Bone china is a type of high-quality, durable, and lightweight porcelain known for its whiteness, translucency, and strength. It is made primarily from a mixture of bone ash (derived from calcined animal bones, usually cattle), kaolin (china clay), and feldspathic materials like china stone. The bone ash content is typically around 30-50%, which gives bone china its distinctive ivory-white color and translucent quality when held up to light

. Bone china was developed in England in the mid-18th century, with Josiah Spode in Staffordshire refining the formula in the 1790s to create a strong, vitrified porcelain that could be made thinner and more durable than other ceramics. This formula, combining bone ash, china stone, and kaolin, remains the basis for bone china production today

. Compared to other types of porcelain, bone china is stronger and less prone to chipping, with a slightly more opaque, ivory sheen rather than the bluish or grayish tint often seen in traditional porcelain

. It is commonly used for fine tableware and teaware such as plates, bowls, mugs, and teacups, valued for both its practical durability and elegant appearance

. In summary, bone china is a refined ceramic material made from bone ash and other minerals, prized for its strength, whiteness, and translucency, traditionally produced in England but now manufactured worldwide, especially in China