Collecting Chinese and Japanese Porcelain in Pre–Revolutionary Paris

This is a revealing look at porcelain collecting in the reign of Louis XIV through the 18th century. This beautifully illustrated volume traces the changing market for Chinese and Japanese porcelain in Paris from the early years of the reign of Louis XIV (1643-1715) through the 18th-century. The increase in the quantity and variety of East Asian wares imported during this period spurred efforts to record and analyze them, resulting in a profusion of inventories, sales catalogues, and treatises. These contemporary sources - many never published before - provide a comprehensive picture of porcelains: when they were first available; what kinds were most admired during various periods; where they were sold and at what price; who owned them; and how they were displayed and used.