This volume investigates the historical development and stylistic evolution of Chinese greenware ceramics spanning over a millennium. Mary Tregear, a noted expert in Eastern art, utilizes the extensive collection held at the Ashmolean Museum to provide a comprehensive catalog of these artifacts. The work serves as a scholarly framework for identifying and dating early ceramic production through detailed analysis of form, glaze, and firing techniques.

Scholars and collectors regard this catalog as a foundational reference for the study of early Chinese ceramic history. Readers frequently note the precision of the technical descriptions and the utility of the visual plates for comparative analysis.