The Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin, or KPM (Royal Porcelain Factory, Berlin, in English) was one of the most influential porcelain factories to emerge in 18th-century Germany, along with Nymphenburg and Meissen. KPM was the third incarnation of a company originally founded in 1751 by Wilhelm Caspar Wegely to take advantage of the burgeoning market for “white gold.” On the verge of bankruptcy, Wegely sold his inventory and tools to Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky, who in 1761 established another porcelain factory, which also failed, and was subsequently taken over by Frederick II of Prussia in 1763. Like Augustus II, Elector of Saxony, the patron of Meissen and a keen collector who described himself as suffering (quite happily) from “porcelain sickness,” Frederick II was proud to refer to himself as KPM’s “best customer.” KPM produces china and figurines to this day, and throughout its long history, it has been a style-setter for elegant tableware, particularly in the 1930’s, the period during which their popular patterns Urbino, Urania and Arkadia were designed.
Thanks to its royal patronage, KPM had the resources and contacts necessary to establish itself as a leading luxury producer, and supplied Russian and European elites with tableware in the Rococo and Neoclassical styles, as well as monumental vases, and decorative plaques. Many of these objects can be found today in major museums as a result of Frederick II’s penchant for sending KPM porcelain as diplomatic gifts throughout Europe. Unlike Meissen, which was known for crafting porcelain sculptures of dazzling complexity, KPM is revered for the precision and splendor of its surface decoration, and for its porcelain plaques depicting scenes from history and mythology. One especially lovely example circa 1790 is a neocalssical-style tea service decorated with gold accents and a grisaille design of figures from the ancient world. By contrast, this boldly colorful narrative cup and saucer set from the 1840’s depicts scenes from real life as colorfully as a painting. The set was commissioned by a gentleman for his wife as a tongue-in-cheek gift commemorating her misadventures while in town for a visit to the opera, which resulted in her opera glasses being stolen. The saucer shows the thief and the glasses, and the cup reveals the scene of the crime in vivid hues.
KPM was forced to move from its original location in 1867 due to the building of the new Prussian Parliament building, and this afforded the company the opportunity to to create a new factory with the newest equipment and materials of the day. With the growing popularity of Art Nouveau and the western fascination with Asian ceramics, KPM began formulating glazes that evoked the color palette and rich surfaces of Chinese porcelain. By the turn of the century, KPM was exhibiting its wares to a global audience at international expositions. At the end of World War I with the collapse of the Prussian monarchy, KPM was renamed the State Porcelain Manufactory Berlin, continuing to use the name KPM and its use of the cobalt blue sceptre mark that is painted on the bottom of every piece.
By the late 1920’s, the designers and craftsmen of KPM were inspired by the tenets of Modernism, particularly the styles of the Bauhaus and the Deutscher Werkbund. During this period, the firm’s aim was to produce useful household porcelain for a range of consumers, rather than catering to a small elite. Among the most successful patterns of this era was designer Trude Petri’s Urbino line, which is still produced today. Following World War II, KPM was temporarily housed in the town of Selb, and only returned to its rebuilt quarters in Berlin in 1957. In the 1980s, KPM became an private company independent of the state, and began to focus production on the preservation of historic forms, designs, and techniques. KPM continues to collaborate with designers from all over the world, most recently on the Berlin dinnerware service with designer Enzo Mari, and a collaboration with the luxury brands Bottega Veneta and Bugatti.
$9,600Sale Price|59% Off
Berlin KPM Porcelain Hand Painted Oval Plaque Portrait of a Girl
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Guaynabo, PR
A porcelain plaque portrait from KPM that depicts a young girl sitting in a stone bench after gathering some roses in her shawl and embellish her turban with one of them. Beautifully...
Porcelain, Wood
KPM Berlin "Juventute" Porcelain Vase
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Vienna, AT
"Juventute" vase white porcelain with glossy glaze, designed by KPM workshop in 1890.
Porcelain
Antique KPM Porcelain Pink and Floral Decorated Centerpiece
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Swedesboro, NJ
Dimensions - H: 5 3/4in W: 14 3/4in D: 10in This antique German KPM Rococo style centerpiece is perfect for you and your dining room table! If you look at the photos provided, you ...
Porcelain
$3,920Sale Price|20% Off
"Nude with Fish", Rare, Art Nouveau Porcelain Sculpture for Crown Prince Wilhelm
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Rare and striking, this porcelain sculpture depicting a nude Japanese male figure carrying a fish on his shoulders was sculpted by Adolf (or Adolph) Ambe...
Porcelain
$340Sale Price|20% Off
1950s Modernist KPM Porcelain Berlin Abstract Art Vase, Germany
By KPM Porcelain
Located in San Diego, CA
Wonderful KPM porcelain Berlin modernist abstract vase and dates from the 1950s. Signed on the bottom. Wonderful design and form. Made in Germa...
