Porcelain Atlas | Institution brief

From scattered records to shared knowledge

Organise public museum records into consistent fields, filters and comparison views. Retain original links, source names, rights information, collection dates and field provenance where available.

Support research, education and public engagement through topic guides and access to original records. Porcelain Atlas does not replace the source institutions.

Why this work matters

Porcelain information is scattered across museums, auction catalogues, open-data platforms and research directories. New visitors need a way into these records; specialists need cross-source comparison and a clear distinction between source cataloguing, system inference and editorial work.

A searchable, comparable and reviewable knowledge layer can support teaching, digital curation and research across institutions.

Start with a small pilot

Explore a topic with 20–50 sample objects, subject to an agreed scope and permissions.

Review period, object type, technique, material and other structured fields for a selected group.

Turn an exhibition or educational activity into a searchable, shareable guide.

Work with researchers to review inference rules and maintain a terminology list.

Potential deliverables

A data worksheet covering original and standardised fields, inferred values, rights and review status.

An online topic page around an institutional theme, educational project or research question.

Field-review notes recording rules, evidence sources, confidence and editorial revisions.

An agreed maintenance process for updates, feedback, rights issues and version records. Scope, responsibilities, timing and deliverables require separate agreement.

A short introduction to share

Porcelain Atlas is a porcelain knowledge resource connecting public collection data worldwide, helping researchers, institutions and visitors search, compare and understand objects.

We welcome discussions with cultural and educational organisations in Hong Kong and internationally about organising public collection records, research catalogues or topic materials into searchable and reviewable resources, with respect for original sources and rights.

Sources and professional boundaries

This is an independent information project, not an endorsement by or partnership with the source institutions. Museum records, system inferences and editorial work should be distinguished.

Content is not authentication, valuation or transaction advice. Check each record's rights before reusing images or data; missing information is not evidence of permission.

Discuss a sample topic

Use a limited set of records to assess fields, presentation, rights and maintenance before deciding whether to expand into a longer-term collaboration.