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Meissen porcelain & ceramics

Meissen Porcelain, founded in 1710 near Dresden, Germany, was the first European manufactory to produce true hard-paste porcelain. Established under the patronage of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony, Meissen transformed European ceramics by ending reliance on imported Chinese porcelain. The breakthrough came through experiments by Johann Friedrich Böttger, an alchemist, and Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus, a scientist, whose work unlocked the formula for durable, high-quality hard-paste porcelain. Böttger’s success directly led to the creation of the Meissen manufactory, where he became its first director.

From its inception, Meissen combined technical innovation with artistic excellence. The sculptor Johann Joachim Kändler elevated the manufactory’s output with Rococo masterpieces, including the renowned Swan Service (1737–1742), demonstrating Meissen’s mastery in figurines, enamel painting and naturalistic design. Over the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, Meissen embraced evolving styles from Neoclassicism to Art Nouveau while preserving its tradition of hand-painted craftsmanship.

Meissen porcelain is easily recognised by the crossed-swords mark, introduced in 1720, one of the world’s oldest trademarks. Still produced in Meissen, Saxony, it remains highly sought after by collectors, museums, and connoisseurs of European decorative arts. Today, Meissen exemplifies centuries of innovation, technical mastery and artistic refinement, cementing its place as a symbol of luxury and German porcelain heritage.

AN EXTENSIVE MEISSEN PORCELAIN 'BLUE ONION' ASSEMBLED PART DINNER AND DESSERT SERVICE

18TH-20TH CENTURY, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARKS, SOME WITH INCISIONS AND OUTSIDE-DECORATED, VARIOUS PRESSNUMMERN

A GILT-METAL-MOUNTED MEISSEN PORCELAIN SNUFF-BOX AND COVER

CIRCA 1750-55, THE MOUNTS CONTEMPORARY WITH THE PORCELAIN

AN ORMOLU-MOUNTED MEISSEN PORCELAIN SWAN GROUP

MID 18TH CENTURY, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK TO UNDERSIDE

A GROUP OF ELEVEN MEISSEN PORCELAIN MODELS OF BIRDS

19TH AND 20TH CENTURY, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARKS, PRESSNUMERN AND VARIOUS INCISED NUMERALS

TWO MEISSEN PORCELAIN MODELS OF SQUIRRELS

MID 18TH CENTURY, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS TO THE BACK OF THE BASES

A MEISSEN PORCELAIN MODEL OF A COCKATOO

THE PORCELAIN PROBABLY 18TH CENTURY, THE DECORATION LATER, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK

A MEISSEN PORCELAIN FIGURE OF A GENTLEMAN TEASING A PUG

CIRCA 1750, TRACES OF BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK

A MEISSEN PORCELAIN FIGURE OF A DUTCH FISHERMAN

CIRCA 1745, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK, PUCE CIRCLE AND LINE

AN ORMOLU-MOUNTED MEISSEN PORCELAIN PASTORAL GROUP

POSSIBLY CIRCA 1755-60, POSSIBLY 19TH CENTURY, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK AND PRESSNUMMER 143

A MEISSEN PORCELAIN CHINOISERIE FAMILY GROUP OR LES DELICES DE L’ENFANCE

CIRCA 1750-55, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK

A MEISSEN PORCELAIN CHINOISERIE GROUP OF LOVERS OR DAS ‘INDIANISCHE’ LIEBESPAAR

CIRCA 1745, TRACES OF BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK

TWO MEISSEN PORCELAIN FIGURES FROM THE ‘CRIS DE PARIS’ SERIES

CIRCA 1755, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARKS TO BACK OF BASES, POULTRY SELLER WITH PRESSNUMMER 8 AND IMPRESSED TWICE WITH LETTER O, CONFECTIONARY SELLER WITH PRESSNUMMER 16., IMPRESSED P

A MEISSEN PORCELAIN 'BLUE ONION' PATTERN COMPOSITE PART TABLE-SERVICE

LATE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARKS, VARIOUS PRESSNUMMERN AND IMPRESSED LETTERS, SOME INCISED AND PAINTED LETTERS AND NUMERALS

A MEISSEN PORCELAIN FIGURE OF A TURK

CIRCA 1740, TRACES OF BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK TO UNDERSIDE OF BASE

