Skip to main content

Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

German

Meissen Porcelain (Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen) is one of the preeminent porcelain factories in Europe and was the first to produce true porcelain outside of Asia. It was established in 1710 under the auspices of King Augustus II “the Strong” of Saxony-Poland (1670–1733), a keen collector of Asian ceramics, particularly Ming porcelain.

In pursuing his passion, which he termed his “maladie de porcelaine,” Augustus spent vast sums, amassing some 20,000 pieces of Japanese and Chinese ceramics. These, along with examples of early Meissen, comprise the Porzellansammlung, or porcelain collection, of the Zwinger Palace, in Dresden.

The king was determined, however, to free the European market from its dependence on Asian imports and to give European artisans the freedom to create their own porcelain designs. To this end, he charged the scientist Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus and aspiring alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger with the task of using local materials to produce true, hard-paste porcelain (as opposed to the soft-paste variety European ceramists in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy and Spain had been producing since the late Renaissance). In 1709, the pair succeeded in doing just that, employing kaolin, or “china clay.” A year later, the Meissen factory was born.

In its first decades, Meissen mostly looked to Asian models, producing wares based on Japanese Kakiemon ceramics and pieces with Chinese-inflected decorations called chinoiserie. During the 1720s its painters drew inspiration from the works of Watteau, and the scenes of courtly life, fruits and flowers that adorned fashionable textiles and wallpaper. It was in this period that Meissen introduced its famous cobalt-blue crossed swords logo — derived from the arms of the Elector of Saxony as Arch-Marshal of the Holy Roman Empire — to distinguish its products from those of competing factories that were beginning to spring up around Europe.

By the 1730s, Meissen’s modelers and decorators had mastered the style of Asian ceramics, and Augustus encouraged them to develop a new, original aesthetic. The factory’s director, Count Heinrich von Brühl, used Johann Wilhelm Weinmann’s botanical drawings as the basis for a new line of wares with European-style surface decoration. The Blue Onion pattern (Zwiebelmuster), first produced in 1739, melded Asian and European influences, closely following patterns used in Chinese underglaze-blue porcelain, but replacing exotic flora and fruits with Western varieties (likely peaches and pomegranates, not onions) along with peonies and asters.

During the same period, head modeler Joachim Kändler (1706–75) began crafting delicate porcelain figures derived from the Italian commedia dell’arte. Often used as centerpieces on banquet tables and decorated to reflect the latest fashions in courtly dress for men and women, these figurines were popular in their day, and are still considered among Meissen’s most iconic creations. Kändler also created the Swan Service, which, with its complex low-relief surface design and minimal decoration is considered a masterpiece of Baroque ceramics.

The rise of Neoclassicism in the latter half of the 18th century forced Meissen to change artistic direction and begin producing monumental vases, clocks, chandeliers and candelabra. In the 20th century, Meissen added to its 18th-century repertoire decidedly modern designs, including ones in the Art Nouveau style. The 1920s saw the introduction of numerous animal figures, such as the popular sea otter (Fischotter), which graced an East German postage stamp in the 1960s. Starting in 1933, artistic freedom was limited at the factory under the Nazi regime, and after World War II, when the region became part of East Germany, it struggled to reconcile its elite past with the values of the Communist government. In 1969, however, new artistic director Karl Petermann reintroduced the early designs and fostered a new degree of artistic license. Meissen became one of the few companies to prosper in East Germany.

Owned by the State of Saxony since reunification, in 1990, Meissen continues to produce its classic designs together with new ones developed collaboratively with artists from all over the world. In addition, through its artCAMPUS program, the factory has invited distinguished ceramic artists, such as Chris Antemann and Arlene Shechet, to work in its studios in collaboration with its skilled modelers and painters. The resulting works of contemporary sculpture are inspired by Meissen’s rich and complex legacy.

Find a collection of authentic Meissen Porcelain on 1stDibs.

to
1
1
Height
to
Width
to
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
342
334
127
67
58
Creator: Meissen Porcelain
Antique Meissen French Porcelain Flower Pot Cachepot Wine Cooler - a PairAntique
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique Meissen Victorian French Porcelain Flower Pot Cachepot Wine Cooler - a Pair. Circa Early 20th Century. Measurements: 7" H x 8.5" W ...
Category

Early 20th Century Unknown Victorian Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Porcelain

Related Items
Large Cobalt Blue Glazed Ceramic Pottery Planter Jardiniere Pot Cachepot 20"
Located in Dayton, OH
Vintage cobalt blue pottery planter / jardiniere / pot / cachepot featuring a wide lip with bulbous form. Dimensions: 20" D x 15" h
Category

