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Dresden Porcelain Dinner Plates

German

Dresden porcelain, as a term, is the subject of some confusion. In some contexts, it refers to the hard-paste ceramic wares produced by the workshops that sprang up in and around the Saxon capital in the 19th century. In others, it denotes only the output of one of these, Sächsische Porzellanmanufaktur Dresden, known in English as simply Dresden Porcelain, which was established in 1872 in the city of Freital, Saxony. 

Complicating matters further, early publications about porcelain often used “Dresden” and “Meissen” interchangeably. It is true that the cities of Dresden and Meissen are connected through their long, shared history of decorative arts production and, in fact, most Meissen porcelain was sold in Dresden, the artistic and cultural center of Saxony. 

However, Meissen is the site of the factory that produced the first European porcelain, at the turn of the 18th century, while Dresden did not come into prominence until the mid-19th century, during the high point of the Rococo revival. (Porcelain originated in China, which is why many collectors still seek out what they call "Dresden china.")

And while Meissen is known for manufacturing porcelain, from clay models through finished product, Dresden is celebrated for its decorating studios, of which there were several dozen in and around the city during the 19th century. Their skilled painters often used “blanks” from Meissen as their canvases. So a piece of Dresden porcelain may have been formed and fired at Meissen, painted in Dresden, and ultimately sold in one of that city’s shops.

The figurines, plates and vases produced during the 19th century via this complex process remain appealing to this day, their bright hues and pastoral imagery typical of the Rococo revival, which brought scrollwork, shells, foliage, flowers and fruit back into vogue after decades of restrained neoclassicism and austere Gothic Revival design. Dresden figurines, which like their Meissen counterparts were inspired by the characters of the Commedia dell'Arte, have a witty, cheerful quality that has been likened to that of scenes painted by Watteau and Fragonard.

Before its near-total destruction during World War II, Dresden was home to more than 200 painting studios.

The Dresden style, however, is associated with wares bearing the blue crown mark (Meissen’s mark is a pair of cobalt blue crossed swords), which was first registered in 1883 by Richard Klemm, Donath & Co, Oswald Lorenz, and Adolph Hamann. Prominent painters from this period include Helena Wolfsohn, Franziska Hirsch, Ambrosius Lamm — whose skill in the application of metallic or lustre paints is on lavish display in this dinner service from the 1920s — and Carl Thieme, a master in floral painting, as demonstrated by his decoration on this circa 1901 ram’s head urn

Dresden painters also used a decorative technique known as “Dresden lace.” This involved dipping real lace into liquid porcelain and applying it to a figure, which was then fired in a kiln. The fabric would burn away, leaving a fragile, crinoline-like shell — the type of delicate and whimsical detail that characterizes Dresden porcelain, one of Europe’s great ceramic traditions.

Find authentic antique Dresden porcelain on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Dresden Porcelain
Set of 12 Dresden Hand Painted Watteau Subjects Dinner Plates Carl Thieme
By Dresden Porcelain
Located in Great Barrington, MA
This is a set of 12 hand painted Dresden dinner plates depicing Classic Watteau scenes surrounding the borders with masterfully hand painted centers, each a unique scene. The central...
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1910s German Vintage Dresden Porcelain Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

Set of 12 Antique Dresden White Porcelain Dinner Plates with Gilt Decoration
By Dresden Porcelain
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This set of 12 antique porcelain dinner plates were made by the renowned Dresden factory of Germany in approximately 1890 in a Rococo R...
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Late 19th Century German Rococo Revival Antique Dresden Porcelain Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

Collection of Fourteen Porcelain Plates by Various German Makers
By Dresden Porcelain, Meissen Porcelain
Located in London, GB
Collection of fourteen porcelain plates by various German makers German, circa 1900 Measures: Largest height 4cm, diameter 23cm Smallest height 3cm, diameter 19cm Each of the f...
Category

Early 1900s German Rococo Antique Dresden Porcelain Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

Wonderful Service for 12 Pierced Hand Painted Porcelain Dresden Dessert Plates
By Dresden Porcelain
Located in Roslyn, NY
A wonderful service for 12 pierced hand painted porcelain Dresden dessert plates.
Category

Early 20th Century German Belle Époque Dresden Porcelain Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

12 Lamm Dresden Arts & Crafts Raised Paste Gold & Cream Dinner Service Plates
By Ambrosius Lamm, Dresden Porcelain
Located in Great Barrington, MA
This set of 12 dinner plates are made by the iconic Ambrosius Lamm Dresden in a rare Arts & Crafts style decoration featuring a clear white cent...
Category

1920s German Arts and Crafts Vintage Dresden Porcelain Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

Two Antique Dresden Hand-Painted Reticulated Cabinet Plates
By Dresden Porcelain
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A finely worked pair of antique Dresden reticulated cabinet plates. Each with hand-painted decoration. Diameter: ca. 9 1/2 in.   
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Late 19th Century German Antique Dresden Porcelain Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

Set of Four Orange and Gilt Painted Plates
By Dresden Porcelain
Located in New York, NY
Set of four orange and gilt painted plates. Set of four shaped and painted plates with iron red/orange painted scenes of Continental harbours, castles and landmarks with gilt surroun...
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Late 19th Century German Antique Dresden Porcelain Dinner Plates

Materials

Porcelain

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Dresden Porcelain dinner plates for sale on 1stDibs.

Dresden porcelain dinner plates are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of porcelain and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Dresden Porcelain dinner plates, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original dinner plates by Dresden Porcelain were created in the Rococo style in germany during the early 1900s. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider dinner plates by and Meissen Porcelain. Prices for Dresden Porcelain dinner plates can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $500 and can go as high as $9,291, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $3,348.

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