What is bone china made from?

Bone china is made from cow bone, china clay, also referred to as kaolin, and china stone or "Cornish stone," a granite that contains quartz and feldspar. The ash from the cow bone usually comprises at least 30 to 50 percent of the material in this type of china.

Bone china was created by English manufacturers during the late 18th century in an attempt to compete with the fine porcelain being imported from China. The addition of finely milled bone ash allows china makers to make high-quality, strong china that has a purer white appearance and does not chip as easily as other varieties.