History of porcelain figurines. IMP Consulting.

A brief story about porcelain figurines

1709 All starts with the invention of hard porcelain in Meissen, Germany.

1720 August the Strong, Elector of Sachsen, ordered the Meissen factory to make life-sized animals for his "Japanische Palais". Sculptors were engaged to make models.

1735 The young sculptor J J Kändler at the Meissen factory works with plastic decorations for dinner services, comprising among other things a series of Harlequins from the Italian Comedy. This initiated the fashion with "Kleinplastik" for the gala banquet tables at the European courts.

1740-1770 Figurines become the highest fashion for gala banquet table decorations at all European courts and residential mansions . At Meissen production of figurines becomes the most important activity. The figurines are extremely expensive and the manufacturing processes are vigorously guarded.

1750-1780 Through wars and industrial espionage the secret of porcelain-making is spread all over Europe. Major European courts start their own porcelain factories. Famous sculptors are engaged in the design of figurines. More than 30 new factories produce figurines at the end of this period.

1780-1900 The production techniques are gradually perfected. More than 1000 porcelain factories are founded in Europe during this period. Millions of figurines without high artistic value are produced. The middle classes can now more and more afford figurines. However, from an artistic viewpoint, very little new is added until circa 1890.
In harmony with the fashion of the days many factories start making small bisquit copies of ancient and contemporary marbel statues. At the end of the period some of the oldest factories are making reproductions of their own 1800 century models. These figurines cary in most cases new marks to avoid confusion with antique and valuable pieces

1850-1930 Here comes the golden days for fakes and forgeries. Many small factories are making figurines with false marks from old prestige factories like Meissen, Sèvres, Höchst and Ludwigsburg. These figurines, mostly in barock- and rokoko style, are still circulating on the antique markets.
Massproduction methods are invented. Cheap, plain as well as fine figurines are invading all kinds of homes all over the world. Figurines have become important interior decoration elements as well as collectables

1890-1920 With the Jugend style came a renewing for figurines. Royal Copenhagen become world-famous. Many skilled artists begun to work with porcelain factories and made small sculptures to be casted in porcelain. Quality figurines are now regarded as Art.
Several porcelain factories launched Art Departments where famous sculptors were engaged. Many of those came from "Schwarzburger Werkstätten für Porzellankunst" in Unterweissbach, Germany, founded in 1909 by Max Adolf Pfeiffer, later artistic leader at the Meissen factory.
Factories in England like Beswick, Doulton, Coalport, Wedgwood, Derby, Minton, Copeland, Worcester follows the pattern from the mainland, but start also to produce families of figurines, which later became collectables.

1910-1940 The Jugend stile moved slowly into what later got the name Art Deco. This style is also very well suited for porcelain figurines and all major factories participated with new models in this style.
Quality figurines are produced at several old plants like Meissen, Sèvres, Royal Copenhagen, Berlin, Nymphenburg as well as at some English and new mainland plants like Rosenthal, Wien Augarten (Austria), Herend (in Hungary), Doccia (Italy). In parallell with this are a great number av smaller plants producing figurines of varying quality. The output is comprehensive.

1940-2000 From an artistic viewpoint very little real new has arrived during this period. Most companies are just making new pulls from their old moulds. Many porcelain factories cease their figurine production. It requires to much workmanship with timeconsuming manual contents. It has become too expensive.
However, a new player arrives on the figurine arena, Lladró in Spain. They produce mainly underglaze decorated porcelain figurines. Since the start 1951 they have designed thousands of new models . Most of their production consists of quit plain models, but they have also created a number of real quality figurines. Normally they do not disclose the names of their artists, but they protect the models by copyright.

1980- Due to high labor costs and lack of skilled personnel, many old porcelain companies are minimizing their quality figurine programs. However, unsofisticated, massproduced figurines, without real artistic ambitions are still in production at several sites. Quality figurines are only produced at some few factories and the production level is low.
Regenerated figurine programs seems now to be launched at some factories, eg at Herend in Hungary and at Hutschenreuter in Germany. The style is sort of futuristic.

