Rating: 
Summary: The development of Europe
Review: There were many advances during the rennaisance era in Europe that are far reaching. You would think that something so ephemeral as a luxury item wouldn't have much impact, but history demonstrates otherwise. Deception, espionage, war, and even treason were common occurences in 17th and 18th century Europe. All that in pursuit of the secrets for making porcelain is conceptually challenging to say the least.When one alchemist searching for the legendary philospher's stone performs one illusion too many, he finds himself a "guest" of Augustus the Strong until he provides him with the gold he needs to pay for his extravagantly decadent life style. Fortunately, for the alchemist, he's bright and talented, and just may provide the king with another type of gold to keep the executioner at bay. The Arcanum, is well written and researched with an extensive bibliography. I was very impressed with the level of scholarship exhibited by Ms. Gleeson. Considering the subject matter, and my preconceptions, I was suitably suprised and impressed at what I learned.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Insight for the Expert and New Collector Alike
Review: This is a fascinating true account of the development of European porcelain, the monumental effort to protect its secret, and the resulting struggle to acquire it by any means. Great commuter listening.
Rating:
Summary: Startling tale of the development of European china.
Review: This is an enchantingly written tale of intrigue, chicanery, outright fraud, swindling, and above all, of greed. It also tells of the story of the development of the Arcanum of Porcelain, the treasured secret to the making of, and decoration of, fine china porcelain. Porcelain was so fine you could see the sun through it, harder than ordinary steel, and more expensive than gold. How can a story about so odd a subject be so entrancing? Well, there were some bloody-minded people involved.....
Rating:
Summary: OUTSTANDING
Review: This is an outstanding book and is ineresting from the first page to the last.
I recently read "What Painting Is?" which is about alchemy and the language of alchemy. Although this is a far more difficult book, it is fascinating to read about liquids, vapors, ice, etc. This is a recommendation in addition to Arcanum. The two go hand in hand.
My compliments to the author.
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary story all right - well worth reading
Review: This is one of those 'can't-put-downable' real-life true stories where the truth is stranger than fiction, and in Janet Gleeson's capable hands (or under her capable pen) the story, in all its astounding details unfolds beautifully. Gleeson does rate as one of my favourite authors and she does have the knack of picking out incredibly interesting stories that are peopled with the most astonishing cast of characters. In this case it is the search for the 'recipe' for porcelain, the Arcanum as it was called. It was one of the great mysteries for eighteenth century Europe - the discovery of how it was made was on a par with discovering the philosoper's stone - or the recipe to turn base metals into gold. And in fact the book starts off with a charlatan alchemist (Johann Frederick Böttger) who claims he has discovered this recipe or arcanum. Unfortunately Bottger becomes a prisoner of his wealthy patron who realises that he is worth more as a captive working for him, than as a free-agent roaming around. Forced to experiment Bottger inardvertently stumbles across the arcanum for Pocelain. Gleeson then shows the lives of other men such as Johan Gregor Herold, an ambitious artist, developed colors and patterns of unparalleled brilliance at the newly established Meissen Porcelain Manufacture; and Johann Joachim Kaendler, a virtuoso sculptor who used the Meissen porcelain to invent a new art form. The story is one of greed, incredible artistry and innovation and all set against the political ambitions of a warlike and ever-changing European landscape. Gleeson's true skill is in the way she draws out the detail to people the landscape with lifelike and reaslistic detail without cluttering us with dull information or specious descriptions. She is immensely readable, bringing the story and the people alive.
Rating:
Summary: A substance more valuable than gold
Review: Today, porcelain, china, and dinnerwares are common items in a household. This was not always true. Once, hard paste porcelain, the world's best, was literally as valuable as gold. But only the Chinese knew the formula, and they kept their secret from Europeans for nearly 1000 years. So it is fitting that the person responsible for discovering the Chinese's secret was an alchemist, whose true quest was to find the secret for making gold from other less expensive metals. This swashbuckling tale of adventure, double-dealing, and final victory, is a basic manual for porcelain collectors and dealers, and it is a must for antiques enthusiasts, no matter where their interests lie. Porcelain and its history touch every collecting area to some degree. The knowlege contained in this short history is a must for anyone who aspires to a full education in the decorative arts.
Rating:
Summary: A substance more valuable than gold
Review: Today, porcelain, china, and dinnerwares are common items in a household. This was not always true. Once, hard paste porcelain, the world's best, was literally as valuable as gold. But only the Chinese knew the formula, and they kept their secret from Europeans for nearly 1000 years. So it is fitting that the person responsible for discovering the Chinese's secret was an alchemist, whose true quest was to find the secret for making gold from other less expensive metals. This swashbuckling tale of adventure, double-dealing, and final victory, is a basic manual for porcelain collectors and dealers, and it is a must for antiques enthusiasts, no matter where their interests lie. Porcelain and its history touch every collecting area to some degree. The knowlege contained in this short history is a must for anyone who aspires to a full education in the decorative arts.
Rating:
Summary: Potty About Porcelain !
Review: Who ever thought a book about porcelain could be so engrossing? Ms. Gleeson has written an exciting (yes....exciting!), fascinating tale. It is a combination of science and adventure with some industrial espionage thrown in. The biographical aspects are excellent also. You get a real feel for the personalities who are portrayed in this book: the profligate king (Augustus) who is desperate for a way to finance his out-of-control spending, so he pins his hopes on alchemy!; the teenage alchemist (Johannn Bottger) who draws attention to himself with a magic trick that fools people into thinking he has found a way to create gold, and thereby gets himself locked away by Augustus until he can duplicate the feat! But Bottger was no charlatan. He really thought he could do it.... The tension builds as Augustus invests lots of money in Bottger's enterprise but starts to get impatient when he doesn't see any results.... Poor Bottger even manages to escape for a short while because he is afraid of being executed for his failure. Eventually, he saves himself by coming up with a commercially viable formula for porcelain.... but it wasn't easy! This is a relatively brief book but it is filled with many interesting characters besides the two mentioned above and the action moves around to various cities as people who have worked with Bottger try to smuggle out the secret formula and shop it around to other kings and princes...... A very enjoyable (and educational!) book.
Rating:
Summary: truly spiffing!
Review: written buy one of the true geniouses of our time. Guru, guru... I bow down and worship J.Gleeson... Guru, Guru.
| 
