KPM - Plate (6) - Porcelain

This beautiful ensemble of six antique porcelain dessert plates was crafted by the world-renowned Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur (KPM) of Berlin. The set dates from the period between 1900 and 1910, a crucial transitional era in which the manufactory harmoniously wove its classical royal traditions with the emerging organic influences of Jugendstil.

Each plate within this series serves as an individual canvas for a masterfully hand-painted still life. The vibrant compositions shine with naturalism and exhibit a rich variety of European autumn and summer fruit. Subtle nuances of light and shadow bring to life succulent pears, fleshy plums, glossy cherries, and clusters of hazelnuts. The central motif is majestically surrounded by a dynamically undulating rococo-style relief edge, based on the well-known Neuosier relief designed in 1776 by master modeler Friedrich Elias Meyer. For painting the relief edges, KPM applied a technique to this type of master pieces using pure 24-karat gold paste. The edges were polished after firing with a semi-precious stone, creating a brilliant contrast between the deep, glossy polished gold and the velvety matte gold in the deeper areas.

Marks

On the back of the plates we find the typical cobalt-blue scepter, which has been the official factory mark of KPM since 1763 and was introduced by King Frederick the Great of Prussia. This mark was applied by hand with cobalt-blue paint under the glaze. Importantly, the scepter on these plates was not incised for a second firing, which traditionally happened when it was found that firing defects had crept into the plates. A scratch across the factory mark would indicate a second-rate piece. Since these plates are richly hand-painted, they bear, in addition to the scepter, a second important mark: the Imperial Apple, applied to the glaze to indicate that the decorative work was carried out in KPM’s own ateliers. The green color of the apple was applied only to fruit décors. On the foot ring, each plate bears a small hand-painted numeral or letter. This is the personal signature of the porcelain painter.

About the manufactory:

Although the manufactory in Berlin was founded as early as 1761 by Johann Ernst Gotzkowsky, the real success story began two years later when the Prussian king Frederick the Great took over the distressed factory. He gave the company not only its name, but also his personal coat of arms as an official mark. Frederick was so obsessed with porcelain that you could order countless services for his various palaces and castles. To this day, KPM remains committed to handcraft. While many other porcelain factories have shifted to industrial mass production, the historic workshops in Berlin still do almost everything by hand. Creating a single KPM object often takes several weeks and requires the expertise of dozens of different artisans, from the modeler to the master painter.