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Judy Jay's Time Dances By
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Phone: 210-690-8454 |
Fax: 210-699-4492 |
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--Last Updated: 05/23/2007 -- |
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Judy Jay's Time Dances By
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Phone: 210-690-8454 |
Fax: 210-699-4492 |
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--Last Updated: 05/23/2007 -- |
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Personal Collections: Meissen Pugs |
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These are 6 Meissen pug figurines from my private collection. You will notice that I am partial to the ones with golden bells on blue collars. Meissen pugs are among the most prized and pricey pugs for collectors such as myself. The Meissen Porcelain Factory was the first to produce true or hard paste porcelain in Europe starting in 1710. Figurines of pugs were among the early Meissen figurines made and today they are still produced from those same early molds and hand painted in the original manner. You will notice these pugs are different in appearance from today's pugs and typical of those found in Europe before the late 1800's. They have longer legs, a longer muzzle and cropped ears - a practice outlawed by Queen Victoria. I have a list of 57 pug molds still being used, ranging in size from 4 cm. to 22 cm., and I would guess there are more. So I have a few yet to collect. (Click here for assistance in identifying Meissen Pugs) |
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(click on photo to enlarge)
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DRESDEN MOPS: These are three examples of what can honestly be called Dresden pugs. They were decorated at the Carl Thieme Porcelain Factory first established in Potschappel, near Dresden, Germany (or whatever it was called then) in 1867. Initially they were one of the companies that unabashedly copied Meissen form, figures and decorations and even used a crossed swords trademark similar to Meissen's. They called their pieces "Dresden China" which was at that time confused with Meissen even more than now. However the quality of their work, particularly their hand painting, was high. Today Potschappel has become incorporated into Dresden, so they can honestly use the name and they produce some of the very finest Dresden porcelain pug dogs (or Mops), such as these two. They have their own trademark (shown here) and may actually match the quality and value of Meissen pugs. (Click here for More Than You Ever Wanted to Know About Dresden China.) |
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(click on photo to enlarge)
| These two beauties, male and female, are "Dresden Pugs" but come for the Rudolf Kammer Ceramic Factory of Volkstedt, founded in 1862. It is in the Saxony-Thuringia area of Germany where the good white clay or kaolin used to make fine porcelain is located. The first porcelain factory was started in Volkstedt in 1760. These would definitely be called "Dresden Pugs" - the classical pose, cropped ears, longer legs, longer muzzles and mainly white with gray or tan faces and spots - much different in both appearance and coloring from the modern pug. These were the characteristics of the very early pugs from China. Like the Dresden Pugs above, these are first class in both the porcelain and the hand painting. Notice the big difference in the coloring of the two faces and eyes. Obviously, the artists had leeway in regard to the details. Some prize these above other Dresden Pugs due to the pink colored collars and very large gold bells. The trademark of Rudolph Kammer is displayed. | ||
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(click on photo to enlarge)
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Personal Collections: Staffordshire Pugs |
| STAFFORDSHIRE PUGS: I’m sure you all have seen hundreds of Staffordshire spaniels, but pugs are much less common. As I understand it, Staffordshire is an area of England that has been producing pottery and ceramics for eons. The typical Staffordshire dog is usually seated and turning his (or her) head to the side. They commonly come in pairs and were meant for mantel decorations. I have seen a few lesser Staffordshire pugs, but these large grey pugs with gold collars and golden glass eyes are the finest. |
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