soft paste porcelain

Refers to a type of porcelain made from white china clay and powdered glass, which is substituted for the feldspathic rock used in hard paste porcelain. It is "soft fired" at the relatively low temperature of around 1200 degrees centigrade. After firing, it is characterized by being able to be cut with a file in unglazed areas, and having a translucency that is variable in intensity and color.