Royal Dresden Pottery

There is an attractive excursion from Dresden to Meissen, the Royal Pottery of Dresden China. The word "china" was applied to a certain kind of Chinese pottery which was translucent and had a high glaze, introduced into Europe in 1506, but which had been discovered or invented eighteen hundred years before in China.

This Oriental ware was first called "porcelain," by the Europeans, from its resemblance to the highly polished shell, and was so named because the curved upper surface of the shell was supposed to resemble the raised back of a porcella, or little hog. Translucent porcelain is made of kaolin, which is infusible, and petuntse, which vitrifies and envelops the kaolin. But later, in order to make a distinction between opaque and translucent porcelain, the translucent was called "China," for only in China could that kind of ware be made.

All potters had been experimenting with the hope of finding the secret of making translucent china; but it is to the honor of Germany that Bottcher, the Saxon, made the discovery for Europe, and this was by accident.

John Frederick Bottcher was a chemist's assistant in Berlin, about 1700. Having fallen under the suspicion of being an alchemist, he was compelled to leave Berlin and took refuge in Saxony.

Augustus II. was the Elector of Saxony, and, having questioned him as to his researches in the forbidden science, at once placed him in the laboratory of a chemist employed in search for the Philosopher's Stone. While working toward that end, Bottcher surprised himself by producing something akin to Chinese porcelain. He was at once bidden by the King to pursue the quest of making china, and every facility was afforded him for working out his secret. He was first established in the royal castle at Meissen, then at Konigstein, then at Dresden, How long and how successfully he might have continued his quest cannot be known, had not an accidental discovery brought the object of his search within his reach.

It seems that a wealthy iron-founder, riding in the near vicinity of Aue, in Saxony, noticed that his horse lifted his feet with difficulty. On examination, he found the horse's hoofs filled with a white and peculiarly ad hesive clay, which proved to be the nature of the soil. With an eye to business, he took some of the clay home, and by experimenting made from it white hair-powder. Bottcher obtained some of the powder, and in his laboratory found it to be the long-sought kaolin, and translucent china was quickly made. The King was delighted to have in Saxony so able a potter as Bottcher, and to have also the valuable material. He at once set up a Royal Factory at Meissen, and placed Bottcher at the head of it.

The Meissen workshop was like a prison fortress. The utmost secrecy was enforced, each man employed having to take an oath that he would not make known anything he heard or saw within the works, and was seldom allowed to leave the enclosure.

Dresden had a monopoly on china until the death of Bottcher in 1719, when a foreman escaped to Vienna, and, revealing the secret, set up an establishment of his own in 1720. Beds of kaolin were sought and found outside of Saxony, especially at Severs. Hard porcelain was first made in 1769.

Bottcher followed Oriental patterns; his successor, Haroldt, made original designs. Heavy gilt borders surrounded figures, flowers, or the royal arms. In 1731, when the King himself was the director, Kandler, a sculptor, was employed, and figures in relief were introduced; then came the exquisite paintings by the best of European artists, which brought the Chinese style to a Close; Dresden China had now a monopoly and brought fabulous prices. But the brightest days of Meissen were between 1731 and 1759; then Meissen had its rivals in Berlin and France and England, and Meissen ware declined in artistic merit. At Present the Dresden manufactory is said to be busy counterfeiting its own old productions and its own marks. Dresden still gives to commerce valuable specimens of Ceramic Art.

Count Bruhl was at one time, 1733, the Director, and to his is ascribed two figures in Dresden ware, known as "Count Bruhl's Tailor" and "His Wife." The story is told that Count Bruhl's tailor had been very persistent in his request for permission to go through the factory. Permission, at a stated time, was at length granted. The tailor on the appointed day presented himself and was received by the foreman, who handed him a package from Count Bruhl. On opening it he found two figures. In one he found himself in likeness astride of a he-goat, brandishing his professional shears and carving other appurtenances upon his back, while the goat carried his "goose" in its mouth. The other figure was his wife, with a baby in her arms, sitting upon a she-goat. The discomfited tailor saw no more of the porcelain factory or of Count Bruhl.

Mr. Thos. C. Smith, of the Union of the Union Porcelain Works at Greenpoint, Long Island, has the honor of having made the first American native porcelain. The story is another one of attempt and failure until perseverance was crowned with success. The ingredients of Greenpoint porcelain are the kaolin from Cornwall, Delaware, Pennsylvania and Georgia, with feldspar from Maine and Connecticut.

Mr. Karl Muller, a German sculptor and painter, is the designer. The Greenpoint china now compares with the European.

When Longfellow wrote his "Keramos," he did not dream that he was supplying a subject for the art of which he sung. The poet wrote of the potter, the potter illustrated his song. The Keramos Vase, designed by Muller for the Centennial (Philadelphia, 1876), represents the history of Ceramic Art by its leading types, and, amidst various scenes, there appears in relief the bust of the vase.

Keramos, the son of Ariadne and Bacchus, was "the god of potters."