Royal Copenhagen

Royal Copenhagen's porcelain is favored by royal families and beloved for it distinctive patterns. An innovator in porcelain, the company was one of the first European potteries to use kaolin in the process of making their hard- paste porcelain.

Royal Copenhagen was founded in 1775 under the protection of Queen Julianne Marie. The company's first dinnerware pattern, Blue Fluted, is still being produced today. Though the pattern was originally inspired by Chinese porcelain sets, it is now associated with Danish porcelain. In 1779, the Blue Flower pattern was introduced, bringing about Royal Copenhagen's more distinctive European style.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Royal Copenhagen dinnerware was often given as a gift from royal families and used for serving when they entertained important foreign visitors, thereby elevating the company's international status. After World War II, Royal Copenhagen began producing Christmas plates. These plates were often brought home to the U.S. by soldiers returning from the war and became extremely popular and sought after in the subsequent decades.

Quick Facts

• During its inception, most of Royal Copenhagen's porcelain was painted with cobalt blue since that was the only underglaze color that could tolerate the 1400 degree Celsius firing
• Royal Copenhagen ventured outside of dinnerware, most prominently during the Art Nouveau period when they created art pottery and small figurines
• It's believed that the Danish king, Christian VII, ordered a gift from Royal Copenhagen in 1790 for Catherine the Great of Russia. Unfortunately, the Empress died before she could receive it, and it stayed in the Danish royal family