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Armorial ware or heraldic china (and a variety of other terms) are 
The term is most often associated with
File:Manises Basin with arms of Maria of Castile VA 243-1853.jpg, Hispano-Moresque ware,
Armorial ware or heraldic china (and a variety of other terms) are ceramic
A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelain ...
s decorated with a coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...
, either that of a family, or an institution or place. Armorials have been popular on European pottery from the Middle Ages with examples seen on Spanish Hispano-Moresque ware, Italian maiolica
Maiolica is tin-glazed pottery decorated in colours on a white background. Italian maiolica dating from the Renaissance period is the most renowned. When depicting historical and mythical scenes, these works were known as ''istoriato'' wares ...
, slipware
Slipware is pottery identified by its primary decorating process where slip is placed onto the leather-hard (semi-hardened) clay body surface before firing by dipping, painting or splashing. Slip is an aqueous suspension of a clay body, whi ...
, English and Dutch Delft, and on porcelain
Porcelain () is a ceramic material made by heating substances, generally including materials such as kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to other types of pottery, arises main ...
from the 18th century. Earlier examples were mostly large pieces such as jugs or basins and ewers, but later whole table services, all painted with the arms, were produced.
Silver tableware also often had coats of arms engraved on it, but as porcelain
Porcelain () is a ceramic material made by heating substances, generally including materials such as kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to other types of pottery, arises main ...
replaced metal as the favoured material for elite tableware in the 18th century, armorial porcelain became very popular. When overglaze decoration
Overglaze decoration, overglaze enamelling or on-glaze decoration is a method of decorating pottery, most often porcelain, where the coloured decoration is applied on top of the already fired and glazed surface, and then fixed in a second firing ...
was used, the pottery could produce the glazed ware without the arms, which were then added when a commission was received.
The term is most often associated with Chinese export porcelain
Chinese export porcelain includes a wide range of Chinese porcelain that was made (almost) exclusively for export to Europe and later to North America between the 16th and the 20th century. Whether wares made for non-Western markets are covered b ...
, often decorated with the arms and crests of European and American families from the late 17th century through the 19th century. A painting of the arms was sent out to China, and after a considerable period the painted service arrived. British clients imported about 4000 services from 1695 until 1820, when a new prohibitive tax stopped the trade, as the British government sought to protect the domestic potteries.
They were, and even more are, often used at table only on special occasions. They are popular with collectors. Seventeenth-century Dutch armorial plates are called ''wapenborden'' and were commonly sold with recurring emblems that cannot be traced to any specific family.
Manises
Manises (, ) is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of Horta Oest in the Valencian Community, Spain. Located in the province of Valencia, it had 30,693 inhabitants in 2018 (NSI) and is famous for its pottery and being the location of Valencia Airp ...
, basin with arms of Maria of Castile
Maria of Castile (14 November 1401 – 4 September 1458) was Queen of Aragon and Naples as the spouse of Alfonso V of Aragon. Maria acted as the regent of Aragon during the reign of her spouse, as he was absent during most of his reign; her reg ...
, before 1458
File:Nicola da urbino, piatto con il supplizio di marsia, 1525 ca..JPG, Italian maiolica
Maiolica is tin-glazed pottery decorated in colours on a white background. Italian maiolica dating from the Renaissance period is the most renowned. When depicting historical and mythical scenes, these works were known as ''istoriato'' wares ...
dish by Nicola da Urbino, c. 1525, with story of Marsyas
In Greek mythology, the satyr Marsyas (; grc-gre, Μαρσύας) is a central figure in two stories involving music: in one, he picked up the double oboe ('' aulos'') that had been abandoned by Athena and played it; in the other, he challenged ...
.
File:Bord, veelkleurig beschilderd met een wapen met als helmteken een vogel met gestrekte vleugels. Gekartelde rand..jpeg, 1620 - ca.1640 Dutch armorial plate, Rijksmuseum
File:Custard Cup and Cover LACMA 33.1.1.6a-b (1 of 2).jpg, Chinese "custard cup", c. 1750
File:Porslins-tallrik med Grillska vapnet.jpg, Plate for the Swedish Grill family
The Grill family are noted for their contribution to the Swedish iron industry and for exports of iron and copper during the 18th century. Starting as silversmiths and experts on noble metals the Grills became engaged in a wide range of busines ...
, China, 18th century.
File:Willem Jansz. Verstraeten - Scotel met onbekende wapen BK-NM-14179.jpg, 1645-1655 Haarlem armorial plate, Rijksmuseum
See also
*Goss crested china
Goss crested china is typically in the form of small white glazed porcelain models, made from 1858 to 1939, carrying the coat of arms of the place where they were sold as a souvenir, thus being a form of model heraldic china.
Other factories, ...
References
Types of pottery decoration Chinese porcelain {{Heraldry-stub