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VOL. 44, NO. 31 FRIDAY AUGUST 2, 2013
Published Weekly By Joel Sater Publications www.antiquesandauctionnews.net
Perfection In Porcelain: Figurines By Meissen By Donald-Brian Johnson
Gleaming gold. Avaricious kings. An imprisoned inventor. Secret formulas. And, oh yes, exquisite porcelain. Got your attention? he 300-year history of Meissen porcelain reads like a fairy tale, as reinterpreted in a suspense-filled “B” movie. Known for finely detailed figurines and exceptional tableware, Meissen is also recognized as the first European maker of fine porcelain. But, if not for a sovereign’s overwhelming hunger for gold, Meissen might never have been born. All That Glitters Ever since gold first dazzled the eye, those who’ve accumulated lots of it have had a single goal in mind: how to accumulate lots more. Enter the alchemist. From medieval times onward, these pseudo-scientific mystics managed to convince many that their experimentation would eventually result in a big payday: a “Philosopher’s Stone,” imbued with the power to transform base metal into gold. Naturally, royal personages, eager to keep castle coffers well-stocked, were intrigued. Alchemists who could offer some “proof” of their abilities were prized acquisitions. . . and once acquired, they were held fast. Now it’s not bursting any bubbles to state that alchemy simply doesn’t work. Yes, there were those who swore that dull lead was transformed into brilliant gold, “right before their very eyes.” But did it really happen? Well, just about as often as that top-hatted magician onstage really saws the pretty lady in half. Those who wanted to believe, believed. And those with know-how preyed on the gullible.
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Four children with flowers, 1840s. 10 1/2 inches high, $3,500-$5,000.
The Man Behind The Curtain One such was Johann Friedrich Bottger, who managed to persuade not one, but two monarchs, that he alone possessed the “Arcanum”: the secret recipe for lead-togold. Born in 1682, Bottger was, at the age of 14, apprenticed to an apothecary in Berlin, then the capital of Prussia. As a budding chemist, he showed remarkable proficiency, and he became obsessed with solving the riddle of alchemy. In a demonstration before reputable witnesses, Bottger sprinkled a secret powder of his own devising into a pot of molten silver. To the amazement of all, when the pot was emptied, “the silver had turned to gold!” Word of this astonishing development
Shepherd and sheep, 1860-1880. 6 3/4 inches high, $1,800-$2,000.
“Taste,” one of the “Five Senses” set, dating from 1860-1880. Tallest figurine, 6 inches high. $5,000$7,500/set.
quickly reached Friedrich I, Prussia’s cashstrapped king, who demanded an in-person repeat performance. Knowing Friedrich’s favorite means of ferreting out imposters torture - Bottger escaped from Berlin, taking refuge in Saxony, and throwing himself on the mercy of King August II. The possibility of magical gold-making also brought a glint to August’s eye. Bottger was given apartments in the king’s castle and a laboratory to continue his experimentation. Essentially held prisoner in a gilded cage, Bottger made several futile escape attempts, then resigned himself to his new lot. Knowing the fate of failed alchemists (in a burst of black humor, Friedrich had recently sent one to a gallows hung with gold tinsel), Bottger managed to convince August that he would (eventually) perfect his transformation formula. Although not above using trickery to impress his superiors, Bottger actually believed that alchemy was achievable, and he devoted his considerable skills as a chemist in pursuit of that goal. Those skills led to a discovery which managed to deflect even August’s singleminded golden focus: the creation of fine porcelain. Porcelainia “Rediscovery” might be a better term, since the secret of producing fine, hard paste porcelain had been known to the Chinese for centuries. Until the 1700s, porcelain was exclusively a product of China, introduced to the Western world by Marco Polo and imported at great expense. Kaolin (in Chinese, “white clay”) was a necessary porcelain component, ensuring its pristine whiteness and smooth, nonporous finish. Porcelain, Marco Polo’s designation for his find, was an adaptation of the medieval term for mother-of-pearl shell. Although Bottger was only looking for gold, he needed smooth and nonporous vessels for his alchemic experiments. Since metal and glass proved unsuitable, he continued to tinker, and, in 1708, he hit upon the process necessary for the manufacture
Exquisite Meissen grouping: “The Five Senses.”
“Sight”
“Smell”
Swan, 1830s. 9 inches high, $3,500-$5,000.
Lady with letter and man with spyglass, 18601880. 8 inches high, $2,500-$3,000/pr.
of porcelain, becoming the first European to successfully replicate the Chinese formula. King August was intrigued. Although it wasn’t gold, porcelain had a value and cachet all its own - particularly when August controlled not only its secret, but also its creator! Soon after, “The Royal Saxon Porcelain Works” set up shop in Dresden. However, fearing would-be competitors, August moved the firm’s base of operations in 1710 to Albrechtburg Castle in Meissen, Saxony. There, in fortress-like surroundings, prying eyes could be successfully deflected. And because of that move, the company name eventually became one with its locale: “Meissen”. From The Useful To The Decorative The earliest Meissen pieces were red stoneware, reminiscent of Chinese work and incised with Chinese characters. Porcelain became the Meissen focus in (Continued on page 2)
“Touch”
“Hearing”