In faience and porcelain production it is essential to subject the ceramics to a first (or biscuit) firing, at the end of which they will have shrunk by about 8%. This step is not necessary in earthenware production, but it does increase the quality of the wares if they undergo a two-step process (biscuit and glost firing).

Translation Sandy Haemmerle

German: Schrühbrand

French: Premier feu, cuisson de dégourdi

References:

Blondel 2001
Nicole Blondel, Céramique, vocabulaire technique, Paris 2014, 175.

Maggetti 2007
Marino Maggetti, Technique de la faïence française (fin XVIIIe/début XIXe siècle), in : Marino Maggetti, La faïence de Fribourg : 1753-1844, Dijon 2007, 14-31.