Porcelain has this distinguishing characteristic, that when held up to a
strong light it appears translucent, unlike fayence, which is perfectly
opaque. Its fracture is hard and white internally, like a broken piece
of alabaster.
Porcelain of soft paste has the appearance of an unctuous white enamel
like cream; it is also to the touch of a soft, warm, and soapy nature,
something like the surface of fine fayence. The pâte tendre is also
soft in another sense, being unable to bear so great a degree of heat in
the furnace as hard porcelain. The soft paste may, therefore, be easily
cut or scratched with a steel point or a file, which would have no
effect upon the hard paste; it is consequently liable to become much
scratched by frequent use. The hard paste or true porcelain is of the
whiteness of milk; it feels to the touch of a hard and cold nature, and
is somewhat heavier than the soft; underneath the plates and other
pieces the rim or edge is left unpolished, or without glaze.
The painting upon porcelain is executed after the ware has been baked.
Whilst in a biscuit state, the piece to be painted is dipped into a
diluted glaze; it readily absorbs the water, leaving on the surface a
thin coating of components which quickly dries into a solid shell,
uniformly thick over all its parts, and sufficiently firm to bear
handling without being rubbed off during removal into the seggar or case
which protects it in the kiln.
The amateur must be upon his guard in collecting porcelain, and not
place too much reliance on the marks which he may find upon the ware.
When the mark is not indented on the paste, or baked with the porcelain
when at its greatest heat (au grand feu), it gives no guarantee of its
genuineness. The mark was nearly always affixed before glazing. It is
necessary in forming a correct judgment of the authenticity of a piece
of valuable china, such as Sèvres, that many things be taken into
consideration: First, above all it is most important to be satisfied
whether the porcelain be of hard or soft paste, and whether such
description of paste was made at the particular epoch represented by the
mark; then, if the decoration be in keeping with the style adopted at
the time indicated, the colours, the finish, and various other indicia
must also be taken into consideration.
Florence. The first successful attempt in Europe to imitate porcelain
was made at Florence as early as 1580, under the auspices of Francesco
I. de’ Medici, but it was not so hard as that of China; that is to say,
it was not composed of kaolin and petuntse, but was a soft paste and
translucent, which is one of the principal tests of porcelain. For
some reason, the manufacture of this porcelain was abandoned after the
death of the inventor.
Fig. 107.—Cruet.
Fig. 107, a cruet for oil and vinegar, has scroll ornament in blue; on
either spout A and O (Aceto and Olio). About 1600.
Fig. 108, a bowl, is painted inside and out with blue flowers. About
1600.
Fig. 108.—Bowl.
Doccia. The manufactory was founded in 1735 by the Marquis Carlo Ginori,
contemporaneously with the manufactory at Sèvres. About 1760 it rose to
great importance, and large groups were executed from the models of the
most celebrated sculptors. In 1821 the moulds of the Capo di Monte
porcelain were transferred to Doccia.
Fig. 109.—Teapot.
About 1860 the fabrication of the imitative Capo di Monte ware of the
18th century, in coloured mezzo-rilievo, was brought to great
perfection, as well as the successful imitation of the maiolica of Xanto
and Maestro Giorgio of the 16th century, by the invention and
introduction of metallic lustres in the colouring.
Fig. 110.—Basin.
Fig. 109, a teapot, is painted with flowers and purple border.
Fig. 110, a basin, has a band of flowers in relief. Diameter 5½ in.
Naples—Capo di Monte. This manufactory was founded by Charles III. in
1736. It is considered of native origin, as the art, which was kept so
profound a secret in Dresden, could, at that early period, have scarcely
had time to be introduced here, and the character of its productions
are also essentially different. The king himself took great interest in
it, and is said to have worked occasionally in the manufactory. The
beautiful Capo di Monte services and groups in coloured relief are of
the second period, circa 1760.
Fig. 111.—Vase.
Fig. 112.—Saucer.
Fig. 113.—Cup and Saucer.
Fig. 114.—Coffee-pot.
Fig. 111, a vase, has green ornaments, on gold ground, and medallions of
figures.
Fig. 112, a saucer, bears a portrait of Ferdinand IV. and legend.
Fig. 113, a cup and saucer, is painted with landscape and figures.
Fig. 114, a coffee-pot, has classical subjects.
Treviso. There was a manufactory of soft porcelain probably established
towards the end of the 18th century, carried on by the brothers Giuseppe
and Andrea Fontebasso.
Fig. 115.—Écuelle.
Fig. 115, an écuelle, with blue ground, has gold fret borders and oval
medallions of Italian buildings, landscapes, and figures.
Fig. 116.—Cup and Saucer.
Fig. 116, the cup is painted with a garden scene, with a man and woman
holding flowers, the former also holding a bird, the latter a cage.
Turin—Vinovo. Vittorio Amedeo Gioanetti established a manufactory of
porcelain at Vinovo or Vineuf in 1770. Attempts in this direction had
been previously made, but they were unsuccessful, and it was not until
Gioanetti applied himself to the manufacture that it succeeded. The ware
was noted for its fine grain and the whiteness of its glaze, as well as
for the colours employed in its decoration.
Fig. 117.—Écuelle.
Fig. 117, an écuelle, is ornamented in gold, with initials and the Royal Arms.
Venice. Porcelain of soft paste was made here probably about 1720.
The “Casa eccellentissima Vezzi” was founded by Francesco Vezzi, a
goldsmith of Venice. He invested the sum of 30,000 ducats in a porcelain
company, amongst whose shareholders were Luca Mantovani and others. The
site of the Vezzi manufactory of porcelain was at S. Nicolo in Venice.
How long after Vezzi’s death it was carried on does not appear, but
judging from the statements made to the Senate in 1765, it did not long
survive him, and the secret of his process for making porcelain had
evidently not been disclosed.
Materials for making porcelain were to be obtained in the Venetian
dominions, but not such as to produce the hard or Oriental porcelain;
they were therefore procured from Saxony, as were probably also some of
the workmen, which will account for the fact that the “Casa
eccellentissima Vezzi” produced both hard and soft paste.
The pieces made at the Vezzi manufactory are painted with masquerades,
grotesque Chinese figures and decorations in relief, flowers, birds,
arabesques, and geometrical patterns and colours, statuettes, &c.,
especially in the Venetian red which pervades all the decorations, the
handles, borders, and mouldings being sometimes covered with silver or
platinum, producing the effect of oxidised metal mountings. Another
striking peculiarity in the decoration of porcelain of this period is a
border of black or coloured diaper work formed by crossed lines, having
in the interstices small gilt points or crosses bordered by scrolls.
These specimens are mostly of hard paste in the form of bowls, plates,
tureens, &c.
Fig. 118.—Vase and Cover.
Fig. 119.—Vase. Cozzi period.
Height 17 in.
A beautiful example of this porcelain is represented in Fig. 118, a vase
and cover of hard paste painted in lake camaïeu, heightened by gold,
with a continuous landscape; the peculiar border, noticed above, with
marks and interlaced bands, is shown on the cover; the edges, knob, and
flutings are raised and plated with silver or platinum.
After the Vezzi manufactory had ceased to exist we have no documents to
prove that any efforts were made to introduce the manufacture of
porcelain into Venice until December 1757, when a petition was presented
to the Venetian College by Frederick Hewelcke & Co., who stated that the
sale introduced and directed by them in Dresden of Saxon porcelain had
been carried on in a very flourishing manner, but that in consequence of
the then existing war (the Seven Years’ War, which commenced in 1756),
they had been obliged to abandon Saxony and to seek refuge in a foreign
country.
On the 18th of March 1758, a decree granted to the Hewelckes the
privileges they had requested. It seems that the undertaking proved
eventually to be unfortunate, and at the termination of that war, which
had brought them to Venice, they returned to their native country.
In 1765, the Senate granted to Giminiano Cozzi, in the Contrada di San
Giobbe, Venice, protection and pecuniary assistance in carrying out a
manufacture of porcelain. Cozzi’s first efforts were directed towards
the imitation of the Oriental ware; and a very large trade was carried
on by him for nearly fifty years. He produced statuettes in biscuit, in
glazed white porcelain, and coloured groups, vases, &c. The gilding on
Cozzi’s porcelain is especially fine, the pure gold of the sequin having
been used in its decoration.
The manufactory ceased to exist in 1812.
Nove. The manufacture of porcelain at Nove may be traced back as far as
the 12th January 1752, when Pasqual Antonibon brought from Dresden a
certain Sigismund Fischer to construct a furnace for making porcelain in
the Saxon style.
From this time forward he continued his experiments, and must have made
great progress in the art, for in February 1761 he had three furnaces,
of which one was for Saxon (ad uso di Sassonia), the other two for
French porcelain (ad uso di Francia).
In 1762, Antonibon submitted specimens of his porcelain to the Board of
Trade, and petitioned that the patent rights which had been conceded to
Hewelcke should be extended to him. At that time, the report states,
Antonibon had at Nove a manufactory, rich in buildings, machinery, and
tools. The capital embarked in it was estimated at 80,000 ducats, and so
great was the sale of his products that he gave employment to 150 men
and their families, in addition to 100 people employed in his retail
business, carried on at his three shops in Venice. This extensive
manufactory was, however, principally for maiolica.
Fig. 120.—Jardinière.
By Antonibon.
On the 7th April 1763, a decree was made in his favour; and he appears
to have set earnestly to work in his manufacture of porcelain. His
competitor, Hewelcke, shortly after deserted Venice; but he had a more
formidable rival in Giminiano Cozzi, who obtained a decree for making
porcelain in 1765, in which Pasqual Antonibon’s manufacture is noticed,
the Senate declaring it to be the duty of the magistrate to make such
arrangements as would lead to an amicable understanding between the
rival manufacturers and their workmen.
Fig. 121.—Vase.
Pasqual Antonibon and his son Giovanni Battista continued the
fabrication of porcelain until the 6th February 1781, when they entered
into partnership with Signor Parolini. The same manufacture, con sommo
onore dell’arte, was continued by them until the 6th February 1802,
when it was leased to Giovanni Baroni, who produced some very charming
pieces both in form and decoration; but in a few years, from being badly
conducted, it began to fall off, and by degrees it went to decay and was
abandoned. The “Fabbrica Baroni,” however, lingered on for more than
twenty years.
Fig. 122.—Vase.
Fig. 123.—Milk-pot.
An example of the Baroni fabrique, in porcelain, with female figure
handles, and painted with classical subjects, is given. (See Fig. 121.)
On 21st May 1825, the old firm of “Pasqual Antonibon and Sons” resumed
the works, the actual proprietors being Gio. Batt. Antonibon and his son
Francesco; they continued the manufacture of porcelain until 1835, but
all their efforts to sustain it were ineffectual; they could not compete
with the porcelain manufactories of France and Germany, so they were
compelled to abandon the factory.
Madrid—Buen Retiro. This manufactory (Soft Paste), called “La
China,” was founded by Charles III. in 1759, in the gardens attached to
his palace, El Buen Retiro, at Madrid. It was organised by workmen whom
he brought with him from Naples. The early ware produced here
consequently resembles that of Capo di Monte.
Fig. 124.—Group.
The royal manufactory was taken possession of by the French, and the
place converted into a fortification, which surrendered in 1812 to the
Duke of Wellington. It was subsequently blown up by Lord Hill when the
misconduct or perfidy of Ballasteros compelled him to evacuate Madrid.
Fig. 125.—Vase.
Height 22 in.
Fig. 126.—Vase.
With scenes from “Don Quixote.”
Height 17 in.
Ferdinand VII., on his restoration, recreated La China, at La Mancha,
once a villa of the Alva family on the Manzanares; but this factory
also has ceased to exist, at least as regards artistic merit.
Alcora. The Comte de Laborde, in his View of Spain, in 1808, says, “On
ne fait de Porcelaine (en Espagne) qu’à Alcora et à Madrid: celle
d’Alcora est très commune, on en fait très peu.” In confirmation of this
assertion M. Chas. Davillier, on a visit to Spain, saw an engraving of a
furnace for baking porcelain with this inscription: “Modele de four pour
la porselene naturele, fait par Haly pour M. le Comte d’Aranda Alcora,
29 Juin 1756.” The works are also noticed by Don Antonio Ponz, Viaje de
España, in 1793.
Fig. 127.—Plaque.
Dresden. The celebrated porcelain manufactory at Dresden, or rather at
Meissen (in its vicinity), was established by Augustus II., Elector of
Saxony, for the manufacture of true porcelain, that is, hard paste. The
experiments of Tschirnhaus and Böttcher commenced about 1706, and to the
latter is attributed the invention of hard paste. His first attempt was
a red ware, like jasper, which was cut and polished by the lapidary, and
ornamented by gilding; it was a fine stoneware, having the opacity,
grain, and toughness of pottery. Later, Böttcher succeeded in
discovering the mode of making true porcelain by the accidental
detection of the kaolin necessary for the purpose. In consequence of
this important discovery, Augustus II. established the great manufactory
at Meissen, of which Böttcher was appointed Director in 1710, and about
1715 he succeeded in making a fine white porcelain. The first
decorations upon this ware were very imperfect, consisting of a blue
colour under the glaze, in imitation of Nankin blue porcelain. It was
under Horoldt’s direction, in 1720, that paintings of a superior
character, accompanied by gilding, and medallions of Chinese figures
were introduced, and magnificent services completed. In 1731, Kändler,
a sculptor, superintended the modelling of animals, groups, vases, &c.,
while other artists painted birds, insects, and copies of paintings
principally of the Flemish school. The best productions emanated from
the Dresden manufactory from 1731 to 1756.
Fig. 128.—Vase.
Fig. 129.—Sucrier, Cup and Saucer.
