All his military achievements
did not keep Frederick II of Prussia, later known as Frederick the Great, from
investing in a smart table service. The king of the now dissolved European power
had a penchant for porcelain and took over Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur
Berlin (otherwise known as KPM) in 1763. Distinguishable by the purity of its
white glaze, the company continues to produce handpainted porcelain objects in
much the same fashion as it did in Frederick’s era.
 Conventional porcelain, a prefabricated mixture of china clay,
can be cheap and flimsy. KPM ensures top-quality products with craftsmanship and
firing precision. Pieces are cut and painted by hand. To produce a flawless,
chip- and crack-resistant, dishwasher-safe surface that the company likens to
steel, KPM creates a formula of kaolin, feldspar and quartz. "The mixture is
stored in humid vaults for up to six months to enable the constituent elements
to fuse," says Jörg Woltmann, who purchased KPM in 2006. (Click image to enlarge)
 To produce a new piece—custom options are welcome—requires six
months to two years to complete. One of the company’s most expensive items,
priced at $28,000, is a 24-karat gold, 12-inch-high basket with a floral frieze
designed by German architect and painter Karl Friedrich Schinkel. The classic
Kurland service (matching plate, cup and saucer shown) is the company’s best
seller. Commissioned in 1870 by Duke Peter von Kurland, the line is available in
13 freehand-painted patterns. For a six-piece set, prices range from $2,000 to
more than $17,000. (Click image to enlarge)
On the bottom of every piece, a remnant of Prussia’s glory days
can be found: Frederick II’s symbol, a royal blue scepter, is stamped into the
porcelain.
|
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
