later English and American potters broke away from the all-white Parian and applied color. The white marble which it imitated was quarried on the Isle of Paros in the Egean Sea; hence its name. If the ingredients used in the making of the pieces which are partly colored are the same as for other Parian porcelain, it seems simpler to call it colored Parian, regardless of the original meaning of the word. Parian has also been called Carrara Biscuit and Statuary Ware.


Some of the earlier pieces were made from a mixture of kaolin, felspar and glass, but the best Parian bodies were made from China-clay and felspar alone. It is fired at a temperature of 1150 to 1200 C. which is considerably lower than that needed for English bone porcelain.

Pieces which may be found in Parian include busts, figures, groups, vases, pitchers, candlesticks, clock franes, creamers, covered sugars, trinket or small ornamental boxes, baskets, ring holders, doll heads, animals, jugs, jewelry, and even platters!

During the process of firing, it shrinks about 25%. The various parts for a figure are cast separately and kater joined. It is this shrinkage which most be accounted for and the skillful joining of the parts after the firing which makes careful handling a requisite for the succesful manufacture of Parian.

Parian is seldom glazed but the better pieces have a soft luster. However, pitchers and vases and any pieces made to hold liquids are usually glazed on the inside. The Irish Belleek porcelain is a variety of Parian porcelain.

The famous old English firms of Copeland and Minton both claimed the honor of first making it. Each worked independently of each other, but chanced to place their product on the market at about the same time. However, Mr. Mountford, an ex-figure maker from Derby, and Mr. Bataam, both of whom worked for Copeland and Garrett, are usually given credit for the discovery of this particular type of porcelain. They were searching for the formula or an improvement on Sevres biscuit when they made this hard white body that so closely resembled Parian marble.

Sculptors were enthusiastic about this ware because they recognized the advantage of having their artistic creations duplicated a number of times at a price which would make them available to the public at large.

Parian was seldom marked and was made by so many different potters during the last half of the 19th century that one is seldom able to identify its origin. Occasionally one finds pieces which were marked or passed from well-authenticated sources to present owners and their history is therefore established.