1709	All starts with the invention of hard porcelain in Meissen, Germany.
1720	August the Strong, Elector of Sachsen, ordered the Meissen factory to make life-sized animals for his "Japanische Palais". Sculptors were engaged to make models.
1735	The young sculptor J J Kändler at the Meissen factory works with plastic decorations for dinner services, comprising among other things a series of Harlequins from the Italian Comedy. This initiated the fashion with "Kleinplastik" for the gala banquet tables at the European courts.
1740-1770	Figurines become the highest fashion for gala banquet table decorations at all European courts and residential mansions . At Meissen production of figurines becomes the most important activity. The figurines are extremely expensive and the manufacturing processes are vigorously guarded.
1750-1780	Through wars and industrial espionage the secret of porcelain-making is spread all over Europe. Major European courts start their own porcelain factories. Famous sculptors are engaged in the design of figurines. More than 30 new factories produce figurines at the end of this period.
1780-1900	The production techniques are gradually perfected. More than 1000 porcelain factories are founded in Europe during this period. Millions of figurines without high artistic value are produced. The middle classes can now more and more afford figurines. However, from an artistic viewpoint, very little new is added until circa 1890. In harmony with the fashion of the days many factories start making small bisquit copies of ancient and contemporary marbel statues. At the end of the period some of the oldest factories are making reproductions of their own 1800 century models. These figurines cary in most cases new marks to avoid confusion with antique and valuable pieces
1850-1930	Here comes the golden days for fakes and forgeries. Many small factories are making figurines with false marks from old prestige factories like Meissen, Sèvres, Höchst and Ludwigsburg. These figurines, mostly in barock- and rokoko style, are still circulating on the antique markets. Massproduction methods are invented. Cheap, plain as well as fine figurines are invading all kinds of homes all over the world. Figurines have become important interior decoration elements as well as collectables
1890-1920	With the Jugend style came a renewing for figurines. Royal Copenhagen become world-famous. Many skilled artists begun to work with porcelain factories and made small sculptures to be casted in porcelain. Quality figurines are now regarded as Art. Several porcelain factories launched Art Departments where famous sculptors were engaged. Many of those came from "Schwarzburger Werkstätten für Porzellankunst" in Unterweissbach, Germany, founded in 1909 by Max Adolf Pfeiffer, later artistic leader at the Meissen factory. Factories in England like Beswick, Doulton, Coalport, Wedgwood, Derby, Minton, Copeland, Worcester follows the pattern from the mainland, but start also to produce families of figurines, which later became collectables.
1910-1940	The Jugend stile moved slowly into what later got the name Art Deco. This style is also very well suited for porcelain figurines and all major factories participated with new models in this style. Quality figurines are produced at several old plants like Meissen, Sèvres, Royal Copenhagen, Berlin, Nymphenburg as well as at some English and new mainland plants like Rosenthal, Wien Augarten (Austria), Herend (in Hungary), Doccia (Italy). In parallell with this are a great number av smaller plants producing figurines of varying quality. The output is comprehensive.
1940-2000	From an artistic viewpoint very little real new has arrived during this period. Most companies are just making new pulls from their old moulds. Many porcelain factories cease their figurine production. It requires to much workmanship with timeconsuming manual contents. It has become too expensive. However, a new player arrives on the figurine arena, Lladró in Spain. They produce mainly underglaze decorated porcelain figurines. Since the start 1951 they have designed thousands of new models . Most of their production consists of quit plain models, but they have also created a number of real quality figurines. Normally they do not disclose the names of their artists, but they protect the models by copyright.
1980-	Due to high labor costs and lack of skilled personnel, many old porcelain companies are minimizing their quality figurine programs. However, unsofisticated, massproduced figurines, without real artistic ambitions are still in production at several sites. Quality figurines are only produced at some few factories and the production level is low. Regenerated figurine programs seems now to be launched at some factories, eg at Herend in Hungary and at Hutschenreuter in Germany. The style is sort of futuristic.