Etched by Busch.
Fig. 130.—Cup and Saucer.
Of the Marcolini period, with gros bleu ground.
Kändler modelled men and animals of the natural size, as well as
peacocks, herons, pelicans, and other birds. Among the pieces produced
about this time by, or under the direction of, Kändler, at Meissen was
Count Bruhl’s tailor mounted upon a goat, with all the implements of his
trade about him. This vain man had a great desire that his likeness
should be executed in porcelain at the royal manufactory, and his
request was complied with, but probably not in such a way as to gratify
his vanity, for not only the tailor but his wife were thus immortalised,
aere perennius, in porcelain. In 1754 Dietrich became Director, and he
was succeeded in 1796 by Marcolini, whose beautiful productions are well
known. Porcelain of his period is always distinguished by a star
underneath crossed swords. In spite of the precautions taken at Meissen
to prevent the secret becoming known—the penalty being death, or
perpetual imprisonment in the Castle of Königstein—some workmen escaped to reveal it elsewhere.
Fig. 131.—Vase and Cover.
Painted with views of public buildings in Dresden.
The white Meissen porcelain was sometimes ornamented by private persons,
especially by a Baron Busch, Canon of Hildesheim, who was the only
person possessed of the secret of engraving with a diamond on china.
Fig. 132.—Bust of a Girl.
White porcelain.
Fig. 133.—Teapot and Saucer.
Pink ground, painted with landscapes and figures.
Berlin. This manufactory for Hard Paste was established by Wilhelm
Caspar Wegeli in 1751, in the Neue Friedrichsstrasse. It was carried on
for about ten years, but it never remunerated the originator, and he
abandoned it in 1761, when Gottskowski, a celebrated banker, became the
purchaser, and removed the works to Leipziger Strasse; assisted by his
capital, they were brought to great perfection.
Fig. 134.—Group.
In plain white. Wegeli period.
Height 9 in.
Johann Ernst Gottskowski obtained the secret of porcelain from Ernst
Heinrich Richard, who had been employed by Wegeli. Gottskowski did not
personally manage the manufactory, but placed it under the management of
the Commissioner Grunenger, which led to his employment from the year
1763 to 1786 as the head of the royal porcelain manufactory at Berlin.
In 1763, Gottskowski gave up to the king the whole of his factory of
porcelain, receiving 225,000 dollars, and entering into a contract for
the sale of his secrets.
Fig. 135.—Group.
Wegeli period.
Height 6¾ in.
With a view to encouraging the manufacture in his kingdom, the king made
presents of superb services of Berlin china to several German princes in
the year 1766. When Frederick the Great occupied Dresden, in the seven
years’ war, he expatriated many of the best modellers and painters to
form his royal manufactory; among these were Meyer, Klipsel, and Böhme.
The king also transported great quantities of the clay and a portion of
the collection. Independently of this, and the better to insure
employment for the five hundred persons engaged in the processes, he
restricted the Jews resident in any part of his dominions from entering
into the marriage state, until each man had obtained a certificate from
himself, which was only granted on the production of a voucher from the
Director of the manufactory that porcelain to a given amount had been
purchased, and that there was reasonable cause for granting the
indulgence. Of course the Jews more readily disposed of their purchases
than the general dealers, and the device was attended with favourable
results. To insure the success of the establishment and extend its
operations, Frederick embraced every opportunity that was presented; and
it was so well supported that in 1776 seven hundred men were constantly
employed, and it is said that three thousand pieces of porcelain were
made daily.
Fig. 136.—Milk-pot, Cup and Saucer.
In 1769 an order was published permitting a lottery company to purchase
annually to the amount of 90,000 dollars.
About 1872, the Berlin Royal Porcelain Manufactory was working seven
kilns, and employing three hundred workmen; the annual produce amounted
on an average to half a million finished articles, value 150,000
Prussian dollars. The superintendence was entrusted to Herr Kolbe (who
succeeded Herr Frick in the direction), under whom were Dr. Eisner as
chemist, Herr Mantel as master modeller, and Herr Looschen as head
painter.
Fig. 137.—Lamp-stand.
Höchst, a town situated on the Main, and now in Nassau, belonged to the
Electors of Mainz. A manufactory was founded in 1746 by J. C. Göltz and
J. F. Clarus, two merchants of Frankfort, assisted by A. von Löwenfinck,
but they were unsuccessful, and called in Ringler, of Vienna, who had
escaped from the manufactory. During the Electorate of Johann Friedrich
Karl, Archbishop of Mainz, their porcelain ranked among the first in
Europe. About 1760 the celebrated modeller Melchior was engaged, and
some very elegant statuettes and designs for vases, &c., were produced.
Melchior left the manufactory about 1785, and his successor, Ries, was
not so skilful, and all his figures having disproportionate heads, the
so-called “thick-head” period commenced. Christian Gottlieb Kuntze was
another celebrated worker in this fabrique. On the invasion of the
French under General Custine in 1794, all the materials were sold by
auction.
Fig. 138.—Tray and Sucrier.
Frankenthal, in Bavaria. Established in 1754, by Paul Hannong, who,
having discovered the secret of hard porcelain, offered it to the royal
manufactory at Sèvres, but the authorities not agreeing as to the price,
the offer was declined, and they commenced persecuting him—for in that
year a decree forbade the making of translucent ware in France except at
Sèvres—and Hannong was compelled to go to Frankenthal, leaving his
fayence manufactory at Strassburg in charge of his sons. In 1761 the
factory was purchased by the Elector Carl Theodore, and it attained
great celebrity, which it maintained until he became Elector of Bavaria,
in 1777. It then declined, and all the stock and utensils were sold in
1800 and removed to Greinstadt. The following chronogram denotes the
year 1775:—
VarIantIbVs · fLosCVLIs · DIVersI · CoLores ·
fabrICæ · sVb · reVIVIsCentIs · soLIs · hVIVs ·
raDIIs · eXVLtantIs ·
In·frankenthaL· ✴
It occurs on a porcelain plate, Fig. 139, having in the centre the
initials of Carl Theodore, interlaced and crowned, within a gold star of
flaming rays; radiating from this are thirty divisions, and on the
border thirty more, all numbered and painted with small bouquets, en
camaïeu, of all the various shades of colour employed in the
manufactory.
Fig. 139.—Plate.
Fig. 140.—A Déjeuner Service.
Neudeck, on the Au, and Nymphenburg. This factory was established in
1747, by a potter named Niedermayer. Graf von Hainshausen became its
patron in 1754, and in 1756 he sent for Ringler, who organised the
establishment, and it was then placed under the protection of the
Elector Maximilian Joseph. On the death of his successor, Carl Theodore,
in 1799, the Frankenthal manufactory was abandoned, and transferred to
Nymphenburg, which is still a royal establishment, and well supported.
The pieces are manufactured in white at Nymphenburg, but chiefly
decorated at Munich and elsewhere; that is the reason why on the same
piece the Nymphenburg mark is frequently found impressed, with the mark
of some other factory painted in colour.
