Unexpected finds of early Chinese porcelain do still occur — when a lamp base, for example, or a dog’s bowl turns out to be a valuable early Ming piece. But there is also plenty of later blue and white to attract the collector.

The origins of underglaze-blue decoration are debatable, but certainly it was in use in China by the second quarter of the 14th century. Cobalt oxide, a black pigment which turns blue on firing, had been imported from Persia in Tang times (AD 618-906) and used to colour glazes. But it was the idea of painting it onto a white porcelain body before glazing and final firing that produced the blue and white style of decoration that is still in wide use today.

In the Far East

Ming dynasty potters (1368-1644) quickly achieved a high level of expertise. Their main problem was to control the amount of pigment they painted onto the unfired body. Too much led to small black spots breaking through the glaze, an effect known as ‘heaping and piling‘ which is much admired today.

Antique Collector Magazine

Major mid-14th-century pieces now fetch hundreds of thousands of pounds, but less important examples start at about £5000. Fairly common items, particularly provincial boxes made for the Filipino market, can go for £60. A 15th or 16th-century bowl from a minor kiln may fetch £60-£ 100.

The first reign mark appeared under the Emperor Yongle (1403-24) on pieces from the potteries at Jingdezhen. Unmarked pieces can be dated because throughout the Ming period styles, the nature of the porcelain, potting, glaze and colour changed — but dated or genuine reign-marked pieces are worth ten times as much as unmarked ones.

Towards the end of the Ming dynasty, large quantities of blue and white were made for export to Europe. The predominant kraak style, named after the carracks then used to carry the cargo, lasted from the mid-16th to the mid-17th century. The most common forms are dishes and bowls painted with panels of flowers and animals. A cracked 16 in (40.5 cm) kraak dish — most are cracked -sells for between £300 and £800; undamaged ones start at £800. Bowls are less expensive as they are difficult to display.

After the Ming Downfall

The 50-odd years surrounding the end of the Ming dynasty in 1644 are referred to as the Transitional period. Transitional porcelain is distinctive, being much heavier, better potted and more refined than the preceding kraak. It is now beginning to attract considerable attention. A vase that a few years ago could be bought at auction for £400 is today worth nearer £1500 - and rising.

From the end of the 17th century the vast output from Chinese kilns consisted mainly of blue and white garnitures - sets of five large vases - and tablewares, all made for export to Europe. There were also a limited number of polychrome porcelain pieces made; these were more expensive.

The bulk of the tablewares were dinner and tea services, the remnants of which provide remarkable bargains for collectors: a teabowl costs about £15, or with its saucer £30. Plates will fetch about £80, or under £40 if they are damaged. Eighteenth-century teapots sell for around £80, or £25 if damaged. The pieces are thinly potted and plates are prone to chip at the rim, but a small amount of chipping is acceptable.

A distinguishing feature of much Chinese porcelain of this date is the orange tint of the body where the glaze has been removed (on foot rims and teapot rims, for example).

This orange tint is not seen on European porcelain of any date.

Chinese copies of Ming blue and white - including `heaping and piling‘ - were made during the 18 th century, and are much sought after, particularly by Hong Kong Chinese collectors. Prices start at about £800, but can soar to over £200,000 if a piece bears the nien hao , the reign mark of the emperor.

Large dishes were made as part of a service or for display, and these vary enormously in quality. An undamaged 16 in (40.5 cm) circular dish from the mid- 18th century may cost £200-£800, but most fall at the lower end of the scale. A hairline crack can reduce the price to as little as £30-£50

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Early Porcelain and China, the blue and white art tradition