Meissen porcelain marks date to the 1720's.

Meissen is, of course, the cradle of hard-paste European porcelain. Around 1710, alchemist Bottger was first in Europe to discover the correct ingredients and firing process to produce it. Up until that time, the Chinese were the only ones able to make true porcelain.

The Meissen porcelain marks mostly involve variations on a "crossed swords" effect. The king, Augustus the Strong of Saxony, commissioned special pieces upon which the famous "AR" for "Augustus Rex" appeared. Blue Onion and other later period dinnerware feature the name "Meissen" enclosed in an oval and floating above a simple five-pointed star.

For more on the history of Meissen porcelain, click here.

To see a more complete listing of porcelain marking, go to: Porcelain Marks.





(Marks to the left courtesy of Rene Ruthgeerts at http://users.skynet.be/rutrene/)