Fig. 141.—Tankard.
Fig. 141, moulded in relief and painted with flowers; marks, the coat of
Bavaria, 1765 in gold, two leaves and I. A. H. in green; height 7¼
in.
Fig. 142, painted in colours; marks, the coat of arms of Bavaria, and A
incised; diameter 3¼ in. and 5¼ in.
Fig. 142.—Cup and Saucer.
Fig. 143.—Cup and Saucer.
Anspach, a town which belonged to the Margraves of Anspach and is now
in Bavaria. There was a factory here about 1760.
Fig. 143 is painted with figures in colour; signed “Schelk, pinx.”; mark
A in blue; diameter 3 ins. and 5¼ in.
Bayreuth was under the same rulers as Anspach, and is now also in
Bavaria. There was a manufactory here in the 18th century, but little
appears to be known respecting it.
Fig. 144.—Cup.
Fig. 144 is painted in colours, and gilt inside; mark, “Metzsch 1748
Bayr”; diameter 2¾ in.
Kelsterbach, in Hesse. A manufactory for pottery was founded here about
1758, where later porcelain was also made. The works only lasted about
sixteen years.
Fig. 145.—Harlequin.
Fig. 145 is painted in colours; mark, H. D. under a crown, in blue;
height 6¾ in.
Thuringia. In the middle of the 18th century a number of small porcelain
factories sprang up in this district. It is said that they owe their
origin to a chemist named Macheleid, who discovered by accident a
deposit of kaolin, and obtained permission from the Prince of
Schwarzburg to establish a factory at Sitzenroda, which in 1762 was
removed to Volkstedt.
Fig. 146.—Cup and Saucer.
Diam. 2¾ in. and 5¾ in.
Closter, or Kloster, Veilsdorf, or Volkstedt. The porcelain manufactory
of Sitzenroda was transferred to Volkstedt, in Thuringia, in 1762, where
it was farmed by a merchant named Nonne, of Erfurt, who greatly enlarged
and improved the works. About the year 1770 it was carried on by
Greiner. In 1795 more than 120 workmen were employed.
Fig. 147.—Teapot.
Fig. 148.—Tray.
Fig. 148 is moulded in rococo style, and painted with flowers; mark,
shield of Saxe-Meiningen between C. V.; length 12½ in.
Rudolstadt. The factory at Volkstedt was afterwards removed to
Rudolstadt, near Jena. Gotthelf Greiner had the direction of several of
the other Thuringian manufactories; he died in 1797.
Fig. 149.—Milk-pot and Cup and Saucer.
Fulda, in Hesse. A factory was established here about 1763 by Arnandus,
Prince-Bishop of Fulda, for the manufacture of porcelain. The best
artists were employed, and many grand vases, figures, and services of a
fine white paste and handsomely decorated were produced.
Fig. 150.—A Peasant.
Fig. 151.—A Peasant.
Fig. 152.—Cup and Saucer.
Fig. 153.—Coffee-pot.
Fürstenberg. In Brunswick, established in 1750, by the help of Bengraf,
who came from Höchst; he died the same year, and Baron von Lang, a
distinguished chemist, undertook the direction of the works, under the
patronage of Carl, Duke of Brunswick. The manufactory was carried on by
the Government up to the middle of last century.
Fig. 154, a bust of Augusta, Duchess of Brunswick, grand-daughter of
King George II., is in white biscuit; mark, F in blue, a running
horse, and W; height 20½ in.
Fig. 154.—Bust.
Fig. 155—Medallions.
In white biscuit.
Fig. 155. Portraits of O. D. Beckmann and A. L. Schlötzer; marked with a
running horse and F; length 2⅞ in.
Ludwigsburg, in Würtemberg. Established by J. J. Ringler in 1758, under
the patronage of Carl Eugene, the reigning duke. It was celebrated for
the excellence of its productions and the fine paintings on its vases
and services, as well as for its excellent groups. This factory ceased
in 1824.
Fig. 156.—Chocolate-pot.
Fig. 156 is painted with figures of Hope and Music in panels; mark,
double C under a crown, in blue; height 5¼ in.
Fig. 157.—Coffee-pot.
Fig. 157 is painted in lake camaïeu, with a landscape and buildings
after Claude, and has a gilt, arabesque and scroll border.
Regensburg, or Ratisbon. This factory was established about 1760.
Fig. 158.—Cup and Saucer.
Grossbreitenbach. A factory was established here about 1770 by Greiner.
The demand for his porcelain was so great, that not being able to
enlarge his works at Limbach, he started this as well as Veilsdorf and
Volkstedt.
Fig. 159.—Milk-pot.
Fig. 159 is grey blue ware in imitation of Wedgwood, with classical
group in white relief, bearing a wreath with the cypher F. G. C. under a
crown; marks, “Breitenbach et Limbach,” and “Gruber”; height 4 in.
LIMBACH
Fig. 160.—Sucrier, Cover, and Stand.
Limbach, Saxe-Meiningen. This manufactory was also under the direction
of Gotthelf Greiner. It was established about 1762.
Fig. 160 is painted with flowers; mark, two letters L crossed; diameters
4⅞ and 8¼ in.
Gera. A manufactory was founded here about 1780.
Fig. 161.—Sugar Basin.
Fig. 161 is painted with festoons of pink flowers; mark, G in blue;
height 6¼ in.
Fig. 162.—Cup, Cover, and Saucer.
Fig. 162 is grained in imitation of oak, with medallions painted with
views, “Schloss aus dem Kohlenhofe” on cup, and “Lauchstaedt vor dem
Brunnen” on saucer; signed, “Rühlig Fec”; mark, G in blue; diameters 3
and 5¼ in.
Baden-Baden. A porcelain manufactory was established in 1753 by the
widow Sperl and workmen from Höchst, with the patronage of the reigning
Margrave, under Pfälzer. It ceased in 1778.
GOTHA
Fig. 163.—Figure of Bacchus.
In white biscuit.
Height 11 in.
Gotha. Founded in 1780 by Rothenberg, and afterwards (1802) conducted by
Henneberg.
Rauenstein, in Saxe-Meiningen. A factory for hard paste was established
here in 1760.
Fig. 164.—Cup and Saucer.
Fig. 164 is painted with flowers; mark, R—n; diameters 3 and 5 in.
Wallendorf, in Saxe-Coburg. There was also a factory for hard paste
established by Greiner and Haman here in 1762.
Fig. 165 is painted in dark blue, and with leaves in relief; mark, W, in
blue; height 10 in.
Fig. 165.—Vase.