Porcelain
Porcelain KPM Berlin Vase Designed by Theo Schmuz-Baudiss
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Vienna, AT
Bottle-shaped white porcelain with glossy glaze, designed by Theo Schmuz-Baudiss in the 1960s. Up to 2 piceses available, price per vase.
Porcelain
Porcelain KPM Berlin Vase Designed by Margarete Friedlaender
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Vienna, AT
Buttle-shaped white porcelain with glossy glaze, designed by Margarete Friedlaender in the 1950s.
Porcelain
Kpm Painting on Porcelain Vestal Virgin with Oil Lamp Goddess of the Hearth
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Toledo, OH
Hand painted on porcelain of a vestal virgin with oil lamp the goddess of the hearth. Stamped K P M on the back. Very good condition with no damage. Frame has some light wear. Image ...
Porcelain
KPM Berlin Sailer Porcelain Vase Siegmund Schütz
By Siegmund Schütz 1, KPM Porcelain
Located in Vienna, AT
Porcelain vase white porcelain with glossy glaze, designed by Siegmund Schütz in 1951.
Porcelain
KPM Berlin White Porcelain Vase Narzisse Designed by Siegmund Schütz
By Siegmund Schütz 1, KPM Porcelain
Located in Vienna, AT
Porcelain vase "Narzisse" white porcelain with glossy glaze, designed by Siegmund Schütz in 1954.
Porcelain
Porcelain KPM Berlin Vase Designed by Siegmund Schütz
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Vienna, AT
Cube-shaped white porcelain with glossy glaze, designed by Trude Petri in the 1951. Up to 2 piceses available, price per vase.
Porcelain
19th Century KPM Porcelain Plaque
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A good quality 19th century KPM porcelain plaque, depicting a mother and her children on a winters days. Mounted in a 19th century carved gilt...
Porcelain
$1,516Sale Price / set|20% Off
19th C. Kpm Porcelain Celestial Blue Ground & Grisaille Window Urns - Pair
By Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur (KPM), KPM Porcelain
Located in Atlanta, GA
This exquisite pair of 19th-century lidded urns, crafted by the esteemed Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur (KPM) of Berlin, is a remarkable example of Neoclassical porcelain artistry. ...
Porcelain
KPM Porcelain Covered Centerpiece Vase / Ribbon Decoration, Germany, Circa 1960
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Tarry Town, NY
This elegant KPM porcelain covered centerpiece vase, made in Germany circa 1960, showcases the exceptional craftsmanship and refined decorative tradition of the renowned KPM porcelai...
Gold
19th Century KPM Porcelain Plaque after Portrait by Christian Leberecht Vogel
By Christian Leberecht Vogel, KPM Porcelain
Located in Cincinnati, OH
This charming 19th century KPM porcelain plaque depicts a painting after German artist Christian Leberecht Vogel's popular work Die Söhne des Künstlers, executed in 1793. The beautif...
Porcelain
KPM Berlin Porcelain Picture Plaque Portrait of a Girl with Veil, ca 1830
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Vienna, AT
Portrait of a girl in oriental-style clothing with a headdress and veil in a scenic setting. In original, gilded wood frame with acanthus leaf and oak leaf garland carving. Manuf...
Porcelain, Wood
$1,000Sale Price|20% Off
Antique Kpm Porcelain “View of Tharandt” Plaque
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Atlanta, GA
A beautiful 14” KPM porcelain plaque decorated with a pink body, countryside painting to center which is accented by a gilded framed window. Under the scene “Tharandt verlegt und zu ...
Porcelain
Large KPM porcelain plaque after Louis Gallait
By KPM Porcelain
Located in London, GB
Large KPM porcelain plaque after Louis Gallait German, Late 19th Century Frame: height 53cm, width 48cm, depth 6cm Plaque: height 40cm, width 35cm Signed ...
Porcelain, Giltwood
Antique KPM Hand-Painted Porcelain Cabinet Plate Depicting the Biblical "Ruth"
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
This antique hand-painted porcelain cabinet plate was made by the renowned KPM porcelain factory of Germany in approximately 1880. The center of the plate features a depiction of the...
Porcelain
19th Century KPM Porcelain Plaque of the Queen of Prussia
By KPM Porcelain
Located in London, GB
This beautiful antique porcelain plaque exhibits the fine quality of craftsmanship and artistry that the prestigious Berlin porcelain manufactory, KPM, is renowned for. The plaque is delicately painted with the full-length portrait of Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1776-1810), Queen of Prussia and wife of King William III (1770-1840). Louise was a popular Queen and was respected for her successful negotiations with Napoleon, before he became Emperor of France. In this plaque, she is depicted descending the steps of the Charlottenburg Palace, Berlin, which was the seat of the Prussian monarchy. She wears a simple robe a l'anglaise, which was fashionable at the time, and looks directly at the viewer in a symbol of power and majesty. The plaque is signed to the lower right by the artist 'Emile Eckhart', who worked for KPM. It is painted after a famous work by celebrated German artist Gustav Karl Ludwig Richter...
