Meissen Porcelain Old and New
Meissen porcelain has been in production since 1710, and in that time they have produced some of the most famous patterns in both dinnerware and decorative objects. Their “Blue Onion” or “Zwiebelmuster” in German has become such a favorite that it is imitated in porcelain, china and pottery by many companies. The blue drawing of vines, leaves and fruits, that are actually pomegranates but were mis-identified as onions, is easily recognized once you have seen it. Production of similar patterns and the use of “blue onion” as a description caused Meissen to lose exclusive use of the name Blue Onion. In 1926 a German court decided that the term had become so pervasive in the china business that it was part of the public domain. So now you can find many pieces of old and new porcelain with the name Blue Onion on the bottom. The only way to tell true Meissen Blue Onion is by the crossed swords trademark, and even there you will need to do some research so you can recognize the true Meissen mark. With three hundred years of success, there are a lot of imitators of both the china design and the trademark, so be careful.
Another Meissen pattern that is very popular in Vine Leaf. This is a fairly substantial (as china pattern go) vine and leaf in green on a white body. It is both very classical and very classy, but not as formal as many china patterns. It is a good pattern for every day china, or the middle step between every day and high holiday china for households with room for three sets of dinnerware.
In decorative items, the Meissen Ming Dragon patterns are popular for the touch of the Orient they can bring to a room or a table setting. Purple dragons, red dragons, green dragons, yellow dragons, light and dark blue dragons, black dragons and brown dragons fly around a vase or dessert plate, chasing the flaming pearl for all time. The single color on the white body provides enough detail without being garish by using many colors. the pattern shows up well on both flat china and round objects like vases.
These are only a few of the patterns Meissen has produced over the centuries, but they are three that continue in production today, and therefore are easily acquired. More information about Meissen porcelain collectibles can be found here.
The Porcelain Collectibles Guide has information about other porcelain companies and their products.
Related posts: