Gilded Cobalt Demitasse

Stamped “Fraureuth”

The Porcelain factory Fraureuth Joint-stock company (German: Pozellanfabrik Fraureuth AG) in Fraureuth was one of the biggest and on high standard porcelain factories oft the German Reich.

Cobalt blue and gilt Dresden cup and saucer

Cobalt blue and gilt demitasse cup and saucer. Hand painted on front. Stamped “Dresden Germany”

Marked with a “Beehive” symbol indicating Royal Vienna porcelain

Royal Vienna was founded in 1718 by Claudius du Paquier. He had attempted to make porcelain as early as 1716 but did not succeed until he had help from ex-Meissen employees around 1718. He had financial difficulties during the entire time and in 1744 sold the factory to the state. He remained director but retired shortly thereafter. Porcelain of the du Paquier period (1718-1744) is very sought after. The pieces from this period are always unmarked which doesn’t make it easy to find and figure out. For a short time afterwards porcelain pieces were marked with the impressed shield until the well known blue beehive / shield mark was being used. Royal Vienna gave Meissen some good competition throughout their existence. Hoerold worked for them before going to Meissen and becoming one of the most famous painters of porcelain. The second period of Royal Vienna is from 1744-1784. All pieces from this period are marked with the blue underglaze shield. Johann Josef Niedermeyer was master modeller during this time. Financial difficulties continued for the factory and again it was put up for sale in 1784. Nobody wanted to buy it but they hired a new director – Konrad Sorgenthal. This is the beginning of the third period. He turned the factory around by making products of superb quality. Some of these one would think to be modern by style but they were made almost 200 years ago. But that only lasted till about 1820 when the factory again started to decline. It was finally closed in 1864.

Stamped England Coalport

The Coalport porcelain manufactory (or Coalport China), the first porcelain factory in Coalbrookdale, Shropshire, England, was founded by the practical and enterprising John Rose in 1795, at Coalport, served by the Coalport Canal, which had been completed in 1792. Rose had trained at the Caughley porcelain manufactory in Shropshire and had been making pottery on his own account nearby at Jackfield, a mile upstream across the River Severn from Coalbrookdale, since about 1780. His rapid success enabled him to buy the Caughley manufactory in 1799, the Nantgarw porcelain manufactory in 1819 and the Swansea porcelain manufactory, with their repertory of molds. He employed William Billingsley, formerly at Nantgarw, as chief painter, and Billingsley’s chemist, Walker, who initiated at Coalport a maroon glaze and brought the Nantgarw technical recipes to Rose at Coalport.

In 1820 Rose received the gold medal of the Society of Arts for his feldspar porcelain and an improved, lead-free glaze, with which the enamel colors fused in firing. Favorite patterns were the “worm sprig” and the “Tournai sprig” introduced by Billingsley at Pinxton, the Dresden-inspired “Berlin china edge”, and the blue transfer willow pattern and blue dragon pattern.

During the 1830s the factory initiated the practice of applying a light transfer printed blue outline, to guide the painters. This preserved some of the freedom of hand-painted decoration, while it enabled Rose to keep up the pace of production. The technique was widely adopted by other manufactories during the 19th century.

John Rose died in 1841; the enterprise was continued under the former name “John Rose & Co.” by his nephew W.F. Rose and William Pugh.

At The Great Exhibition (London 1851) an elaborate Coalport table service with deep borders of mazarin blue was shown; it had been commissioned by Queen Victoria as a gift to Tsar Nicholas I of Russia.

William Pugh continued the production as sole proprietor from 1862 until his death in 1875, after which the company was put in receivership by his heirs. It was then reinstated by the Coalport China Company, by whom an extensive export trade to the United States and Canada was initiated in the 1890s.

Llewellynn Jewitt published a History of the Coalport Porcelain Works in 1862. The standard modern monographic history is Geoffrey A. Godden, Coalport and Coalbrookdale Porcelain (London 1970).

The original manufactory building is now a Youth Hostel, cafe, artists’ studios and a handmade arts & crafts shop. Production later moved across the canal to the buildings which now house the Coalport China Museum. In 1926 production moved to Staffordshire, the traditional center of the ceramics industry in Britain, and, although the Coalport name was retained as a brand, in 1967 the company became part of the Wedgwood group.

1936 Stamped “Rosenthal Germany Kuhstabteilung”

Philipp Rosenthal (1855-1937) began business in Germany in 1884. Initially he purchased white ware from the company Hutschenreuther which was resold door to door after being hand-painted by his wife Maria. In 1891, he established a factory in Asch, Bohemia and began production of his own white ware. From 1897 to 1934, Rosenthal acquired further factories in Kronach, Marktredwitz, Selb, Waldenburg, Sophienthal, and Waldershof. The Marktredwitz factory acquisition in 1908 included the brand name Thomas.

During the latter part of 1934 the Rosenthal family came under significant pressure from the growth of German Nationalism which ultimately lead to the family having no participation in the management of the company. Philipp Rosenthal was exiled in 1935 at which time the Rosenthal company employed more than 5,000 people across 10 different companies. He died in 1937 following which the family emigrated abroad.

At the outbreak of World War II Philip Jr. joined the Scottish Air Force and subsequently the French Foreign Legion and the British Foreign Office. The Rosenthal company continued a somewhat limited production throughout World War II under the leadership of the Political/Military Regime.

When World War II ended Philip Jr. returned to Germany in an attempt to reclaim family assets and control of the company. The conflicts of interest between the various parties (i.e. Owners, Politicians & U.S. Military Government) resulted in no settlement being achieved until September 1950. 

When he finally returned to the company Philip Jr. modernized out of date factories, identified new sources of supply and re-establish lost markets.  Raymond Loewy, from France but based in the United States, was critical in successfully designing more streamlined and contemporary looks for the important American market, The Rosenthal Board of Directors introduced production changes from the lessons learnt and gave support to Philip Jr.’s intention to continue hiring the best artists of the time which included Bjorn Wiinblad from Denmark, Hans Theo Baumann from Germany, Raymond Peynet from France and Tapio Wirkkala from Finland.  

During 1997 Waterford Wedgwood plc purchased sufficient shares in Rosenthal to give it majority control. Hutschenreuther became part of the Rosenthal division of the Waterford Wedgwood Group in 2000.

In 2009 Waterford Wedgwood was placed in receivership which resulted in Rosenthal being purchased by Italian designer kitchenware firm Sambonet. The takeover included all employees, trademark rights, patents and production facilities. The new company trades as Rosenthal GmbH.

1920 Stamped “Rosenthal Selb-Bavaria”

Philipp Rosenthal (1855-1937) began business in Germany in 1884. Initially he purchased white ware from the company Hutschenreuther which was resold door to door after being hand-painted by his wife Maria. In 1891, he established a factory in Asch, Bohemia and began production of his own white ware. From 1897 to 1934, Rosenthal acquired further factories in Kronach, Marktredwitz, Selb, Waldenburg, Sophienthal, and Waldershof. The Marktredwitz factory acquisition in 1908 included the brand name Thomas.

During the latter part of 1934 the Rosenthal family came under significant pressure from the growth of German Nationalism which ultimately lead to the family having no participation in the management of the company. Philipp Rosenthal was exiled in 1935 at which time the Rosenthal company employed more than 5,000 people across 10 different companies. He died in 1937 following which the family emigrated abroad.

At the outbreak of World War II Philip Jr. joined the Scottish Air Force and subsequently the French Foreign Legion and the British Foreign Office. The Rosenthal company continued a somewhat limited production throughout World War II under the leadership of the Political/Military Regime.

When World War II ended Philip Jr. returned to Germany in an attempt to reclaim family assets and control of the company. The conflicts of interest between the various parties (i.e. Owners, Politicians & U.S. Military Government) resulted in no settlement being achieved until September 1950. 

When he finally returned to the company Philip Jr. modernized out of date factories, identified new sources of supply and re-establish lost markets.  Raymond Loewy, from France but based in the United States, was critical in successfully designing more streamlined and contemporary looks for the important American market, The Rosenthal Board of Directors introduced production changes from the lessons learnt and gave support to Philip Jr.’s intention to continue hiring the best artists of the time which included Bjorn Wiinblad from Denmark, Hans Theo Baumann from Germany, Raymond Peynet from France and Tapio Wirkkala from Finland.  

During 1997 Waterford Wedgwood plc purchased sufficient shares in Rosenthal to give it majority control. Hutschenreuther became part of the Rosenthal division of the Waterford Wedgwood Group in 2000.

In 2009 Waterford Wedgwood was placed in receivership which resulted in Rosenthal being purchased by Italian designer kitchenware firm Sambonet. The takeover included all employees, trademark rights, patents and production facilities. The new company trades as Rosenthal GmbH.

1927 Stamped “Rosenthal Selb-Bavaria”

Philipp Rosenthal (1855-1937) began business in Germany in 1884. Initially he purchased white ware from the company Hutschenreuther which was resold door to door after being hand-painted by his wife Maria. In 1891, he established a factory in Asch, Bohemia and began production of his own white ware. From 1897 to 1934, Rosenthal acquired further factories in Kronach, Marktredwitz, Selb, Waldenburg, Sophienthal, and Waldershof. The Marktredwitz factory acquisition in 1908 included the brand name Thomas.

During the latter part of 1934 the Rosenthal family came under significant pressure from the growth of German Nationalism which ultimately lead to the family having no participation in the management of the company. Philipp Rosenthal was exiled in 1935 at which time the Rosenthal company employed more than 5,000 people across 10 different companies. He died in 1937 following which the family emigrated abroad.

At the outbreak of World War II Philip Jr. joined the Scottish Air Force and subsequently the French Foreign Legion and the British Foreign Office. The Rosenthal company continued a somewhat limited production throughout World War II under the leadership of the Political/Military Regime.

When World War II ended Philip Jr. returned to Germany in an attempt to reclaim family assets and control of the company. The conflicts of interest between the various parties (i.e. Owners, Politicians & U.S. Military Government) resulted in no settlement being achieved until September 1950. 

When he finally returned to the company Philip Jr. modernized out of date factories, identified new sources of supply and re-establish lost markets.  Raymond Loewy, from France but based in the United States, was critical in successfully designing more streamlined and contemporary looks for the important American market, The Rosenthal Board of Directors introduced production changes from the lessons learnt and gave support to Philip Jr.’s intention to continue hiring the best artists of the time which included Bjorn Wiinblad from Denmark, Hans Theo Baumann from Germany, Raymond Peynet from France and Tapio Wirkkala from Finland.  

During 1997 Waterford Wedgwood plc purchased sufficient shares in Rosenthal to give it majority control. Hutschenreuther became part of the Rosenthal division of the Waterford Wedgwood Group in 2000.

In 2009 Waterford Wedgwood was placed in receivership which resulted in Rosenthal being purchased by Italian designer kitchenware firm Sambonet. The takeover included all employees, trademark rights, patents and production facilities. The new company trades as Rosenthal GmbH.

Stamped with “Limoges France Elte”

Cobalt blue and gilt demitasse cup and saucer by Fraureuth.

The Porcelain factory Fraureuth was one of the biggest and on high standard porcelain factories of the German Reich.