porcelain

Blog Posts tagged with porcelain

These massive Sèvres Palace urns stand over five feet tall and are extremely rare due to their size and expense to produce

The Royal Roots of Sèvres Porcelain

Posted: October 12, 2011 16:09 Last Updated: | Bill Rau

When King Louis XV took an interest in porcelain and became a primary shareholder of what would become the Sèvres factory in 1752, he intended to catapult the international status of French porcelain to the finest in the world. It's believed that his motivation came from his famed mistress, Madame de Pompadour, who possessed a penchant for the factory's creations. Regardless of the reason, it is the royal roots of Sèvres that provided the foundation for some of the most coveted porcelain ever made. After the King purchased the factory in 1759, he had the operations moved from Chateau de Vi...

Deep blue, violet and emerald hues shimmer in this magnificent ginger jar in the "Jewelled Tree" pattern with "Cat and Mouse and Copper Trees" panels

Elves, Nymphs and Fairies–Oh My!: Illustrious Fairyland Lustre by Wedgwood

Posted: September 28, 2010 07:50 Last Updated: | Bill Rau

An over-200-year-old company finds itself on the verge of financial ruin as war rages on. It's only savior an unknown artist who rises through the ranks by determination, persuasion and sheer talent, only to be fired when she has outlasted her usefulness. Sounds more like soap-opera fodder than real life, but in 1915, porcelain artist Daisy Makeig-Jones' extraordinary line of Fairyland Lustre porcelain saved Wedgwood from bankruptcy during World War I. The design of each piece was rooted in fairytales that Makeig-Jones adored. Each literally burst with brilliant colors depicting scenes of...