China invented porcelain — true vitrified, high-fired ceramic — more than a thousand years before European potters discovered its secret, and the word 'china' in English is a testament to the centuries during which Chinese porcelain was the most prized ceramic in the world. The imperial kilns at Jingdezhen, in Jiangxi province, were the center of Chinese porcelain production from the Song dynasty onward, and the pieces they produced for the emperor's court — and, from the Ming dynasty, for export to the West — set the standard against which all subsequent porcelain was measured.

The major decorative traditions in Chinese porcelain each have their own collector markets. Blue and white porcelain — underglaze cobalt blue painting on a white ground — is the most recognized and most widely produced, spanning from the Yuan dynasty through the present. Famille Rose (fen cai) enamel — a palette of soft pink, green, yellow, and purple overglaze enamels introduced in the Yongzheng period (1723–1735) — is the most commonly found in Texas estates, appearing on vases, covered jars, and decorative dishes. Famille Verte (wu cai) — a predominantly green palette developed in the Kangxi period (1661–1722) — is closely related and slightly earlier. Monochrome glazes (oxblood red, celadon, imperial yellow, mirror black, powder blue) represent the highest achievement of the kiln's technical mastery and include some of the most valuable Chinese ceramics in existence.

The pieces most often encountered in Texas estate sales date from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912) and the Republic period (1912–1949) — including substantial amounts of Chinese export porcelain made for Western buyers. Canton ware, Rose Medallion, and armorial porcelain are the export categories most commonly found. Many pieces carry Qianlong, Yongzheng, or Kangxi reign marks but were actually made in later periods — 'apocryphal' reign marks applied out of respect for an earlier period are common on Qing and Republic pieces.