Vienna Porcelain (1718-1864)
Vienna porcelain, produced by the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory, was Europe’s second-oldest porcelain factory after Meissen. Founded in 1718 in Alsergrund, Vienna, Austria, the manufactory operated until 1864, becoming renowned for its high-quality porcelain throughout its history.
In 1717, Claudius Innocentius Du Paquier set out to produce porcelain in Vienna. After initial failures, he bribed Christoph Conrad Hunger from Meissen to reveal the secret formula. However, when Hunger’s knowledge fell short, Du Paquier hired Samuel Stölzel in 1719, leading to the first successful production of hard-paste porcelain in Vienna. The factory was established on Porzellangasse (“Porcelain Lane”) in Alsergrund, now the 9th district of Vienna. The history of the manufactory is often divided into five distinct periods by historians, particularly German writers. The first, known as the “Du Paquier period” (1718–1744), marked the factory’s founding under Du Paquier, who was granted a 25-year monopoly by the emperor. Unlike many other European porcelain manufacturers, which were owned and funded by local rulers, Du Paquier’s venture was privately managed and consistently underfunded. In 1744, after financial difficulties, the empress purchased the factory, renaming it the “Imperial State Manufactory Vienna.”
Vienna Cup and Saucer available at Jacksons Antique
The second phase, from 1744 to 1784, is known as the “Plastic period,” followed by the “Sorgenthal period” or “Painterly period” (1784–1805), then the “Biedermeier period” (1805–1833), and finally the “Late Biedermeier period” (1833–1864). By the late 18th century, the factory was exporting as many as 120,000 pieces annually to the Ottoman Empire, producing brightly coloured yet less intricately painted pieces compared to those made for European markets. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 provided a temporary boost to the factory’s reputation, with notable visitors from across Europe, although King George IV of the United Kingdom never visited and missed the ceremonial gift of porcelain.
Vienna Porcelain Vase available at Jacksons Antique
Despite continued exports to the Ottoman Empire, by the 1860s, the factory struggled due to competition from Bohemian manufacturers. It was eventually closed by the Austrian parliament in 1864, with its equipment transferred to the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna. Porcelain from this era is sometimes referred to as “old Vienna” or “Alt Wien.” The name was revived in 1923 with the founding of the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory Augarten, coinciding with the Art Deco movement, which brought a sense of modernity, optimism, and social change to Viennese porcelain production.