Faience

Faience is earthenware with a porous body and an opaque, usually white glaze. In traditional European faience, tin oxide made the glaze opaque. The name derives from the Italian city of Faenza.

Faience, porcelain or stoneware?

Faience normally relies on glaze to seal its porous body. Porcelain is hard-fired and may be translucent; stoneware has a denser, vitrified body. An unglazed foot may help, but identification should use several characteristics.

Identification

Look for an opaque pale glaze, painted decoration and worn areas revealing the body. The underside may carry a factory, painter, model or pattern mark. Assess marks with shape, decoration and manufacture.

Condition and collector value

Maker, age, rarity, decoration, size and provenance influence interest. Check for hairlines, chips, adhesive, repainting and staple repairs. Crazing is not always serious, but staining or unstable glaze may reduce value. Clean older faience gently and do not soak it.