The Practical Book of Chinaware (1925) by Harold Donaldson Eberlein is a comprehensive guide to antique and contemporary ceramics, reflecting the interwar era’s fascination with collecting and domestic elegance. Eberlein, a noted antiquarian, meticulously classifies porcelain (Chinese export, Meissen, Wedgwood) and pottery (Delft, Staffordshire) by period, style, and mark, with chapters on tea wares, decorative motifs, and restoration.
Though dated in attribution (pre-radiocarbon dating), its charm lies in period advice—e.g., detecting “fake crackle” glaze or displaying “chimney pieces.” Black-and-white plates showcase hallmark patterns, while Eberlein’s prose exudes Jazz Age refinement.
A nostalgic resource for vintage collectors, if supplemented by modern scholarship.
