How Do You Identify German Porcelain Plates?
In the early 1700s, a 18-year-old alchemist named Johann Bottger from the town of Meissen in Saxony was imprisoned by King Augustus the Strong and ordered to turn base materials into gold. Bottger failed, but discovered another formula that had been sought in Europe for decades: How to create true Chinese porcelain. Augustus, while disappointed, recognized this as another kind of golden opportunity for increasing his wealth, founding the Meissen Porcelain Factory near Dresden. Production began in 1709 and more than three centuries later, Meissen remains the first of many German porcelain houses world-famous for transforming simple clay and common rock crystal into inimitable art for the tabletop. Invest in a good reference book. Serious collectors of German porcelain face a wide range of special problems in trying to authenticate and date pieces. Being able to consult a comprehensive reference book will reduce the chances of confusion over company trademarks that may have changed numer
