Dresden Porcelain

Submitted by: Lawrence Bell

Dresden porcelain and Meissen porcelain are sometimes confused, due to their long and entangled early history. Beginning in the early 1700’s, Johann Bottger, a talented inventor, was kept as the prisoner of Prince Augustus at Albrechtsburg castle in Meissen, a small village only a few miles down the road from much larger Dresden. It was there that Bottger discovered how to make a porcelain as fine as that being imported from China and Japan.

Bottger was originally imprisoned because Prince Augustus believed that Bottger could fashion gold from other materials. When Bottger instead discovered how to make porcelain, Prince Augustus was pleased. Because Prince Augustus was a serious collector of porcelain from Japan and China, he opened a porcelain factory in the Albrechtsburg castle in order to guard the secret of porcelain.

Dresden, Germany was a fundamental heart of the intellectual, artistic, and cultural movement. Many porcelain decorators, as well as sculptors, philosophers, poets, and painters, settled in Dresden. The phrase Dresden porcelain actually denotes more of a movement that focused on artistic interests instead of a specific company that produced Dresden porcelain.

Early Dresden porcelain pieces were seconds (or rejects) from the Meissen manufactory. The painters of the porcelain are the ones who expanded the reach and reputation of the porcelain of Dresden throughout the world. Factories inside Dresden eventually obtained the ability to fashion their own hard-paste porcelain from scratch.

Within a few years of inventing porcelain, Bottger died. His apprentice, Johann Horoldt, invented real porcelain paints. These paints were formulated by mixing finely ground glass and metallic ingredients, then binding it with oil. Used during the third mild process phase, the porcelain paint was fired on the translucent glaze. In this manner, the beautiful paintings, and other designs that are part of the allure of Dresden porcelain, were born. Another Horoldt invention that was important in the development of Dresden porcelain was the emergence of the color, iridescent purple. This color was soon seen as a sign of a genuine piece Dresden porcelain.

Rococo revival is a phrase that is used to describe the style of Dresden porcelain. The extensive use of complicated and creative paintings using a plethora of shells, flowers, scrolls, fruit, and foliage was first used by the decorators of Dresden porcelain. The dinnerware collections of Dresden porcelain also enjoyed the most success with this decorative style. These designs were painted on Meissen porcelain blanks in the early years. This probably added to the confusion between Dresden porcelain and Meissen porcelain.

For almost two hundred years, the area enjoyed immense success with its Dresden porcelain. That all ended on the night of February 13, 1945 when allied forces bombed Dresden. The city was almost completely destroyed. Nearly everything in the Dresden porcelain factories was burned beyond recognition. This event effectively signaled the end of the manufacture of Dresden porcelain.

The exquisite designs, and elaborate paintings, featured on many pieces of Dresden porcelain lend themselves to the allure of these highly collectible pieces. In addition, the abrupt ending of the manufacture of Dresden porcelain also adds to its appeal.

The mark of an authentic piece of Dresden porcelain is one of a blue crown with the word Dresden beneath it. This is not to be confused with the crossed swords mark found on Meissen porcelain.

About the Author: Lawrence Bell is Publisher of

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