DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1397#0311
PLATE 96.
A YASE FROM THE ROYAL PORCELAIN MANUFACTORY,
BERLIN.
/^VUE, illustration represents one of the large vases, about 4 feet 6 inches high, -which originally
were placed at the entrance of the Berlin Porcelain court. They were both painted with
river elves and fairies, amongst -whom a little child in a boat had strayed; the landscape portion
of the subject represented a very beautiful twilight effect. They wrere painted by M. Kiihne, after
the originals by Steinbriick; and although somewhat cold and hard in tone, were nevertheless
rendered with great care and feeling. Subsequently these vases were replaced by two others,
excellently painted with the mediaeval triumphal procession of King Bacchus, from a picture by
Sckrotter; and the meeting of Nausicaa, daughter of King Alcinoiis, with Ulysses, after the original
by Bendomann. Among other specimens of ceramic painting, we would also record two Majolica
wine-coolers, ornamented with children at play, after Rubens; and a plaque of the Madonna,
executed by M. Kiihne, after the original by Raffaelle in the Berlin Gallery. A medal was awarded
to this establishment by the International Jury; it obtained a medal also at London in 1851, and
a great medal of honour at Paris in 1855.
Marryat gives the following account of the establishment of the Berlin manufactory: — " The
earliest attempt," he states, " was made in 1751, by a merchant of the name of "William Gaspar
Wegeley, who had obtained the secret from some of the Hochst workmen, who were in possession
of copies of Rmgler's * papers. The manufactory does not appear to have remunerated its first
projector, as he entirely abandoned it. He Avas succeeded in 1761 by John Ernest Gottskowski,
celebrated as a banker during the Seven Years' war, who brought it to greater perfection; and the
war having much depressed the Meissen (Dresden) manufactory, the Berlin productions soon found
purchasers. When Frederick the Great occupied Dresden, in the Seven Tears' war, he perceived
the importance of the" porcelain manufactory. He sent large masses of the clay to Berlin, and
also caused a portion of the collection to be transferred thither, and commanded that many of the
best modellers and painters of Meissen, amongst whom were Meyer, Klipsel, and Bohme, should be
removed to Berlin for the formation of a royal manufactory in that city; and he employed the most
skilful chemists in the composition of the paste. At the close of the war, this monarch purchased
the then existing establishment -at Berlin, enlarged it, and supported it so well that 700 men
were constantly employed there. The Seven Tears' war had so much injured the manufactory at
Meissen, that the productions of Berlin came very soon into repute. The manufacture yielded the
king 200,000 crowns annually, besides the magnificent presents he occasionally made, and the
large quantity reserved for the use of the court and the household. The mark affixed during
the time that the fabric was in the hands of Wegeley and Gottskowski was a W, two strokes of
the letter shorter than the others, and resembling the mark of Meissen at that period; but, not-
withstanding, meant to be a W. When it became a royal establishment, the marks were, on painted
and gilded porcelain, a sceptre and eagle (brown); on white porcelain, a sceptre (blue). Since
1833, on painted and gilded porcelain, the sceptre, eagle, and imperial crown (brown); on white
porcelain, a sceptre and K. P. M. (Konigliche Porzellan-Manufactur) in blue. The mark of another
royal establishment near Berlin, from 1790 to 1830, was an eagle in colour, and since then
impressed in white."
In the letter-press accompanying Plate 86, we stated that neither of the firms Villeroy &
Boch, or Boch brothers, were represented in the Exhibition of 1862. The former, it is true,
was not; but the firm of Boch brothers, of Keramis and Tournai, exhibited in the Belgian
department, and obtained a medal for their mosaic pavement tiles, but not for pottery.
* Eingler, originally a workman at the Vienna porcelain manufactory, was employed in establishing several
others throughout Germany.
A YASE FROM THE ROYAL PORCELAIN MANUFACTORY,
BERLIN.
/^VUE, illustration represents one of the large vases, about 4 feet 6 inches high, -which originally
were placed at the entrance of the Berlin Porcelain court. They were both painted with
river elves and fairies, amongst -whom a little child in a boat had strayed; the landscape portion
of the subject represented a very beautiful twilight effect. They wrere painted by M. Kiihne, after
the originals by Steinbriick; and although somewhat cold and hard in tone, were nevertheless
rendered with great care and feeling. Subsequently these vases were replaced by two others,
excellently painted with the mediaeval triumphal procession of King Bacchus, from a picture by
Sckrotter; and the meeting of Nausicaa, daughter of King Alcinoiis, with Ulysses, after the original
by Bendomann. Among other specimens of ceramic painting, we would also record two Majolica
wine-coolers, ornamented with children at play, after Rubens; and a plaque of the Madonna,
executed by M. Kiihne, after the original by Raffaelle in the Berlin Gallery. A medal was awarded
to this establishment by the International Jury; it obtained a medal also at London in 1851, and
a great medal of honour at Paris in 1855.
Marryat gives the following account of the establishment of the Berlin manufactory: — " The
earliest attempt," he states, " was made in 1751, by a merchant of the name of "William Gaspar
Wegeley, who had obtained the secret from some of the Hochst workmen, who were in possession
of copies of Rmgler's * papers. The manufactory does not appear to have remunerated its first
projector, as he entirely abandoned it. He Avas succeeded in 1761 by John Ernest Gottskowski,
celebrated as a banker during the Seven Years' war, who brought it to greater perfection; and the
war having much depressed the Meissen (Dresden) manufactory, the Berlin productions soon found
purchasers. When Frederick the Great occupied Dresden, in the Seven Tears' war, he perceived
the importance of the" porcelain manufactory. He sent large masses of the clay to Berlin, and
also caused a portion of the collection to be transferred thither, and commanded that many of the
best modellers and painters of Meissen, amongst whom were Meyer, Klipsel, and Bohme, should be
removed to Berlin for the formation of a royal manufactory in that city; and he employed the most
skilful chemists in the composition of the paste. At the close of the war, this monarch purchased
the then existing establishment -at Berlin, enlarged it, and supported it so well that 700 men
were constantly employed there. The Seven Tears' war had so much injured the manufactory at
Meissen, that the productions of Berlin came very soon into repute. The manufacture yielded the
king 200,000 crowns annually, besides the magnificent presents he occasionally made, and the
large quantity reserved for the use of the court and the household. The mark affixed during
the time that the fabric was in the hands of Wegeley and Gottskowski was a W, two strokes of
the letter shorter than the others, and resembling the mark of Meissen at that period; but, not-
withstanding, meant to be a W. When it became a royal establishment, the marks were, on painted
and gilded porcelain, a sceptre and eagle (brown); on white porcelain, a sceptre (blue). Since
1833, on painted and gilded porcelain, the sceptre, eagle, and imperial crown (brown); on white
porcelain, a sceptre and K. P. M. (Konigliche Porzellan-Manufactur) in blue. The mark of another
royal establishment near Berlin, from 1790 to 1830, was an eagle in colour, and since then
impressed in white."
In the letter-press accompanying Plate 86, we stated that neither of the firms Villeroy &
Boch, or Boch brothers, were represented in the Exhibition of 1862. The former, it is true,
was not; but the firm of Boch brothers, of Keramis and Tournai, exhibited in the Belgian
department, and obtained a medal for their mosaic pavement tiles, but not for pottery.
* Eingler, originally a workman at the Vienna porcelain manufactory, was employed in establishing several
others throughout Germany.