Late 20th Century Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Pottery

Herend Hungary Porcelain Apponyi Brown Ram Head Cachepot
By Herend
Located in Delft, NL
Herend Hungary porcelain apponyi brown ram head cachepot. Herend Hungary porcelain cachepot in pattern Apponyi Brown with ram heads as handles M...
Category

20th Century Hungarian Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Porcelain

Antique French Rouen Faience Jardiniere Cachepot – Hand-Painted Masterpiece
Located in LA FERTÉ-SOUS-JOUARRE, FR
Enhance your collection with this stunning antique French faience jardiniere/cachepot, a testament to the exquisite craftsmanship of Rouen ceramics. Dating to circa 1900, this large ...
Category

Late 19th Century Antique Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Faience

Antique French Terracotta Planter Anduze Color cachepot jardinière Urn Pot LA CA
Located in West Hollywood, CA
Antique French Terracotta Planter Anduze Color cachepot jardinière Urn Pot LA CA . Beautiful Handmade 19th Century Earthen-ware terracotta Glazed Anduze From ...
Category

19th Century French Antique Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Terracotta, Paint

Porcelain Plant Flower Pot Holders Planters Cachepots Jardinières, Pair
Located in New York, NY
A beautiful pair of European porcelain flower or plant planters jardinieres or holder cachepots with flower and leaf design, circa mid-20th centu...
Category

Mid-20th Century European Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Vintage Chinese Porcelain PROC Jardiniere China Flower Pots, 20C
Located in Amsterdam, Noord Holland
Lovely Chinese porcelain jardinieres. Dating to the 1970’s or 80’s. Unmarked Base Additional information: Material: Porcelain & Pottery Region of Origin: China Period: 20th century...
Category

20th Century Chinese Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Vintage Chinese Porcelain PROC Jardiniere China Flower Pots, 20C
Pair of Vintage Chinese Porcelain PROC Jardiniere China Flower Pots, 20C
$2,671 Sale Price / set
20% Off
H 8.27 in Dm 13.39 in
Antique Chinese Large Porcelain Green Frog Planter Cachepot
Located in Atlanta, GA
A Whimsical Antique Chinese Frog planter with textured body in a bright spring green glaze over black with lavender eyes. These planters were a st...
Category

1870s Chinese Chinese Export Antique Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Porcelain

English Plant Flower Pot Holder Cachepot Jardiniere Lion Head and Paw Feet
Located in New York, NY
An English copper plant or flower pot holder cachepot jardiniere with lion head and paw feet design, circa early-20th century, England. Dimensions: 8" Diameter x 6.94" Height.
Category

Early 20th Century English Empire Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Copper

Willy Guhl Flower Pots
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Very rare set of Willy Guhl sculptural flower planters made of cement. Great sculptural objects. Hollow and open on both ends. Perfect for placing in soil and arranging plants/flower...
Category

1960s Swiss Vintage Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Flower Pots
Willy Guhl Flower Pots
$2,200 / item
H 6.5 in Dm 18 in
Designed By Sybil Connolly For Tiffany & Co Set Of Three Porcelain Flower Pots
By Tiffany & Co.
Located in San Juan Capistrano, CA
Set of three small basketweave porcelain flower pots designed by Irish fashion designer Sybil Connolly for Tiffany & Co. They are in perfect condition.
Category

Late 20th Century Irish Victorian Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Porcelain

Willy Guhl Square Flower Pot
By Willy Guhl
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Square concrete planter by Willy Guhl. Made in Switzerland in the 1960s. Great condition. Original coloring and patina. Classic square planter...
Category

1960s Swiss Vintage Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Cement

Willy Guhl Square Flower Pot
Willy Guhl Square Flower Pot
$700 / item
H 7.75 in W 9.75 in D 9.75 in
Herend Hungary Porcelain Apponyi Orange Ram Head Cachepots
By Herend
Located in Delft, NL
Herend Hungary porcelain apponyi orange ram head cachepots Herend Hungary porcelain cachepots in pattern Apponyi orange with ram heads as handles M...
Category

20th Century Hungarian Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres

Materials

Porcelain

Questions About Meissen Porcelain Planters and Jardinieres
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    To spot a fake Meissen, first, check the maker’s mark, generally found on the bottom of the porcelain. Meissen used a simple mark, so if you spot one that appears too embellished, it may be a fake. Shop a collection of properly vetted Meissen porcelain from some of the world’s top dealers on 1stDibs.

Recently Viewed

View All