MEISSEN, Germany (dpa) – Meissen porcelain was considered as a hard currency in the days of the former communist East Germany.
Often, visitors of state would receive the “white gold” for a present, and western artists sometimes had to take payment in the form of “meissener money”.Even today, 290 years since the porcelain works in Meissen, not far from the city of Dresden, was founded, the products with the “blue swords” printed on the bottom – a trademark dating back to 1722 – are coveted around the world.Each year, the Meissen porcelain works selectes a new theme. This year it is “Meissen Artworks” going to market, a chief feature being vases made in various shapes over three centuries.This year’s theme collection will be featured at the upcoming Frankfurt decorative arts fair “Ambiente” running February 16-20, showing for the first time some of the among more than 1,000 vases with 18 different decorations.The Meissen display will not only include such “classics” as the crater vase created in 1856, but also works by younger designers featuring modern shapes and decorations.Vases with two handles will take their place with those shaped like penguins, and most of the items will for the first time be personally autographed by the painters. A buyer will also receive a certificate on the creator and the model designation of the vase.The “cheapest” of the vases can be had for less than 1,000 marks (490 dollars), while the crater vase from 1856 will run in the 180,000 to 200,000 marks price range.Over the past few years the Meissen works have provided original creations for such up-market companies like Chanel, Montblanc or the watchmaker Glashuette. Even a special edition of the VW Beetle car contains a tiny Meissen vase on the dashboard.“We already have something else in the pipeline,” company managing director Hannes Walter says, without divulging any further details.The Meissen executive said that last year was the most successful ever since German reunification. “We were able to keep our position as the world’s leading porcelain manufacturer,” the 57-year-old Walter said.Turnover increased by 15 per cent last year to 87 million marks, with the net post-tax profit projected at around two million marks.This year the company is hoping to keep its results on a steady course. Walter knows that last year’s robust figures were aided by a weak euro which sent exports soaring. About one-third of revenues are now accounted for by exports.In addition, foreign visitors to Meissen were able to buy porcelain “more cheaply than ever before”, he said. An estimated 25 to 30 per cent of domestic turnover actually is accounted for by foreign tourists.Above all it is the Japanese who are fond of Meissen porcelain. About half of the export revenues are in Japan, so that the German company is outpacing even domestic porcelain makers there.Between 300 and 350 stores around the world carry Meissen porcelain. Most recently, a shop was opened in Dubai, and one is soon to follow in Seoul. In the United States, the sales company Meissen Porcelain Inc. was established.“Meissen porcelain is bought not so much for a wedding as for a silver wedding anniversary,” Walter says in pointing to the age group of the company’s most important customers. But he also sees large potential in the generation of Germans now starting to come into their inheritance.
