Meissen Porcelain Chinoiserie “Gold Dragon” Flower-Encrusted Garniture

Product Description

A Meissen porcelain ‘Gold Dragon’ pattern three-piece garniture.

A Meissen porcelain reticulated three-piece basket Garniture and stands.

Late 1800s, blue crossed swords marks to all six pieces, model no. D 196 to one basket and one stand.

In the Rococo taste, each pierced basket flanked by branch handles, the rocky mound base encrusted with flowers and foliage, the stem applied with either putti emblematic of the Four Seasons or with paired putti musicians, the Rocaille-molded scroll and gilt enriched stands en suite, all enriched in the ‘Gold Dragon’ de´cor.

Height of the largest centerpiece including the stand: 21″.

Introduced at Meissen in the early 1700s in monochrome red or blue, the ‘Dragon’ pattern is thought to have been inspired by a Japanese porcelain prototype. It in turn incorporating Chinese symbols, such as the dragon, sparring phoenix and ribbon-tied precious objects. In addition to pieces made for the Royal Court at Dresden, a substantial quantity of Meissen porcelain in the Chinese and Japanese style was made around 1729-31 for the French merchant, Lemaire. In 1733, much of this early production was confiscated and later transferred to the Dresden Japanese Palace of Augustus Rex. The pattern was much admired at the Saxon court and was subsequently produced for its exclusive use. Those destined for the Royal Saxon Court Confectioner’s or the ‘Ko¨nigliche-Hof-Conditorei’ were initialed on the underside with a distinctive K.H.C. mark. In the 19th and 20th century, alongside the Asian inspired ‘Blue Onion’ pattern, the ‘Dragon’ decor grew to be one of the most popular patterns produced at Meissen. A variety of monochrome and polychrome examples were made, the ‘Rich Golden Dragon’ being one of the most coveted.

For an example of this form applied with putti emblematic of the Seasons, see Dr. K. Berling (ed.), Meissen China, An Illustrated History, New York, 1972, p. 89, fig. 223.

For additional literature on the ‘Dragon De´cor,’ see Ru¨ckert I, no. 305-308: Wark Collection, no. 477; Hoffmeister Collection I, no. 112; Schneider Collection II, no. 236-253.

Height: 21 in (53.34 cm)
Width: 12 in (30.48 cm)
Depth: 8.5 in (21.59 cm)