This manufactory for hard paste was founded about 1717. There are
several traditions as to its origin: one is that a musician named La
France, and a billiard-marker, named Dupuis, brought with them to
Vienna, in October 1717, a certain Cristofle Conrad Hünger, who had been
employed at Meissen as an enamel painter and gilder, and that in the
following year they were joined by a man named Stölzel of Meissen, who
was possessed of the secret, and became director. Another that it was a
private enterprise set on foot by Claude du Pasquier, who obtained from
the Emperor Charles VII. a privilege for twenty-five years. Major Byng
Hall (Adventures of a Bric-à-Brac Hunter), however, says that it was
established in 1718 by Claude Innocenz de Blaquier, who engaged one
Stenzel or Stölzel to co-operate with him. With this object in view De
Blaquier proceeded secretly to Meissen, where he contrived to scrape
acquaintance with the arcanist in a coffee-house. He engaged with
Stenzel in a game of billiards, taking care to lose, and thus he secured
his object. Stenzel after some slight hesitation, accepted an offer of a
thousand dollars to be paid yearly.
Fig. 166.—Cabaret.
De Blaquier had to contend with many difficulties owing to his not being
possessed of the secret, and at the end of the second year Stenzel not
having been paid regularly according to his contract, returned to
Meissen, after having maliciously destroyed many of the models. The
works had consequently to be suspended. But De Blaquier, being a man of
energy and determination, endeavoured by numerous experiments to
discover the porcelain mixture, and his efforts were finally crowned
with success.
Fig. 167.—Milk-pot.
After twenty-five years’ labour De Blaquier decided in 1744 to offer the
works to the Government.
The young Empress Maria Theresa resolved to support the factory, which
promised to give occupation and profit to her subjects, honour and gain
to the State. She therefore commanded that it should be taken by State
contract from its owner, and that De Blaquier should receive the
direction with a salary of 1500 florins a year.
Fig. 168.—Plate.
From 1747 to 1790 was the best period for figures and groups, while from
1780 to 1820 painting on china became celebrated, the subjects being
taken from paintings by Watteau, Lancret, Boucher, Angelica Kauffmann,
and others.
In 1785 the most important improvements were made under the Baron de
Lorgenthal or Sorgenthal; artists of the highest talents were employed,
a first-rate chemist named Leithner was engaged to prepare the colours
and gilding, the chefs d’œuvre of the early masters were copied,
while the gilding was brought to a perfection which has never been
surpassed.
Fig. 169.—Cup and “Trembleuse” Saucer.
18th Century.
After the death of the Baron in 1805, Neidermayer became Director. The
manufacture continued in its flourishing condition until about 1815.
From the year 1784 to the date of its extinction, it was the custom to
mark every piece with the number of the year, which circumstance may be
of great service to the connoisseur who seeks early specimens of Vienna
porcelain. It is stamped without colour underneath the piece—or rather
indented, the first numeral being omitted; thus the number 792 stands
for 1792; 802 for 1802; and so on.
From 1827, under the direction of Scholtz, who followed Niedermayer, the
manufactory began to decline, and what with economy, indifferent
workmen, and bad artists copying from French models its doom was sealed.
It gradually dwindled down to a second-rate factory, and in consequence
of the great annual expense it was discontinued in 1864. The books on
art belonging to the factory, and all the drawings of its most
successful period, together with many of the models, the library, and
the keramic collection, were given to the Imperial Museum in Vienna, to
be retained as a lasting memorial of its celebrity.
Fig. 166 is painted in camaïeu on purple ground, and gilt; mark,
shield crowned; length of tray 12 in.
Fig. 167 is painted in colours and gilt, with busts of ladies, entitled
“L’Hérisson” and “Fantaisie Moderne”; mark, the shield in blue; height 6
in.
Fig. 168 is painted in colours, with two nymphs in a landscape playing
with the infant Bacchus; mark, the Austrian shield of arms, in blue; the
painting attributed to Fürstler.
Schlaggenwald, in Bohemia. This manufactory was established in the year
1810. George Lippert was the owner in 1842, and much improved the
industry. Some pieces are marked “Lippert & Haas.”
Fig. 170.—Cup and Saucer.
Fig. 170 is painted in colours, with medallions containing figures of
Justice; mark, S; diam. 2½ and 5 in.
Herend, in Hungary. There was a manufactory of porcelain here towards
the end of the 18th century, but particulars concerning its origin are
not known.
Fig. 171 is painted in oriental style, with flowers, &c.; late 18th
century.
Fig. 171.—Portion of a Cabaret or Breakfast Service.
Nyon, on the lake of Geneva. A manufactory was in full work here towards
the end of the 18th century. It is said to have been established by a
French flower painter named Maubrée, and several Genevese artists
painted on the porcelain, occasionally marking it with a “G” or “Geneva”
in full; but there never was a manufactory of china at Geneva itself.
Fig. 172.—Cup and Saucer.
Zürich. Established here in 1763 by a few Zürich gentlemen, with the aid
of a workman, named Spengler, from Höchst. Another German, Sonnenschein,
a sculptor, was employed to model figures and groups. The factory was
not a financial success. In 1793 the works were sold to a potter named
Nehracher, and on his death in 1800 the works ceased.
NYON
Fig. 173.—Cup and Saucer.
With mark, fish in blue.
Fig. 174 represents a soldier trampling on a Turk and unveiling a lady,
martial and love trophies on the ground.
Fig. 174.—A Group.
Weesp. The first manufactory for porcelain in Holland was at Weesp, near
Amsterdam. It was established in 1764 by the Count
Cronsfeldt-Diepenbroick, who had by some means obtained the secret of
the composition of hard paste. After existing seven years, the factory
was closed in 1771. Notwithstanding the unsuccessful result from a
commercial point of view, it was reopened by a Protestant minister, the
Rev. De Moll, of Oude Loosdrecht, associated with some capitalists of
Amsterdam, but the next year it was removed to Loosdrecht. The
decorations are very much of the Saxon character.
Fig. 175.—Ewer.
With mark, W.
Fig. 176.—Coffee-pot.
Mark, a cross and dots.
Oude Loosdrecht, situated between Utrecht and Amsterdam, was the next
town where porcelain was successfully made. It sprang from the ashes of
Weesp, and in 1772 became a company, with the Rev. De Moll at its head;
after his death, in 1782, the concern passed into the hands of his
partners, J. Rendorp, A. Dedel, C. Van der Hoop, Gysbz, and J. Hope, and
was by them removed, in 1784, to Oude Amstel. The ware is of fine
quality, decorated in the Saxon style; specimens are frequently met
with, having gilt borders and a light blue flower between green leaves.
Fig. 177.—Vase.
Fig. 178.—Panel.
Mark, M : o L. in blue.
Width 12¾ in.
Amsterdam. Fig. 179. Painted in lake camaïeu with birds and trees; the
mark, lion, in blue.
Fig. 179.—A Pair of Bottles.
Oude Amstel. On the death of the Rev. De Moll in the year 1782, the
manufactory of Loosdrecht was removed to Oude Amstel (Old Amstel), near
Amsterdam, and carried on with redoubled zeal by the same company,
directed by a German named Däuber, about 1784. It flourished under his
direction for a few years, and produced a fine description of porcelain,
but it gradually declined, in consequence of the large importations from
England which inundated the country. In 1789 it came into the hands of
J. Rendorp, C. Van der Hoop, and Gysbz, still remaining under Däuber’s
direction, but it was entirely demolished at the close of the 18th
century.
