What was the Bow Porcelain Factory and why are collectors talking about it?

Bow Porcelain was an early English porcelain factory, associated with London in the mid-18th century and trading under the name New Canton after moving near the River Lea. It is of interest to collectors because the factory was located near the beginning of English porcelain production and popularised a creamy soft-paste product that often used bone ash. The surviving wares have very different uses: tea and tableware copying Asian export styles, as well as moulded figurines for display.