6 1/2" diam.
White relief with 24K gold edge with hand-painted dainty flowers.
In 1737 Johann J. Kaendler, the great Meissen model master, began creating the “Grand Service" for the Royal Treasurer, Count Henrich von Bruhl. It was designed for one hundred dinner guests and originally had more than two thousand pieces. This service is considered to be one of the most splendid and comprehensive of all time.
The central design motif is flowing water symbolizing the eternal course of life with the dominant image of the swan floating amidst reeds, herons and fish. The intricately crafted figures, centerpieces and sculpted covered tops are remarkable in an age where monotony and standardization hold sway.
The history of porcelain manufacturing in Europe begins in Meissen, Germany near Dresden, the cradle of European porcelain. Apart from the short-lived production of the Medici factory in Florence in the 1560's, Meissen was the first successful producer of hard-paste porcelain - or true porcelain - in Europe. Meissen's products, and those of its imitators, who came later, destroyed the supremacy of the oriental porcelain that had held a virtual monopoly in the world since Marco Polo opened the china trade in 1295.
In the 17th and 18th centurie
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