bisqueware

Bisqueware, also spelled bisque ware, is ceramic ware that has undergone a first firing in a kiln, known as a biscuit firing, and has not yet been glaze-fired. This stage converts clay from a plastic, workable material into a hard, porous form. It sits between greenware (unfired clay) and fully mature, glaze-fired ware.

During the bisque firing, the clay loses water and chemically changes so the piece becomes rigid and durable enough to handle. It remains porous and absorbent, which makes it suitable for decorating and glazing later. Bisqueware is easier to carve, stamp, or apply underglazes and decals to, compared with unfired clay, and it accepts glaze materials more readily than raw clay.

After bisque firing, the ware can be glazed and then fired again in a second, higher-temperature firing. This glaze firing vitrifies the glaze and, for most clays, further strengthens and hardens the body. The exact temperatures and duration of both firings vary with the clay body (earthenware, stoneware, porcelain) and the desired final results.

Terminology can vary by region and practice. In standard studio usage, bisqueware refers to the first-fired state of pottery, ready to be glazed or decorated and then re-fired. In some contexts, the term may also describe the unglazed stage of porcelain or other high-temperature wares after the initial firing.