The porcelain vessels have a smooth, glossy surface, as opposed to the gritty, more rough-hewn matte finish of the stoneware.

Some Chinese porcelain vessels brought extraordinary prices - as much as seven or eight times Sotheby's estimates.

Four frogs are ensconced among the leaves that surround the rim of an unglazed porcelain vessel by Andrea Joseph.

Altmann also turned his attention to the production of a line of Biedermeier inspired porcelain vessels which were cast rather than wheel turned.

For his lifelong friend Joan Miró, he set a shard of a broken porcelain vessel in a brass ring.

Ms. Rockett's porcelain vessels, background, are 3 to 15 inches high ($55 to $150).

Sy Shames's porcelain vessel is paper thin and pure white.

The unground coffee beans are stored in hand painted porcelain vessels from Nymphenburg.

This highly regarded Danish ceramicist makes beautiful cylindrical and oval porcelain vessels with crisp geometric surface designs.

A series of small porcelain vessels by Miss Duckworth has a haunting majesty, a female strength, despite the delicacy of the works.