Fig. 180.—Teapot and Sucrier.
Fig. 181.—Sucrier.
The Hague. About the year 1775, a porcelain manufactory for both hard
and soft paste was opened at The Hague, under the direction of a German
named Leichner or Lynker. The works ceased in 1785 or 1786.
Fig. 182.—Plate.
Of soft paste.
Fig. 182 bears the mark of a stork in blue; diam. 9½ in.
Tournai. Established in 1750 by Peterinck. For some time previous to
1815 the works were carried on by M. Maximilien de Bettignies, who, in
consequence of the annexation of Tournai to Belgium, ceded it in that
year to his brother Henri, and established another factory at St.
Amand-les-Eaux. Soft paste, which has been discontinued for many years
in every other fabrique in France, is still made at both places, and
they consequently produce the closest imitations of old Sèvres pâte
tendre.
Fig. 183.—Cup and Saucer.
With the early mark in gold.
Fig. 184 is painted in blue; mark, crossed swords and three crosses;
diam. 9½ in.
Fig. 184.—Plate.
Fig. 185.—Salt-cellar.
Fig. 185 is painted with birds; mark, crossed swords and four crosses,
in gold; height 4⅜ in.
Brussels. There was a manufactory of hard paste porcelain here towards
the end of the 18th century.
Fig. 186.—Milk Jug.
Signed L. Cretté.
Fig. 187.—Teapot.
A factory for hard paste porcelain was established at Sept Fontaines
about 1806, by the brothers Boch. Both pottery and porcelain were made
here, including plates, vases, figures, &c.
LUXEMBURG
Fig. 188.—Two Figures of “The Seasons.”
With mark, B. L.
At St. Petersburg, an Imperial china manufactory was established in
1744, by the Empress Elizabeth Petrowna, with workmen from Meissen.
Catherine II. patronised the works, and in 1765 enlarged them
considerably, under the direction of the minister, J. A. Olsoufieff,
since which this fabrique has held a distinguished place among
European manufactories. The paste is hard and of a blueish cast, finely
glazed, and it betrays its Dresden origin.
Fig. 189.—Cup and Saucer.
With the mark of the Emperor Paul.
Fig. 190.—Verrière.
Moscow, 1720. The potter Eggebrecht, who had undertaken a manufactory of
delft at Dresden, by direction of Böttcher, had, after that was
discontinued, left to go to Moscow, and, being acquainted with some of
the processes for making porcelain, commenced manufacturing it at
Moscow.
Fig. 191.—Statuette.
Mark, G in blue.
Height 8 in.
Fig. 192.—Cup and Saucer.
With view of Moscow. Mark, A. Popoffe’s initials.
A porcelain manufactory was established at Twer, by an Englishman named
Gardner, in 1787, and another by A. Popoff.
Korzec, in Volhynia. About 1803, Mérault, a chemist of the Sèvres
manufactory, went to direct the fabrique at Korzec, taking with him a
laboratory assistant named Pétion. After carrying it on for a few years,
Mérault abandoned the direction, and returned to France.
Fig. 193.—Pâte dure Cup and Saucer.
Painted with a
portrait of a lady, en grisaille, with gilt borders.
Mark, Eye within a triangle.
Baranowka, in Volhynia. A small factory existed here at which the
porcelain clay found in the neighbourhood was used.
Fig. 194.—Milk Jug.
Mark, the name of the town.
Marieberg. This manufactory produced porcelain (soft paste), as well
as fayence. In quality as well as in decoration the porcelain is like
that of Mennecy-Villeroy in France. The industry was established by
Ehrenreich, under the patronage of Count Scheffer, Councillor of State,
in 1750, and altogether ceased about 1780.
Fig. 195.—Custard Cup and Cover.
Mark, M.B. combined.
Height 3¼ in.
Copenhagen. This manufactory was commenced by an apothecary of the name
of Müller, in 1772, and Baron von Lang, from the Fürstenberg
manufactory, is said to have been instrumental in forming it. The
capital was raised in shares, but the factory not being successful, the
Government interfered, and it became a royal establishment in 1775, and
has remained so ever since.
Fig. 196.—Cabaret.
With portraits of Raphael, and other celebrated painters.
Fig. 197.—Cabaret.
St. Cloud. A factory was established here about 1695 for the production
of porcelain, at which time M. Morin was proprietor, and M. Chicanneau
director of the works.
Fig. 198.—Jug.
According to letters patent of 1702, granted to the heirs of Chicanneau,
his widow, Barbe Courdray, and her children, were interested in the
works; their father had made many experiments and attempts to discover
the secret of true porcelain, and from the year 1696 had produced some
nearly equal to the porcelain of China. His children, to whom he
imparted the secret, successfully continued the fabrication, and were
permitted to manufacture porcelain at St. Cloud, or in any other part or
parts of the kingdom, except Rouen and its faubourgs. In 1712 a renewal
of the patent took place for ten years, and in the meantime the widow
Barbe Courdray married a M. Trou.
Fig. 199.—Statuette.
Astronomy seated, holding the sun.
In 1722 letters patent were granted for twenty years more to Jean and
Jean Baptiste Chicanneau, Marie Moreau, the widow of Pierre Chicanneau
(third son) and Henri and Gabriel Trou, children of Barbe Courdray by
her second marriage. About this time serious disagreements occurred
between the two families, and they separated, Gabriel and Henri Trou
remaining at St. Cloud, patronised by the Duke of Orleans; while Marie
Moreau opened another establishment in the Rue de la Ville l’Évêque,
Faubourg St. Honoré, directed by Dominique François Chicanneau. In 1742
another arrêt granted privileges for twenty years to both these
establishments, and Marie Moreau dying in 1743 left Dominique her
business.
The manufactory at St. Cloud was destroyed by fire (the act of an
incendiary) in 1773, and the manufacture ceased, the proprietors not
being able to raise sufficient funds to rebuild it.
Chantilly. This manufactory was founded in 1725 by Ciquaire Cirou, under
the patronage of the Prince de Condé, as appears by letters patent dated
1735, who was succeeded by Antheaume and others. The porcelain was
highly esteemed, and there was hardly any object which they did not
produce, from the lofty vase to the simplest knife handle. The Chantilly
pattern was a great favourite for ordinary services; it was called
“Barbeau,” and consisted of a small blue flower running over the white
paste.
Fig. 200.—Dish.
Mark, hunting horn and P, in gold.
Diameter 12 in.
Fig. 201.—Pair of Figures.
Rouen. Louis Poterat, Sieur de St. Ètienne, of St. Sever, at Rouen,
obtained letters patent in 1673, stating that he had discovered
processes for fabricating porcelain similar to that of China, and wares
resembling those of Delft; but the former was of a very rude character
and never arrived at any perfection.
