France
From the mid-17th century various East India Companies had been bringing Far Eastern pottery into Europe in increasing quantities. In consequence, there was little incentive for potters of other countries to spend time and money trying to produce a similar type of pottery. It was eventually left to a few French potters, already engaged in [...]

Germany and Austria
Until at least 1770 the pottery fashions in Europe were dictated by those of China and Japan. These wares were imported into Europe in increasing quantities and dominated popular taste until the rise of first Meissen, then Sevres.
For many years a great deal of wealth was spent in the purchase of Far Eastern [...]

Antique Italian and Spanish Pottery of the 18th Century
Prior to about 1710 the only true Spanish pottery as well as Italian pottery being produced in the world was that of the Far East, but experiments were started in Italy, concerned with the manufacture of an artificial, or soft-paste pottery, during thesecond half of the 16th [...]