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Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

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.

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Creator: Meissen Porcelain
Meissen Purple Indian Reticulated Oval Serving Bowl With Gold Accents
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Boston, MA
This is a beautiful Meissen purple Indian reticulated oval serving bowl. The purple Indian pattern of Meissen is one of my favorite patterns, as ...
Category

1950s German Rococo Vintage Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

Vintage Meissen Large Porcelain Pink “Indian Flowers” Gold Scallop Serving Bowl
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Naples, FL
This Meissen fine large porcelain, hand painted bowl is a beautiful addition to any decorative collection. Its pink floral intricate design and gold scal...
Category

Mid-20th Century German Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

Saucière mit Deckel, Porzellan, farbig bemalt, Meißen, Punktzeit, 18. Jh.
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Mönchengladbach, NW
Saucière mit Deckel, Porzellan, farbig bemalt, Meißen, Punktzeit, 18. Jh.
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Late 18th Century German Antique Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

Meissen Purple Indian Serving Bowl
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Boston, MA
We are offering you this lovely Meissen purple Indian serving bowl. It has detailed paintings of pink flowers with some purple and gold accents ...
Category

1960s German Rococo Vintage Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

Meissen Purple Indian Bowl in Unusual Square Shape
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Boston, MA
I would like to offer you this lovely Meissen purple Indian bowl in this unusual square shape. It has detailed paintings of pink flowers with so...
Category

1960s German Rococo Vintage Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

Meissen Reticulated Bowl With Flower Bouquet & Accents of Butterflies & Insects
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Boston, MA
This is a beautiful oval Meissen reticulated bowl hand painted with a central painting of a flower bouquet and accents of butterflies and insects. ...
Category

1890s German Rococo Antique Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

Meissen Reticulated and Fluted Bowl With central Flower Bouquet and Insects
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Boston, MA
I am offering you this fabulous Meissen reticulated fluted bowl from the 1880s. It has a beautifully painted central flower bouquet with accents of...
Category

1880s German Belle Époque Antique Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

Meissen Reticulated Fluted Bowl with a Bright & Colorful Central Flower Bouquet
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Boston, MA
I am offering you this beautiful Meissen reticulated and fluted bowl. It has a bright and colorful large flower bouquet in the center of the bowl w...
Category

1890s German Rococo Antique Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

Square Meissen Purple Indian Serving Bowl
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Boston, MA
I would like to offer you this beautiful Meissen purple Indian serving bowl in this unusual square form. It has detailed paintings of pink flowe...
Category

1960s German Rococo Vintage Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

Large Meissen Covered Serving Bowl with Four Painted Bouquets of Flowers
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Boston, MA
This is a fabulous large Meissen covered serving bowl in the New Brandenstein pattern with four beautiful different flower bouquets on top accente...
Category

1880s German Romantic Antique Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

Ancient Meissen Pair of Porcelain Sugar Bowls with Flower Knobs, Circa 1760
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Milano, IT
Pair of porcelain sugar bowls Meissen, circa 1748-1775 Marked with crossed swords and number “92” of the gilder They measure 5.11 in (13 cm) x 5.11 in ...
Category

1750s German Rococo Antique Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

Pair of Meissen Legume Dishes from the Marcolini Period, 18th Century
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Milano, IT
An elegant and rare pair of Meissen serving dishes from the Marcolini period. The pair of legume dishes is made of the finest porcelain. Under each saucer we find the Meissen manufac...
Category

Early 1800s German Neoclassical Antique Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

Meissen Purple Indian Round Reticulated Serving Bowl with Gold Accents
By Meissen Porcelain
Located in Boston, MA
This is a beautiful round Meissen purple Indian reticulated serving bowl. The purple Indian pattern of Meissen is one of my favorite patterns as ...
Category

1940s German Rococo Vintage Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls

Materials

Porcelain

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Meissen Porcelain serving bowls for sale on 1stDibs.

Meissen porcelain serving bowls 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 Meissen Porcelain serving bowls, although beige editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original serving bowls by Meissen Porcelain were created in the Rococo style in germany during the mid-20th century. Prices for Meissen Porcelain serving bowls can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $695 and can go as high as $6,407, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,098.
Questions About Meissen Porcelain Serving Bowls
  • 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.

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