After the establishment at St. Cloud had commenced selling porcelain,
the proprietors of the Rouen manufactory appear to have revived their
porcelain in the hopes of competing with them, but with no good result.
Mennecy-Villeroy. This important manufactory was established in 1735 by
François Barbin, under the patronage of the Duc de Villeroy. The early
specimens are similar to the porcelaine tendre of St. Cloud, of a
milky translucent appearance.
Fig. 202.—Sugar Basin and Stand.
Barbin was succeeded about 1748 by Messieurs Jacques and Jullien, and
the manufactory continued in a flourishing state until 1773, when on the
expiration of the lease it was removed to Bourg-la-Reine.
Fig. 203.—Group of Children.
Sceaux Penthièvre, near Paris. Established in 1750 by Jacques Chapelle;
it was situated opposite the Petit Châtelet, and was under the patronage
of the Duc de Penthièvre. It was carried on by Glot in 1773. The
Prince-Protector died in 1794, but the production of pâte tendre
ceased before that time.
Fig. 204.—Cup and Saucer.
Fig. 205.—Milk-pot.
Mark, S. X.
Arras. Established in 1782 by the Demoiselles Deleneur, under the
patronage of M. de Calonne, Intendant de Flandre et de l’Artois; it only
lasted a few years.
Fig. 206.—Seau.
Mark, A. R.
Boulogne-sur-mer. Established by M. Haffringue, in the 19th century,
with the kaolin of Limoges.
Fig. 207.—Plaque.
White biscuit.
Fig. 208.—Sucrier.
White biscuit.
Étiolles (Seine-et-Oise), near Corbeil. Established in 1768, by Monnier,
for soft paste porcelain. The works lasted only a short time.
Fig. 209.—Cup and Saucer.
Mark, E. Pellevé, 1770.
Diameter 2½ and 5 in.
Lille. Established in 1711 by Barthélemy Dorez and Pierre Pelissier, his
nephew, natives of Lille. The porcelain (pâte tendre) of this time
was like that of St. Cloud, but in the Delft style, the favourite
ornamentation being Chinese designs. At a later period (in 1784) a
manufactory of hard porcelain was established by Leperre Durot, under
the patronage of the Dauphin; it was styled “Manufacture Royale de
Monseigneur le Dauphin.” The porcelain of Leperre Durot is richly
adorned with gold and with carefully painted bouquets of flowers.
Fig. 210.—Cup and Saucer.
With mark, crowned Dolphin.
M. Roger succeeded Leperre Durot, and in 1792 he sold his interest in
the works to Messieurs Regnault and Graindorge; they were, however, soon
ruined, and the establishment was closed.
Bourg-la-Reine. Started in 1773 by Messieurs Jacques and Jullien, who
removed thither on the expiration of their lease at Mennecy. It was in
active existence, making china purely of an industrial character, in
1788.
Fig. 211.—Custard Cup.
Mark, B. R.
Height 3¼ in.
Clignancourt. Established in 1775 by Pierre Deruelle, under the
patronage of Monsieur le Comte de Provence, brother of the king
(afterwards Louis XVIII.).
Fig. 212.—Milk-pot and Cover.
Fig. 213.—Cup and Dish. Fig. 214.—Milk Jug.
Lunéville. A factory called “Manufacture Stanislas” was established in
1731. It lasted only a short time, but a later manufactory, founded
about 1769, was celebrated for its productions.
Paul Louis Cyfflé, sculptor, obtained, in 1768, letters patent for
fifteen years, by virtue of which he established another manufactory for
superior vessels of the material called terre de Lorraine, and in the
following year a new privilege was granted for making groups and
statuettes with his improved paste, under the name of pâte de marbre.
Orleans. Established by M. Gerréault in 1753, under the protection of
the Duc de Penthièvre; the porcelain first made here was of the soft
paste, but hard paste was subsequently produced. Gerréault was succeeded
by Bourdon fils about 1788, Piédor, Dubois, and lastly, Le Brun, from
1808 to 1811.
Niderviller. Established about 1760 by Baron de Beyerlé. After
successfully carrying on this branch for several years, he attempted
hard porcelain in 1768, and procured potters and artists from Saxony.
Three or four years before his death, which happened in 1784, the estate
was bought by General de Custine. This new proprietor continued the
fabrique, under the direction of M. Lanfray, who paid especial
attention to the production of fine porcelain; the fabrication of
statuettes was greatly increased.
ORLEANS
Fig. 215.—Bowl, Cover, and Stand.
Mark, heraldic label in blue.
Fig. 216.—Milk-pot and Cover.
Mark, double C under coronet, in blue.
Height 6½ in.
After the decapitation of the unfortunate de Custine, his estates, being
forfeited to the Republic, were sold on the 25 Germinal, An X (1802), to
M. Lanfray, and carried on by him until his death in 1827, when the
manufactory was sold to L. G. Dryander, of Saarbrücken. For many years
he continued to make porcelain, as well as fayence groups and
statuettes, but the distance of his fabrique from the kaolin of St.
Yrieix prevented him from competing successfully with those of Limoges,
and this branch was abandoned.
Boissette, near Melun. A factory was established in 1777 by Jacques
Vermonet père et fils, but it lasted only a short time.
Fig. 217.—Teapot.
Caen, Normandy. Established and supported by some of the principal
inhabitants, at the time of the French Revolution (about 1793), when
several workmen from Sèvres came to join it. It was carried on for a few
years, but no market being found for the ware, the factory was
discontinued at the commencement of the last century. It is hard paste,
and equal to that of Sèvres, and of the same forms.
Fig. 218.—Cup and Saucer.
With “Caen” stencilled in red.
Valenciennes (Nord). By an Order of Council, dated 24th May 1785, M.
Fauquet was permitted to carry on a manufacture of porcelain at
Valenciennes. He was originally established at St. Amand in the
manufacture of fayence as early as 1775, and probably carried on both
works simultaneously.
Fig. 219.—Cup and Saucer.
Mark, F. L. V., in cipher, in
blue.
Diam. 3¾ and 6¼ in.
St. Amand-les-eaux. Founded by M. Maximilien de Bettignies in 1815, for
the manufacture of pâte tendre porcelain like the old Sèvres. He was
formerly proprietor of the Tournai manufactory, which he ceded to his
brother Henri when that city became re-annexed to Belgium.
Strassburg. About the year 1752, Paul Hannong obtained the secret of
true porcelain from Ringler, and started a factory here, but in
consequence of the monopoly of Sèvres he was compelled to relinquish it,
and in 1753 removed to Frankenthal, where he greatly flourished under
the protection of the Elector Palatine Carl Theodore.
Fig. 220.—Cup and Saucer.
Mark, J. H.
Diam. 2⅝ and 5⅝ in.
Marseilles. An important manufactory of porcelain was established here
by Jacques Gaspard Robert about 1766. Porcelain was made also by Honoré
Savy and Veuve Perrin, but was only of secondary importance. The works
were closed about the period of the French Revolution in 1793.
