Echt-Weimar Porzellan

Echt-Weimar Kobalt Set... 91 pieces, service for 12. Picture taken 1-28-2010

Christian Andreas Wilhelm Speck (1790-1830)

This company has undergone many owners since being founded by Christian Andreas Wilhelm Speck in 1790.  It took him 10 years to get permission to build his factory and then it was nearly destroyed by a fire in 1817.  At nearly 70 years of age, Mr. Speck died on December 30, 1830.

Porzellanfabrik Christian Speck (1830-1848)

In 1830 Gustav Vogt took over the company.  It was taken over again, in 1840, by a man named Sorge from Auma  and Isidor Streithardt from Uhistadt.  Business was poor, and they were joined by another partner by the name of H. Kastner from Weimar in 1841.

Porzellanfabrik Fasold & Eichel (1848-1898)

The company was sold to the Fasold family in 1848 who were from Selb, Bavaria.  The name of the company changed in 1856 when they were joined by Eichel. The factory was upgraded and more buildings added which greatly increased its value.  The shield of the Weimar dukes was addad as the company trademark 1887.  Somewhere around 1897, two members of the Fasold family died.

Echt-Weimar Kobalt tureen. Picture taken 1-28-2010.

Duxer Porzellanmanufaktur A.G. (1898-1918)

Eichel was unable to manage the company my himself, so he sold it to a man by the name of Edward Eichler.  Mr. Eichler also owned a porcelain factory in Dux and a subsidiary in Selty.    The company name was changed to the Duxer Porzellanmanufaktur  AG as the two companies kind of merged and the factory in Selty was liquidated.  The company made some production changes and concentrated mainly on porcelain production.  They achieved great success during the Art Nouveau period and won many awards and many of those items are still being produced today.  Financial problems arose during WWI and the Blankenhain subsidiary was sold at the end of 1917.

Gravy Boat and the larger of two platters in the set. Picture taken 1-28-2010.

Blankenhainer Porzellanfabrik C.&E. Carstens (1918- 1948)

The factory was bought by the Carsten family of Hamburg in 1917, but is was a year before they could legally change the name.  They continued using the same mark until 1924 when the crown and laurel were added.

There have been many variations to the mark over the past 220 year history of this company.

Mark on back of most of the pieces in this set. Note, it says Made in the German Democratic Republic, which was first used in 1980.

V.E.B. Weimar Porzellan (1948-1990)

The name of the company was once again changed in 1948, as one of the first companies nationalized even before the German Democratic Republic was founded in October 1949.  The mark on their porcelain products said Made in GDR until 1980 when it was changed to Made in the German Democratic Republic.

The mark on the left is on most of the pieces in the set, some of they also say ‘Katerine’ on them.  The mark below is also on a few items, notice the use of gold…  That was also, exactly like this, either in 1948 or shortly after.  But, the previous mark with the gold lettering said made in GDR.

Also, according to what information I could find, the mark was in blue.   As you can see, the mark on this set is in green.

Mark showing the gold writing, similar to what was used in 1948 or sometime thereafter.

Now, this set has a very interesting story behind it.  Suzanne and a friend of hers, said that she and her mother bought this set from the Wilhelm Kaiser Estate in Germany…  For $30,000.00.  However, I have found no documentation to prove that story, but it does come from very reliable sources.

The name ‘Katharine” is on some of these items, but not all.  The Echt Weimar Kobalt is on several pieces, as well.  It is not uncommon for buyers to by additional pieces, even more than one set, that look alike and add them all together.   This may be why this service for 12 has 91 pieces with three different marks.