Royal Copenhagen

Last updated
Royal Copenhagen
Company type Subsidiary
Industry Pottery
Founded1 May 1775;250 years ago (1775-05-01)
Headquarters Copenhagen, Denmark
Products Porcelain ceramics
Parent Fiskars
Website royalcopenhagen.com

Royal Copenhagen, officially the Royal Porcelain Factory (Danish : Den Kongelige Porcelænsfabrik), is a Danish manufacturer of porcelain products and was founded in Copenhagen in 1775 under the protection of Danish Dowager Queen Juliane Marie. It is recognized by its factory mark, the three wavy lines above each other, symbolizing Denmark's three water ways: Storebælt, Lillebælt and Øresund. [1] [2]

Contents

History

Early years

The Royal Porcelain Factory, at Holmskiold's time located in a former post office in Kogmagergade Porcelainsfabrik.png
The Royal Porcelain Factory, at Holmskiold's time located in a former post office in Køgmagergade

Starting in the 17th century, Europeans, long fascinated by the blue and white porcelain exported from China during the Ming and Qing dynasties, began to imitate the precious ware. [3] The Royal Copenhagen manufactory's operations began in a converted post office in 1775. It was founded by chemist Frantz Heinrich Müller who was given a 50-year monopoly to create porcelain. Though royal patronage was not at first official, the first pieces manufactured were dining services for the royal family. [4] Johan Theodor Holmskjold was appointed as the first director-in-chief of the company.

When, in 1779, King Christian VII assumed financial responsibility, the manufactory was styled the Royal Porcelain Factory. Holmskiold headed the operations until his death in 1793. [5] [6]

The Royal Porcelain Factory was geaded by pharmacist Ludvig Manthey from 1796 to 1811. [7]

The company was later headed by Carl Wilhelm Bergsøe (18001861. He was the father of writer Wilhelm Bergsøe whose childhood memories served as inspiration for his novel Fra den gamle fabrik. [8]

In 1851, Royal Copenhagen showed its production at The Great Exhibition in London. In 1868, as a result of royal companies' privatization, the Royal Porcelain Factory came into private was sold at auction. The buyer was businessman Gustav Adolph Falck (18331892). [9]

Meger with Aluminia

The combined Royal Porcelain Factory and Aluminia site in 1888. Den kgl. Porcelainsfabrik og Aluminia 1888.png
The combined Royal Porcelain Factory and Aluminia site in 1888.

In the mid-19th century the many large European porcelain companies generally stood aloof from artistic developments such as Japonisme, and the Arts and Crafts movement, concentrating on tableware, and often struggling to throw off what had become the deadening influence of Rococo and Neoclassical styles. In the 1870s most continued to produce an eclectic variety of revivalist styles, though sometimes experimenting with glazes, as at Meissen porcelain, which began to produce monochrome vases from 1883. [10]

Women doing decorative work at the Royal Porcelain Factory, 1895 Emma Meyer - Women decorating porcelain at Den Kgl Porcelansfabrik.jpg
Women doing decorative work at the Royal Porcelain Factory, 1895

The first major porcelain company to seriously change its styles was Royal Copenhagen, which made radical changes from 1883, when it was bought by Aluminia, an earthenware company. Arnold Krog, an architect under 30 with no practical experience of the industry, was made artistic director the next year, and rapidly shifted designs in the same directions art pottery was exploring, commissioning many painters to design for the factory. Japanese influences were initially very strong. The new wares soon won prizes at various international exhibitions, and most of the large porcelain makers began to move in similar directions, [11] causing problems for the smaller art potteries.

Shortly after Aluminia's acquisition, Royal Copenhagen production was moved to a modern factory building at Aluminia's site in Frederiksberg, on the outskirts of Copenhagen. At the Exposition Universelle (1889) in Paris, Royal Copenhagen won the Grand Prix, giving it international exposure.

Current company

In recent years, Royal Copenhagen acquired Georg Jensen in 1972, incorporated with Holmegaard Glass Factory in 1985, and finally Bing & Grøndahl in 1987. Royal Copenhagen was a part of a group of Scandinavian companies, Royal Scandinavia , together with Georg Jensen, and was owned by a Danish private equity fund, Axcel. Following Axcel's acquisition of Royal Scandinavia, Holmegaard Glasværk was sold in a MBO, and a controlling interest in the Swedish glass works Orrefors Kosta Boda was sold to New Wave Group.