Paris. Rue Thiroux. Established in 1778 by André Marie Lebeuf, and the
ware was called “Porcelaine de la Reine.”
Fig. 221.—Sucrier.
Mark, crowned A.
Paris. Rue de Bondy. Opened in 1780 by Dihl and Guerhard, under the
patronage of the Duc d’Angoulême, and the ware was called “Porcelaine
d’Angoulême.”
Fig. 222.—Ewer and Basin.
Paris. Rue Fontaine au Roi. This factory, called “De la Courtille,” was
established in 1773 by Jean Baptiste Locré, who was afterwards joined by
Russinger in 1784. The latter during the Revolution became sole
director.
Fig. 223.—Part of a Tea Service.
Paris. Faubourg St. Honoré. A factory was established here by Veuve
Chicanneau, née Marie Moreau. The teapot, Fig. 224, was probably made
at these works.
Fig. 224.—Teapot.
Mark, Ve M. & C.
Paris. Pont-aux-Choux. In 1784, Louis Honoré de la Marre de Villars
opened an establishment for the manufacture of porcelain in the Rue des
Boulets, Faubourg St. Antoine. It was afterwards disposed of to Jean
Baptiste Outrequin de Montarcy and Edmé Toulouse, who in 1786 obtained a
brêvet from the Duke of Orleans, Louis Philippe Joseph, and authority to
sign the productions with the letters L. P., and to take the title of
Manufacture de M. le Duc d’Orléans. They were afterwards established
in Rue Amelot, au Pont-aux-Choux, by which name the porcelain is
generally known.
Fig. 225.—Teapot.
The former name ceased in 1793, with the condemnation of the Duke of
Orleans, and the objects subsequently produced were inscribed merely
“Fabrique du Pont-aux-Choux.”
Paris. Rue de Crussol. Established in 1789 by Charles Potter, an
Englishman, and the ware was called the “Prince of Wales’s China.”
Fig. 226.—Cup.
Paris. Belleville. Originally established in 1790 by Jacob Petit; but
later removed to Fontainebleau. The products of the first period were
much esteemed, being well painted and well modelled, bearing Petit’s
mark; but the proprietor unwisely altered his original plan and imitated
Dresden, counterfeiting also the mark of the crossed swords. Jacob Petit
also made biscuit figures, birds’ nests, flowers, &c.
Fig. 227.—Watch-stand.
Plain white of rococo form.
Mark, J. P. in blue. Height 5 in.
Paris. Rue du Faubourg St. Denis. Fabrique de Charles Philippe Comte
d’Artois, afterwards Charles X. This manufacture was the most ancient of
all those established in Paris. Hannong of Strassburg, who brought into
France the secret of hard porcelain, formed the first establishment in
1769. Having obtained the protection of Charles Philippe, Comte
d’Artois, it was called by his name. The factory belonged actually to
Bourdon des Planches, who continued the manufacture of hard porcelain,
&c., but the works were closed in 1810.
Vincennes. There was a porcelain manufactory here in 1786, quite apart
from the royal factory. It was directed by M. Le Maire, probably the
same who founded that in Rue Popincourt, which was ceded to M. Nast in
1783. There were four establishments at Vincennes; the first by the
brothers Dubois, subsequently transferred to Sèvres; the second by
Maurin des Aubiez, in 1767; the third by Pierre Antoine Hannong; and the
fourth that described above.
Fig. 228.—Cup and Saucer.
Mark, H. L. L., in gold .
Diam. 2½ and 5 in.
The history of the celebrated manufactory at Sèvres must be traced back
to that of St. Cloud, which was founded as early as 1695. Here Louis
XIV. accorded his patronage and favour by granting exclusive privileges.
In 1735 the secret of the manufacture was carried, by some of the
workmen, to Chantilly, and for a time continued there by the brothers
Dubois. They left in a few years, taking with them their secret, and
settled at Vincennes, where a laboratory was granted them, but after
three years they were dismissed.
In 1745, a sculptor, named Charles Adam, formed a company, and the
scheme was approved of by the king, privileges being accorded them for
thirty years, and a place granted for their works in the Château de
Vincennes. In 1753 the privileges of Charles Adam were purchased by Eloy
Brichard, and Louis XV. took a third share; hence the factory became a
royal establishment. Madame de Pompadour considerably encouraged the
ceramic art, and it arrived at the height of perfection. The buildings
were found too small to meet the increasing demands for the beautiful
productions, and in 1756 the works were removed to a large edifice at
SÈVRES built expressly for the company.
A favourite decoration of Vincennes porcelain was flowers and birds, on
a beautiful bleu de roi ground, and cupids painted in camaïeu of a
single colour.
Fig. 229.—Vase.
Bleu de roi ground, with panels with birds in gold.
Mark, double L enclosing a dot, in gold.
Height 9¼ in.
In 1760 the king became sole proprietor, and M. Boileau was appointed
director.
In 1769, after Macquer had brought the making of hard paste to
perfection, the manufacture was successfully established at Sèvres, and
both descriptions of china continued to be made until 1804, when,
Brongniart being director, soft paste was altogether discontinued, and
declared to be “useless in art, of expensive manipulation, dangerous to
the workmen, subject to great risk in the furnace, &c.”
Fig. 230.—Cup and Saucer.
Bleu de roi ground, with white medallions enclosing birds in gold.
Mark, double L, in blue.
Diam. 2⅝ and 5⅜ in.
The principal colours used in decorating the ground of the Sèvres vases
were:—
1. The bleu céleste, or turquoise, invented in 1752 by Hellot.
2. The rich cobalt blue, called bleu de roi, of which there were two
varieties, the darker being designated gros bleu.
3. The violet pensée, a beautiful violet from a mixture of manganese,
one of the rarest decorations of the pâte tendre.
Fig. 231.—Vase.
4. The rose Pompadour (called in England rose Du-Barry), a charming
pink or rose colour invented in 1757 by Xhrouet of Sèvres.
5. The clear yellow or jonquille, a sort of canary colour.
6. The vert pré, or bright grass green.
Fig. 232.—Écuelle.
Dated 1771.
7. The vert pomme, or apple green.
8. The rouge de fer, a brilliant red.
9. The œil de perdrix was at a later period a favourite ornament
for the grounds of vases.
Fig. 233.—Biscuit Group. Cupid and Psyche.
The forms are exceedingly varied, but names are assigned to each, either
from the designers of the models or their special shapes or
ornamentation; these may be found at length in Marks and Monograms on
Pottery and Porcelain, 10th edition.
The beautiful pâte tendre ware of Sèvres was always much esteemed, and
never could have been produced at a reasonable price even at the time it
was made, the expense of decoration as well as the risk in firing being
so great. It was manufactured for royal presents or occasionally sold by
express permission at exorbitant prices, which bore a more approximate
value to the present exorbitant prices than is generally supposed.
