(2) Antique German Meissen Porcelain Plates and (1) Chinese Export Porcelain Platter. The crossed swords symbol on the matching but uniquely hand-painted plates and their flower and butterfly design indicates they were made some time between 1850 and 1920. The Chinese piece is unmarked but bears the characteristics and Blue Fitzhugh Pattern made between 1790 and 1820. 

Condition: Chip on underside of one piece. 

Largest Size: 11 3/4 x 9 1/4 x 1 in. 

Meissen porcelain was the first European hard-paste porcelain, developed in 1708 through experiments by Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus and Johann Friedrich Böttger. Financed by Augustus the Strong, the royal factory at Meissen, near Dresden, officially began production in 1710 at Albrechtsburg castle to protect the "arcanum," or secret recipe of the porcelain. To distinguish its high-quality wares from imitations, the company introduced its iconic crossed swords logo in 1720, which remains one of the world's oldest continuously used trademarks. Under the artistic direction of Johann Gregor Herold, Meissen became world-famous for its brilliant overglaze enamel colors and transition from Asian-inspired motifs to European decorative styles. The factory also pioneered the creation of detailed porcelain figurines and remained the dominant stylistic leader in Europe until the rise of the French Sèvres factory in the 1760s. Today, the company operates as the Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen GmbH and continues to be recognized as a premier German luxury brand. 

Chinese export porcelain refers to Chinese ceramics produced primarily between the 16th and 20th centuries for foreign markets in Europe and later North America, distinct from earlier wares made for domestic or Islamic markets. Early export pieces were often more robust and less finely finished than elite domestic porcelain, designed to withstand long-distance trade and appeal to foreign tastes, with European trading companies such as the Dutch and English East India Companies later commissioning specific designs. Over time, feedback from overseas markets influenced styles and motifs, though export wares generally lacked the symbolic meanings of domestic Chinese ceramics, and in the 18th century competition from European porcelain manufacturers led to imitation designs and changes in quality. By the late 19th century, trade regulations such as U.S. tariff laws required country-of-origin markings on imports, standardizing the identification of Chinese porcelain. In the modern era, China remains a major producer of porcelain, especially for mass-market household goods exported worldwide.

Chip on underside of one piece. 

All items are sold AS IS. Lot and condition details are for descriptive purposes only. Sarasota Estate Auction is not responsible for errors and/or omissions of condition. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is perfect or free from wear, flaws, or characteristics of age. Please bid according to your own expertise, or request any additional information and/or photographs you deem necessary.