KPM – Style-Defining Porcelain from Germany
The porcelain with the blue sceptre. The Royal Porcelain Manufactory Berlin, known in German as "Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur" and shortened to KPM, has been producing unique porcelain by hand since 1763. Since its foundation by Frederick the Great, the manufactory has stood for style-defining design, executed to the highest quality standards.
Whether rococo, Bauhaus or modern minimalism, discover timeless dinnerware, vases and porcelain accessories from all eras of KPM at Artedona.
Dining Like the Kings of Prussia – Frederick the Great and KPM
Porcelain was the great passion of Frederick II, the king of Prussia from 1740 to 1786. In order to support the local porcelain trade, the king took over an existing manufactory in Berlin in 1763. He awarded the manufactory the royal title, declared his cobalt blue sceptre to be its trademark, and became its best customer. To this day, high-ranking guests of the president of Germany dine on the Rocaille dinner service that Frederick II had commissioned more than a quarter of a millennium ago.
As an entrepreneur, Frederick II of Prussia showed an extraordinary sense of responsibility for his time. He abolished child labour, ensured regular working hours, introduced pensions and a company health insurance scheme. His investments paid off, as KPM was to outlast seven kings until the abdication of Wilhelm II in 1918, when the monarchy in Germany came to an end.
From Rococo to Modernity – Legendary Designs by KPM
As significant pieces of German history, many of KPM's classic designs are surrounded by amusing anecdotes. One example is the Neuzierart porcelain pattern from 1784, which was decorated with the colour ‘Bleu mourant’ at Frederick's request. Naming a colour ‘dying blue’ was outlandish enough to transform it into a common saying among the citizens of Berlin. When they feel unwell or exhausted, they start to feel ‘blümerant’, a slightly flippant malapropism of the original French name.
Another legend is the Kurland collection. Peter Biron, Duke of Courland, commissioned KPM to produce the dinner service in 1790. It was intended to enrich the furnishings of his Friedrichsfelde Palace in the east of Berlin. The service is still produced at KPM today. As proven by the Kurland To-Go cups, the collection's décor has lost none of its appeal and still looks fresh and modern.
With the end of the monarchy in 1918, KPM became the State Porcelain Manufactory and the producer of countless modern design icons. One example of this is the Urbino white by sculptor Trude Petri from 1931, designed in the spirit of the Bauhaus movement.
KPM – Porcelain Made to Stay
Today, KPM expresses its philosophy with the words ‘Made to stay’ and strives to ‘cultivate tradition, create lasting values and have a style-defining effect’. To receive the cobalt blue sceptre, all KPM porcelain pieces need to undergo numerous production steps and strict quality controls. The dinnerware patterns are almost exclusively handmade and also painted by hand, giving each piece a unique character.
