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A decadent Meissen tea set unveiled in London

24 June 2010 - by ArtfixDaily Staff
David Brower Antiques is offering this wonderfully ornate Schneeballen tea set, a part of an extensive Meissen porcelain collection.
David Brower Antiques is offering this wonderfully ornate Schneeballen tea set, a part of an extensive Meissen porcelain collection.

The ultimate high tea accessory for summer is part of an extensive Meissen collection assembled by London's David Brower Antiques in celebration of the German porcelain manufacturer’s 300th anniversary. 

Nestled on quaint Kensington Church Street, amongst the largest collection of antiques galleries in the U.K., David Brower Antiques is showcasing a delicately decorated tea set in the delightful Schneeballen Meissen design. 

Schneeballen translates to "snowball" in English and refers to the service's exquisite design. Hundreds and often thousands of small, handmade and applied porcelain flowers form these incredible pieces.

Johann Joachim Kaendler, Meissen’s most famous artistic director, was behind the delicate snowball style, a design innovation which transformed functional objects into decorative works of art.

In 1739, a Schneeballen coffee service was made for Maria Josepha of Austria (wife of Augustus III). It was considered to be the most artistic of services and Augustus III commissioned a complete, 31-piece coffee and tea service as a present for Count Johann Friedrich of Schwarzberg Rudolstadt and Bernhardina Christina Sophia for their wedding on November 29, 1744.
 
The circa-1880 set at David Brower Antiques represents the finest workmanship produced by Meissen in the 19th century.