In December 2012, Axcel sold Royal Copenhagen to the Finnish listed company Fiskars, which was founded in 1649. [12]

The company now produces its products in Thailand. [13] [14] [15]

Patterns (original manufacturer in parentheses)

Pieces of the "Flora Danica" dinner service, Christiansborg Palace Kobenhavn 2013 (34) (cropped).JPG
Pieces of the "Flora Danica" dinner service, Christiansborg Palace
Seagull dinnerware, designed by Fanny Garde of Bing & Grondahl in 1895 Mowe Royal.jpg
Seagull dinnerware, designed by Fanny Garde of Bing & Grøndahl in 1895

Blue Fluted

The factory's pattern No. 1, still in production, is "Musselmalet", "mussel-painted", called "Blue Fluted" in English-speaking countries. The "mussel blue" is cobalt. The discovery in 1772 of a rich vein of cobalt in Norway, the junior part of the joint kingdom, was quickly developed using some nearby water power into an industry, grinding cobalt to a fine dust to incorporate in ceramic glazes and glass manufacture. The mellowed Blaafarveværket site is a tourist attraction today. During the first half of the 19th century cobalt rivaled fisheries as the greatest source of wealth obtained from Norway. Many of the German porcelain manufactories in the 19th century produced a version of intense blue "echt Kobalt" decor combined with patterned gilding, using the Norwegian cobalt from Denmark.

Flora Danica

In 1790, Royal Copenhagen was commissioned by the king to produce a "Flora Danica" dinner service, with gilded edges and botanical motifs copied from the ongoing illustrated Flora Danica . [16] It was intended as a gift for Catherine the Great; Royal Copenhagen has produced hand-painted pieces of "Flora Danica" to this day.

Other classical patterns

New and currently in production

Blue Fluted Plain (1775, revised in 1885), White Fluted (1775), Blue Fluted Mega (2000), Black Fluted Mega (2006), Princess (1978), Blue Fluted Half Lace (1888), Blue Fluted Full Lace (1775, revised in 1885), blomst (-), Hav (2019), White Elements (2008), Blue Elements (2011), Multicoloured Elements (2008), Star Fluted Christmas (2006), Flora (2012), Blue Palmette (2004), White Fluted Half Lace, Flora Danica (1790) [17]

Discontinued

Collectables

Vase with Japanese wild carp, shape by Arnold Krog and Soren Bech Jacobsen, 1887, decorated by August F. Hallin, 1888, porcelain Vase with Japanese wild carp, form by Arnold Emil Krog and Soren Bech Jacobsen, 1887, decor by August F. Hallin, 1888, Konigliche Porzellanmanufaktur Kopenhagen, porcelain - Brohan Museum, Berlin - DSC04071.JPG
Vase with Japanese wild carp, shape by Arnold Krog and Soren Bech Jacobsen, 1887, decorated by August F. Hallin, 1888, porcelain
Vase designed by Gerhard Heilmann, 1891 Gerhard heilmann per royal copenhagen porcelain man. vaso 1891.jpg
Vase designed by Gerhard Heilmann, 1891

Christmas plates

The tradition of Christmas plates started hundreds of years ago in Europe, when wealthy people presented their servants with cakes and sweets, served on decorative plates of wood or metal at Christmas time. The servants referred to these gifts as their Christmas Plate. In 1895 Bing & Grøndahl produced the first Christmas plate made from porcelain, with the date inscribed, and has made one each year since. In 1908 the Royal Copenhagen factory followed suit. Each year these plates are made in limited quantities and have been collectable for over 100 years. Each plate is made in the year of issue only, after which the mould is destroyed, and the design is never made again. [19]

1917 Christmas Plate Royal Copenhagen 1.jpg
1917 Christmas Plate
Royal Porcelain manufactory on Kobmagergade in Copenhagen (19th century) Den kongelige Porcelaensfabrik.jpg
Royal Porcelain manufactory on Købmagergade in Copenhagen (19th century)

The themes since 1908 are: [20]

