Glaze compositions

Claim 1

A transparent glaze composition for use on china and fine china which is essentially free from lead and cadmium and which consists essentially of the following components: ______________________________________ SiO.sub.2 35 to 60% Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 5 to 45% Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 7 to 45% B.sub.2 O.sub.3 4 to 10% at least one of CaO, MgO, SrO or BaO 2 to 20% at least one of Li.sub.2 O, Na.sub.2 O, K.sub.2 O 1 to 10% TiO.sub.2 0 to 10% ZrO.sub.2 0 to about 2.5% SnO 0 to 10% Nb.sub.2 O.sub.5 0 to 5% Ta.sub.2 O.sub.5 0 to 5% Sb.sub.2 O.sub.3 0 to 5% a rare earth oxide 0 to 10% ZnO 0 to 10% P.sub.2 O.sub.5 0 to 10% MoO.sub.3 and/or WO.sub.3 0 to 5% fluoride ions 0 to 5% ______________________________________ all percentages being percentages by weight based on the total weight of the composition, with the proviso that BaO is not contained in an amount of more than 2% by weight, the glaze composition having a firing temperature of 1100° C.±40° C., and having a coefficient of thermal expansion of 50 to 90×10 -7 ° C. -1 .