Helena Wolfsohn, Dresden, Large Hand-painted Footed Bowl, C. 1870

Lovely, antique deep ruffled hexagonal bowl decorated by Helena Wolfsohn, fully hand-painted, standing on six legs each decorated with different flowers. The bowl has an intricate ruffled shape with scalloped gilded rims. This large hexagonal porcelain bowl is decorated with hand-painted flowers and leaves in purple, pink, orange, blue, and yellow, featuring gilt rims and a scrollwork pattern along the edge and throughout the bowl. This beautiful snow-white porcelain bowl was decorated in Dresden at the factory of Helena Wolfsohn. The base bears the company mark and dates back to the late 19th century. Hand-painted items by Helena Wolfsohn are extremely detailed and well-designed. The Helena Wolfsohn factory did not exist for a long time (1879-1883), so items from this manufactory are rare.

Helena Wolfsohn was a successor of her father, who ran a porcelain business under the name L. Meyer & Söhne. She operated in Dresden from 1843, buying white porcelain mostly in Meissen and decorating it in the style of the oldest Meissen pieces by Johann Gregorius Höroldt. She also used Watteau paintings as her inspiration. In 1878, the business was taken over by Helena's daughter, Emilie Elb. The firm won various prizes at international exhibitions, including 3rd prize in Melbourne in 1880.

However, the next year brought problems. The Meissen factory sued them for using the AR (Augustus Rex) mark. In 1881, the studio was forced to stop using the mark in Germany, and in 1883 in England. The compensation for using the mark illegally was so high that the studio almost lost financial liquidity.

At the Helena Wolfsohn factory, the porcelain itself was not produced; all blanks were supplied directly from different manufactories. The blanks were painted, glazed, and fired. Helena Wolfsohn specialized in Rococo porcelain painting. For a time, the factory used the initials AR in its branding, as in one of the early Meissen brands, but in 1883, as a result of legal proceedings, the use of these letters was prohibited. The Helena Wolfsohn manufactory was one of the best followers and preservers of the tradition of Meissen porcelain. It is often very difficult to distinguish between Meissen porcelain and porcelain from this factory, so high is the class of the works.

Dimensions: Length 28 cm, width 19 cm, height 12 cm, weight 1122 grams

Condition: Slight loss of gilding consistent with age. Otherwise, excellent antique condition, no visible signs of damage, cracks, or restoration.

Please study the accompanying photographs carefully as they form an integral part of this description. The item will be shipped with full tracking and insurance. It is important to note that shipping costs include labor, packaging, and postage.