Meissen Porcelain – Three Centuries of Elegance

Comment

Comment by vicki hufstetler on October 30, 2009 at 11:56am

Terrific Idea! Thank you!

Comment by Nicholas Zumbulyadis on October 29, 2009 at 4:44pm

Meissen You Can Use

From what I can see current economic conditions did limited damage to the high end of the antiques market including porcelain and ceramics. The lower end including popular 19th century Meissen tableware patterns, however, did not fare as well. So here is an opportunity to own elegant things that you can also use. You can quickly assemble authentic yet relatively inexpensive coffee, breakfast, luncheon and dessert sets with prestigious brand names.

Besides the ever-popular Meissen Blue Onion pattern there are other standard Meissen patterns like “Purple Indian Flowers,” “Strewn Flowers,” “German Flowers and Insect,” and many others. These patterns were produced in a standardized fashion throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and in fact are still in production today. So one can gradually accumulate pieces and put together inexpensive, uniform sets that can be used on special occasions without much apprehension. Pick a pattern and watch the auctions and sales. Who knows how long this opportunity will last.

Comment by Anatoly Vishevsky on October 5, 2009 at 4:02pm

Thanks, I will check them out...

Comment by Nicholas Zumbulyadis on October 5, 2009 at 3:24pm

Well, I have bought from Metz but you must always explicitly ask for a condition report, otherwise you might be unpleasantly surprised. Bergmann is very good in terms of client services and accurate descriptions.

Comment by Anatoly Vishevsky on October 5, 2009 at 3:03pm

Thank you. Well, I guess this happens with beginning collectors... I will just have to sell it.
Also, I saw that were talking here about Metz Auction house. Do you recommend them? I know they sell a lot of Meissen. I also signed up for Bonhams. Anyone else important? I believe Sothebys and Cristies only have occasional sales now?

Comment by Nicholas Zumbulyadis on October 5, 2009 at 12:37pm

Unfortunately the enamel colors are burned into the glaze in a second firing and cannot be removed. After overglaze painting, porcelain undergoes a third firing step around 800 degrees Celsius. This is not as complicated as it sounds and is routinely done by amateur porcelain painters. After all, most of Limoges was painted by amateur outsiders (unless it is marked with the factory decorating mark usualy in red overglaze, cf. for example Mary Frank Gaston's book on Limoges porcelain)

Comment by Anatoly Vishevsky on October 5, 2009 at 9:36am

Another question: would it make sense to ask a professional to take off the coloring on the blue and white plate? It is over glaze after all? Do such things work?

Comment by Nicholas Zumbulyadis on October 5, 2009 at 9:31am

Right again! Ferner would indeed be 1740-ish.

Comment by Anatoly Vishevsky on October 5, 2009 at 9:20am

Thanks you! I need your book! :-) I have a couple of pieces by Augsburg Hausmalerei about 1725, but not Ferner yet. Ferner would be later - 1740s, right?
Thanks again.

Comment by Nicholas Zumbulyadis on October 5, 2009 at 6:58am

Yes, the object itself is indeed 18th century Meissen, ca. 1750, underglaze blue in the Blue Onion pattern. The overdecoration (the overglaze colors) is unfortunately considerably later, done outside the manufactory, could be as recent as the 20th century and is detrimental to the value of the piece. There was overdecoration in the 18th century that is rare and desirable like that of the Augsburg Hausmaler or from the workshop of F. J. Ferner. This piece falls unfortunately in the category of "clobbered." I discuss this in my book on "Meissen's Blue and White Porcelain."

• First
• Previous
• Next
• Last