Antique Hungarian Zsolnay Pécs Porcelain Table Lamp/Vase. Reticulated at top and bottom. 

Size: 22 X 14 X 6 in. 

#3929 . 

Zsolnay, or formally Zsolnay Porcelánmanufaktúra Zrt (Zsolnay Porcelain Manufactory Private Limited) is a Hungarian manufacturer of porcelain, tiles, and stoneware. The Zsolnay factory was established by Miklós Zsolnay (1800-1880) in Pécs, Hungary, to produce stoneware and other ceramics in 1853. In 1863 his son, Vilmos Zsolnay (1828-1900) joined the company and became its manager and director after several years. He led the factory to worldwide recognition by demonstrating its innovative products at world fairs and international exhibitions, including the 1873 World Fair in Vienna and the 1878 World Fair in Paris, where Zsolnay received a Grand Prix. Pyrogranite was a type of ornamental ceramics they began producing in 1886, fired at high temperature to make a durable material that was acid and frost-resistant, making it suitable for use as roof tiles, indoor and outdoor decorative ceramics, and fireplaces. Architects that used the material in their buildings include Miklós Ybl, Ödön Lechner, Béla Lajta, Samu Pecz, and Imre Steindl. It became a symbol of the city, adorning the Matthias Church, the Hungarian Parliament Building, the Museum of Applied Art, the Geological Institute, the Gellért Baths, and many other beautiful buildings across Hungary, like the Post Office Palace in Pécs. In 1893 Zsolnay introduced porcelain pieces made with the eosin glazing process. The process results in a light red iridescence of the first prepared hue, hence the term eosin (from the Greek word “eos,” meaning “flush of dawn”). The eosin-based iridescence became a favorite of Art Nouveau and Jugendstil artists, among them Sándor Apáti Abt, Lajos Mack, Géza Nikelszky, and József Rippl-Rónai. A change in the angle of reflection results in shades of green, red, blue, and purple. Tádé Sikorski (1852-1940) married Vilmos’ daughter Júlia that same year and became the chief designer. In 1900 Vilmos’ son Miklós took over. Frost-resisting Zsolnay building decorations were used in numerous buildings specifically during the Art Nouveau movement. By 1914 Zsolnay was the largest company in Austro-Hungary. During World War I production of pottery and building materials were curtailed, and the factory was repurposed to create military supplies. After World War I the fortunes of the factory declined, but began to revive after the Great Depression. During World War II its site of production in Budapest was bombed. When Communism took hold the factory was nationalized in 1948. Eventually the Zsolnay name was dropped. The Pécsi Porcelángyár (Pécs Porcelain Factory) was used primarily to produce common tableware goods. However, in 1982 with the resumption of a market economy, the company regained its operational independence, was reorganized, and the Zsolnay name returned. In 1991, the Zsolnay Porcelain Manufacture became a stock company, and five years later it was bought by a private equity enterprise. In 2012, a Swiss-Syrian businessman called Bachar Najari bought the company from the city of Pécs, and opened the Zsolnay Museum.