A MEISSEN WHITE MODEL OF A GREAT BUSTARD (OTIS TARDA)

1732, ATTRIBUTED TO JOHANN GOTTLIEB KIRCHNER, INCISED INITIALS AS TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE BEAK FOR ANDREAS SCHIEFER

A MEISSEN WHITE PORCELAIN MODEL OF A HEN WITH HER CHICKS

1732

A MEISSEN PORCELAIN FIVE-VASE GARNITURE

CIRCA 1738, EACH BASE WITH A BLUE CROSSED SWORD MARK AND PRESSNUMMER 21, LIKELY PAINTED BY J.E. STADLER

A PAIR OF ROYAL MEISSEN PORCELAIN YELLOW-GROUND BEAKER-VASES MADE FOR SCHLOSS HUBERTUSBURG, THE HUNTING LODGE OF AUGUSTUS III

CIRCA 1739, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARKS AND DREHER'S MARKS

A MONUMENTAL LOUIS XV ORMOLU AND MEISSEN AND FRENCH PORCELAIN CLOCK

CIRCA 1750, THE PORCELAIN FIGURES ATTRIBUTED TO J.J. KÄNDLER, THE FLOWERS VINCENNES AND SEVRES PORCELAIN, MOST SOFT PASTE; THE CLOCK MOVEMENT BY EDME-JEAN CAUSARD, PARIS

A MEISSEN (AUGUSTUS REX) PORCELAIN ROYAL ARMORIAL PART TEA AND CHOCOLATE-SERVICE

1725, BLUE AR MARKS AND VARIOUS DREHERS' MARKS, PAINTED BY J.G. HÖROLDT

A MEISSEN SILVER-GILT-MOUNTED CHINOISERIE TANKARD AND COVER

CIRCA 1725, THE MOUNTS 18TH CENTURY

A BÖTTGER RED STONEWARE JEWELLED AND ENAMELLED COFFEE-POT AND COVER

1710-1711

A MEISSEN GROUP OF 'THE HAND KISS'

CIRCA 1737

A MEISSEN GROUP OF 'THE MOCKERY OF AGE'

CIRCA 1740, INDISTINCT BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARKS TO BASE

A MEISSEN ARMORIAL OVAL MONTEITH FROM THE SWAN SERVICE

CIRCA 1740, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK, PRESSNUMMER 28

A MEISSEN GROUP OF HARLEQUIN AND COLUMBINE

CIRCA 1740

A LARGE MEISSEN PORCELAIN PLATINUM AND FAUX TORTOISHELL CAMPANA VASE

CIRCA 1870, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK, INCISED MODEL NO. G 174, PRESSNUMMER 19

A MEISSEN ARMORIAL OVAL MONTEITH FROM THE SWAN SERVICE

CIRCA 1740, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARK, PRESSNUMMER 28

A GARNITURE OF FIVE MEISSEN PORCELAIN HEXAGONAL VASES AND COVERS

THE PORCELAIN CIRCA 1725-28, THE DECORATION CIRCA 1740, BLUE CADUCEUS MARKS TO THE BALUSTER VASES, BLUE CROSSED SWORDS MARKS TO THE BEAKER VASES, THE COVER OF THE CENTRAL VASE A LATER REPLACEMENT

A MEISSEN (AUGUSTUS REX) BLUE AND WHITE CHINOISERIE BALUSTER VASE AND COVER

CIRCA 1725, BLUE AR MONOGRAM MARK, 310 INVENTORY NUMBER

A PAIR OF MEISSEN PORCELAIN (AUGUSTUS REX) KAKIEMON HEXAGONAL VASES AND COVERS

CIRCA 1730, UNDERGLAZE BLUE AR MARKS AND INCISED MARKS

GRAND ELEPHANT EN PORCELAINE DE MEISSEN DU XVIIIE SIECLE

MARQUE EN BLEU AUX DEUX EPEES CROISEES

A LOUIS XV ORMOLU-MOUNTED MEISSEN PORCELAIN MANTEL CLOCK

MID-18TH CENTURY, THE MEISSEN PORCELAIN CIRCA 1740, FOUR PRESSNUMMERN 48 TO UNDERSIDE OF BASE, THE CONTINENTAL PORCELAIN FLOWERS 18TH CENTURY AND LATER, THE MOVEMENT BY TAYOT, PARIS