Meissen - Böttger Red Stoneware (1707-20) Photos

In the era when China would only export porcelain for gold or silver, porcelain collector Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony hired alchemists to replicate the precious substance. In Nov. 1707, Johann Friedrich Böttger created hard red stoneware aka "Böttger ware" or (Böttgersteinzeug). For the first several years, the Elector's factory located in a castle in Meissen produced only the Böttger red stoneware & then only white porcelain, due to the difficulty of firing colors.

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Examples of red stoneware discovered by alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger produced in Meissen at Meissen porcelain museum at Lustheim Palace. Munich, Germany.Meissen red Böttger polished stoneware bowl & saucer at Gardiner Museum. Toronto, ON.Teabowl, coffee pot & covered bowl in red stoneware with various glazes by Meissen Porcelain Manuf. of Germany at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA.Teabowls & chocolate beaker red stoneware with black glaze by Meissen Porcelain Manuf. of Germany at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA.
Examples of red stoneware (Böttgersteinzeug) discovered (1707) by alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger produced in Meissen at Meissen porcelain museum at Lustheim Palace. Munich, Germany.Meissen red Böttger polished stoneware bowl & saucer (c1711-13) at Gardiner Museum. Toronto, ON.Teabowl, coffee pot & covered bowl in red stoneware with various glazes (c1710-3) by Meissen Porcelain Manuf. of Germany at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA.Teabowls & chocolate beaker red stoneware with black glaze (c1709-13) by Meissen Porcelain Manuf. of Germany at Legion of Honor Museum. San Francisco, CA.
Red Böttger stoneware teapot in shape of nautilus shell by Meissen at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Meissen red stoneware teapot with eagle nozzle at Meissen porcelain museum at Lustheim Palace. Munich, Germany.Meissen eagle teapots by Johann Jacob Irminger in brown stoneware & porcelain painted with Chinese scenes at Bamberg Old Town Hall Museum of Faience & Porcelain. Bamberg, Germany.Meissen stoneware coffeepot by Johann Jacob Irminger at Bamberg Old Town Hall Museum of Faience & Porcelain. Bamberg, Germany.
Red Böttger stoneware teapot in shape of nautilus shell (c1710-5) by Meissen at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Meissen red stoneware teapot with eagle nozzle (c1710-15) at Meissen porcelain museum at Lustheim Palace. Munich, Germany.Meissen eagle teapots by Johann Jacob Irminger in brown stoneware (c1710) & porcelain painted with Chinese scenes (c1730) at Bamberg Old Town Hall Museum of Faience & Porcelain. Bamberg, Germany.Meissen stoneware coffeepot (c1717) by Johann Jacob Irminger at Bamberg Old Town Hall Museum of Faience & Porcelain. Bamberg, Germany.
Red Böttger stoneware teapot by Meissen at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Meissen iron porcelain coffeepot with silver filigree lid at Meissen porcelain museum at Lustheim Palace. Munich, Germany.Meissen red & buff stoneware tankard with pewter mounts at Gardiner Museum. Toronto, ON.English stoneware copy of Chinese mug at Meissen porcelain museum at Lustheim Palace. Munich, Germany.
Red Böttger stoneware teapot (c1710-20) by Meissen at Germanisches Nationalmuseum. Nuremberg, Germany.Meissen iron porcelain (aka steinzeug) coffeepot with silver filigree lid (c1710-15) at Meissen porcelain museum at Lustheim Palace. Munich, Germany.Meissen red & buff stoneware tankard with pewter mounts (c1711-13) at Gardiner Museum. Toronto, ON.English stoneware copy of Chinese mug (mid 18thC) at Meissen porcelain museum at Lustheim Palace. Munich, Germany.
Meissen red stoneware coffee pot, ewer & teapot imitating oriental styles with newly perfected black glaze all decorated by Martin Schnell at Gardiner Museum. Toronto, ON.Stoneware multi-sided teapot with different design on each side & dragon spout, glazed to imitate lacquer, by Böttger for Meissen Porcelain Manuf. of Germany at National Museum of Wales. Cardiff, Wales.

Meissen red stoneware coffee pot, ewer & teapot imitating oriental styles with newly perfected black glaze (c1711-13) all decorated by Martin Schnell at Gardiner Museum. Toronto, ON.Stoneware multi-sided teapot (1710-20) with different design on each side & dragon spout, glazed to imitate lacquer, by Böttger for Meissen Porcelain Manuf. of Germany at National Museum of Wales. Cardiff, Wales.

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All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Jim Steinhart.
All rights reserved. Permission required to use.

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