Porcelain

Mottahedeh is one of those small and independent little companies that fills a niche in our society while most of these companies of a similar type have gone by the wayside.  We make decorative items and historic dinnerware because we think it is important--it is the culture of appreciation of beauty.  Everyone has a conception of what is beautiful and...

You may be wondering how this company got started, or why someone would make a business out of reproductions and decorative accessories. Mottahedeh is an evolution that began in the 1920’s with Mildred and Rafi Mottahedeh and continues today under the direction of Wendy and Grant Kvalheim, and Pamela Mondschein as part-owner. Authenticity is our hallmark.  We look it up...

Six urns and vessels are on offer, as well as centerpieces, figurines and tableware. We love creamware for its pure creamy white color and also because the shapes are sculptural, fanciful and can be at home with lots of color in the room.  That may be all you want to know, but just in case, read more below about the...

The Limoges, France region is a consortium of small, specialized factories. The Limoges region is actually a consortium of small, specialized factories.  It is known as the ceramic capital of France. Any company that manufactures china and porcelain there has the right to call themselves “Limoges”. Conversely, any company that doesn’t manufacture china there does not have the right to...

When the fragrance is a memory, the vessel is a treasure. “Our home fragrances are not just candles” says Wendy Kvalheim, owner and product development director at Mottahedeh. “We wanted to make the ultimate fragrance experience; a keepsake, and at the same time, a spectacular gift.” It was quite easy to find the container, as historic porcelain reproductions are our...

The special china of the colonial elite in North America. Have you seen the interesting blue porcelain with Chinese houses, boat scenes, butterflies and bugs?  This style of porcelain, that can still be found in abundance in antique stores today, was the special china of the colonial elite in North America.  During colonial times, cargo ships set sail for the...

This is the Duke of Gloucester dinnerware. The vibrant fruit and delicate golden brushstrokes of this dinner service have become a favorite of connoisseurs worldwide, but originally the pattern was quite rare. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the Metropolitan Museum of Art own pieces as well as it has been part of the Royal China Company’s archival collection. William Henry...

Purity of Body Porcelain is a specific type of ceramic material.   The necessary ingredient that differentiates porcelain from other ceramics is a naturally occurring ore called Kaolin.  It is a pure white powdery substance that is actually decomposed granite.  It enables ceramics to be fired at an incredibly high temperature that fuses the clay into a durable solid. Just like...

Porcelain and other types of ceramics are such an integral part of our everyday life that it is not something we notice. This was not always the case. Porcelain was once the rarest of materials in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries so that only royalty and noblemen could afford it. The Chinese had discovered the secret of porcelain manufacture...

    Have you ever wondered why snowflakes look so gorgeous? Their shape has always been mysterious, but also impressive to all as we catch them in the air in winter. Well, it seems snowflakes are more than just a meteorological change that happens in the atmosphere. There are many stories about snowflakes and the beauty of their structure. Two...