Porcelain
KPM Royal Berlin Design by Griemert Porcelain Coffee Set, Decor by von Unruh
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Epfach, DE
20th Century KPM Royal Berlin coffee or mocca set porcelain 41 pieces form Krokus design by Griemert , decor by Siegrid von Unruh made 1953 mid century KPM ROYAL Berlin Crocus patte...
Porcelain
$9,192 / set
Pair 19th Century KPM Porcelain Plaques
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A fine quality pair of 19th Century Austrian, KPM porcelain plaques, each depicting pretty young maidens under a tree, mounted in carved scrolling gilt wood frames, set on a velvet b...
Porcelain
German KPM Porcelain Plaque 'Motherhood' by Julius Greiner
By KPM Porcelain
Located in London, GB
German KPM porcelain plaque 'Motherhood' by Julius Greiner German, 1918 Frame: Height 43cm, width 34cm, depth 7cm Plaque: Height 25cm, width 17cm, de...
Porcelain, Giltwood
Orientalist KPM Porcelain Plaque of Interior Scene
By KPM Porcelain
Located in London, GB
Orientalist KPM Porcelain plaque of interior scene German, 20th century Frame: Height 71cm, width 64cm, depth 4cm Plaque: Height 50cm, width 39cm, depth 0.5cm Painted in the Or...
Porcelain, Giltwood
Pair of KPM Porcelain Plaques After Spanish Baroque Paintings by Murillo
By KPM Porcelain
Located in London, GB
Pair of KPM porcelain plaques after Spanish Baroque paintings by Murillo German, Late 19th Century Plaques: Height 25cm, width 19cm, depth 0...
Porcelain
Porcelain Plaque of a 19th Century German Market by KPM
By KPM Porcelain
Located in London, GB
The 1844 summer market in the town of Lengerich, in the western German province of Westphalia, is the subject of this antique KPM porcelain plaque...
Porcelain, Giltwood
Antique Neoclassical, Empire Period, Berlin-KPM Gold Ground Campana Vase
By KPM Porcelain
Located in New York, NY
An exceptionally rare and quite exquisite antique Neoclassical Berlin (KPM) manufactory gold ground Campana shaped two handled vase. The continuous pattern...
Porcelain
$10,800Sale Price|20% Off
Large 19th Century Berlin Rectangular KPM Porcelain Painted Framed Plaque
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Tarzana, CA
A large 19th century Berlin Rectangular K.P.M porcelain painted framed plaque Germany, circa 1880 Very well painted depicting a women draped in linens with two angels above h...
Porcelain
A KPM Porcelain Plaque After The Painting By Sir Anthony van Dyck, Circa 1890
By KPM Porcelain, Anthony van Dyck
Located in Brighton, West Sussex
A KPM Porcelain Plaque Depicting The Three Eldest Children of Charles I, After The Painting By Sir Anthony van Dyck. German, Circa 1890. The...
Porcelain
Antique 19Th Century German KPM Porcelain Two-Handled Vases And Covers c.1890
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Antique late 19th Century pair of A Berlin KPM porcelain vases with covers, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship. Marked with a underglaze blue scepter and ...
Porcelain
$32,341 / set
KPM Porcelain and Gilt Bronze Rococo Style Clock Set
By KPM Porcelain
Located in London, GB
KPM porcelain and gilt bronze Rococo style clock set German, late 19th century Measures; Clock on base: Height 51cm, width 36cm, depth 17cm Candelabra: Height 47cm, width 27cm, de...
Ormolu
Large KPM Porcelain Plaque of 'Romeo and Juliet' 19th Century
By KPM Porcelain
Located in Brighton, Sussex
A very good quality large 19th century KPM Porcelain plaque, depicting 'Romeo and Juliet' mounted in a carved giltwood frame.
Porcelain
Two Antique Kpm Painted Porcelain Plaques in Giltwood Frames
By KPM Porcelain
Located in London, GB
This pair of portraits are of oval form and depict the half-length figures of a young boy and girl. The boy has fair, shoulder-length hair and wears a white shirt and green-lined bro...
Giltwood, Porcelain
Large Blanc de Chine Berlin Porcelain Vase
By KPM Porcelain
Located in New York, NY
This tall, slender, blanc de chine porcelain vase was made around 1910 in Berlin by KPM, and was probably designed by Alexander Kips. Blending elements of the Art Nouveau and Rococo ...
Porcelain