Chinese porcelian began to reach Europe in quantity in the late fifteenth century, Japanese in the mid seventeenth. Apart from a brief interlude in the mid seventeenth century, Chinese porcelain was imported unitl well into the nineteenth century, Japanese only until the 1740s. Thisporcelain was at first a rarity, to be mounted in precious metal mounts or kept in the Cabinet of Curiosities. Soon it was to be displayed as part of the decorative effect in a room, while in some cases it became the decorative effect: the procelain room. Porcelain was imitated in Europe and not much used until it was cheap enough. As the China-mania died, procelain was kept as part of room decoration, often in the new china cupboards.