YearChristmas PlateNotes
1908 Madonna & Child
1909Danish Landscape
1910The Magi
1911Thief Plate
1911Landscape
1912Christmas Tree
1913 Frederiks Kirke Frederik's Church
1914 Helligåndskirken Church of the Holy Ghost
1915Danish Landscape
1916Shepherds in the Field
1917 Vor Frelsers Kirke Church of Our Saviour, Christianshavn
1918The Shepherds
1919In The Park
1920Mary & Child
1921 Aabenraa Market
1922Three Singing Angels
1923Landscape
1924Sailing Ship
1925 Christianshavn
1926 Christianshavns Kanal
1927Ship's Boy at Tiller
1928 Vicar's Family
1929 Grundtvigs Kirke Grundtvig's Church
1930Fishing Boats
1931Mother & Child
1932Frederiksberg
1933 Storebæltsfærgerne Great Belt ferries
1934 Eremitageslottet Hermitage Hunting Lodge
1935 Kronborg
1936 Roskilde Domkirke Roskilde Cathedral
1937 Copenhagen
1938 Østerlars Church
1939Ship on Greenland Ice
1940The Good Shepherd
1941Village Church
1942Bell Tower
1943Flight Into Egypt
1944Winter Scene
1945Peaceful Motif
1946Zealand Church
1947The Good Shepherd
1948 Nødebo Kirke Nødebo Church
1949 Vor Frue Kirke Church of Our Lady
1950Boeslunde Church
1951Christmas Angel
1952Christmas In The Forest
1953Frederiksberg
1954 Amalienborg
1955Fanø Girl
1956 Rosenborg Slot Rosenborg Castle
1957The Good Shepherd
1958 Grønland Greenland
1959Christmas Night
1960The Stag
1961Training Ship Denmark
1962 Den lille havfrue The Little Mermaid
1963Højsager Mill
1964Fetching The Tree
1965Little Skaters
1966The Blackbird At Christmas
1967The Royal Oak
1968The Last Umiak
1969Old Farmyard
1970Christmas Rose & Cat
1971Hare In Winter
1972In The Desert
1973Train Homeward Bound
1974Owl
1975 Marselisborg Slot Marselisborg Palace
1976Vibæk Mill
1977Immervad Bridge
1978Greenland Scene
1979Choosing The Tree
1980Bringing Home The Tree
1981Admiring The Tree
1982Waiting For Christmas
1983Merry Christmas
1984Jingle Bells
1985The Snowman
1986Christmas Holidays
1987Winter Birds
1988Copenhagen Skyline
1989Old Skating Pond
1990 Tivoli Gardens
1991Santa Lucia Fest
1992The Royal Coach
1993Arriving Train
1994Home From Shopping
1995The Manor House
1996Street Lamps
1997 Roskilde Domkirke Roskilde Cathedral
1998Boat Scene
1999The Sleigh Ride
2000Trimming The Tree
2001Watching The Birds
2002Winter In The Forest
2003Season's Greetings
2004Awaiting The Christmas Train
2005 Hans Christian Andersen House
2006 Kronborg
2007Christmas in Nyhavn
2008Copenhagen Christmas
2009Christmas at Amagertorv Amager Square
2010Christmas in Greenland
2011Waiting For Santa Claus
2012Sailing The North Sea
2013Copenhagen Harbour
2014 Hans Christian Andersen
2015Christmas Days
2016Ice Skating In Copenhargen
2017Walk At The Lakes
2018Christmas Tree Market
2019Meeting in the field
2020 Church Of Our Lady Vor Frue Kirke
2021Winter in the Garden
2022Frederiksborg castle
2023Meeting in the Paddock
2024Christmas Anticipation

See also

Further reading

References

  1. Nottelham, Steen (2016-12-21). "Den Kongelige Porcelainsfabrik". Den Store Danske.
  2. "Blue signature strokes | Three Blue Waves". www.royalcopenhagen.com. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
  3. Lu Chenglong. "A Brief Introduction to Chinese Ceramics in Sweden". Gotheborg.com. Retrieved 2007-08-19.
  4. "Danish Porcelain Pipes". Danishpipemakers.com. Retrieved 2015-10-28.
  5. "The mother of the country-from 1775". Royal Copenhagen. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
  6. "Theodor Holmskjolds liv og botaniske arbejde med svampe". Denmarks Naturfredningsforening. Retrieved 2010-09-22.
  7. "Ludvig Manthey". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon . Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  8. "Vilhelm Bergsøe: Fra den gamle fabrik". ebib1800.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  9. "Den kgl. Porcelænsfabrik og Fajancefabriken Aluminia" (in Danish). DTU. Retrieved 16 December 2020.
  10. Battie, 161–162; Mundt, 23–26,
  11. Battie, 162–163; Mundt, 30–31
  12. Archived March 16, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  13. "Royal Copenhagen Makes Moves into Thailand". Scandasia.com. Retrieved 2015-10-28.
  14. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. "ROYAL COPENHAGEN TO THAILAND". Denmark.dk. Archived from the original on 2008-05-03. Retrieved 2008-04-11.
  15. "Field trip to Royal Copenhagen Thailand". Scandasia.com. Retrieved 2015-10-28.
  16. Archived August 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  17. "Royal Copenhagen". RoyalCopenhagen.com. Retrieved 2015-10-28.
  18. "Danish Porcelain Pipes". Danishpipemakers.com. Retrieved 2015-10-28.
  19. "Empire Gifts - More Info about **Royal Copenhagen Christmas Plates from 1908 to 2014". Empiregiftsandantiques.com. Retrieved 2015-10-28.
  20. "Royal Copenhagen :: Royal Copenhagen/Christmas Plates (1908-2015)". GeolinOnline.com. Retrieved 2015-10-28.