Limestone pottery is characterized by its white color and light weight. Since it was initially produced mainly in Germany, it was also called German refined pottery as opposed to English feldspar pottery. Later, it was also produced in France. In recent years, it has been actively manufactured in Germany, Czechoslovakia, and other countries as an export product, mainly for decorative items such as vases and plates, and large items such as toilet bowls and wash basins, as well as for coarse and low-priced daily necessities. Asahi ware, created by Wagner in the early Meiji period, was the first limeware in Japan, and in 1931, the National Research Institute of Ceramics and Porcelain began researching limeware. This product weighed about the same as German limeware and was about 30% lighter than feldsparware.
