My favorite porcelain and pottery comes from Bohemia. The Imperial and Royal Porcelain Factory Vienna, commonly referred to as Royal Vienna by collectors, is not a Bohemian factory, yet I found it necessary to research it and to write a little about it because of the bindenschild and beehive mark used by Bohemian and other country's porcelain factories.

Kk Aerarial Porzellan-Manufaktur Wien. The Imperial and Royal Porcelain factory Vienna was founded in 1718 by Claudius Innocentius du Paquier. May 1718, Emperor Karl VI awarded du Paquier a "special privilege" for the exclusive right to produce porcelain in Austria. It was the second hard paste porcelain factory in Europe, after Meissen. Du Paquier sold the factory to the Habsburg "court" in 1744. The Austrian royalty owned and operated the factory from 1744 until it closed in 1864. At the time the factory closed it was put under museum administration.

Empress Maria Theresia was involved with the factory during the rococo period. When Conrad Sörgel von Sorgenthal managed the factory it became renowned for its neo-classical style, unique relief gilt patterns and the highest quality of painting. However, not all porcelain coming from this factory is of superior quality. It had high points and low points.

The royal factory was not the only company to have made porcelain products in Vienna. At one time or another, as best I can tell, there have been 21 different factories or decorating studios in Vienna Austria.

After the factory closed, the royal government allowed other factories to open in Austria. One was the Wiener-Neustadt (Vienna-Neustadt), Josef de Cente in Vienna, Austria (1793 to 20th century). This factory bought molds from the Imperial and Royal factory and made reproductions of the famous factory's pieces, but its pieces were clearly marked with "de Cente."

In 1902, Alexandra Porcelain Works Ernst Wahliss in Turn-Teplitz, Bohemia also bought molds from Imperial and Royal factory and began making reproductions, which also are clearly marked. The Wahliss factory produced very high quality pieces.

Vienna Porcelain Factory Augarten AG was founded in 1922; it is still in operation today. It considers itself the successor to the Imperial and Royal Porcelain Manufactory Vienna, because it occupies the original facility. Some of its marks are a shield & star, shield & crown, shield with a dot & W, and shield & Augart or Augarten. At times, it will use the date 1718. However, the marks are distinguishable from the Royal's factory marks.

Several importers in Europe, New York, and Japan used a bindenschild or beehive mark, as well as the words "Royal Vienna." In addition to Bohemian factories, French, German, Austrian, and Japanese factories used a bindenschild or beehive after 1864. At least one importer uses the words "Maria Theresia." At one time or another, as best I can tell, there have been dozens of factories and importers using a bindenschild (beehive) or the words Royal Vienna in their marks.

Bohemian factories that used the mark are: Alexandra Porcelain Works Ernst Wahliss (Turn-Teplitz/Trnovany), B Bloch & Co (Dubi/Eichwald), Carl Knoll (Rybare/Fischern), Friedrich Simon Company, a decorating studio (Karlovy Vary/Karlsbad), Haas & Czjzek (Horni Slavkov/Schlaggenwald), Count Thun Porcelain Factory (Klasterle/Klosterec), "Victoria" Schmidt & Co (Stara Role/Altrohlau), and Moritz Zdekhauer (Stara Role/Altrohlau).

There are 40 or more, true Imperial and Royal Porcelain Manufactory Vienna marks. It takes a true expert to detect subtle differences in some of the authentic marks from fake marks. Still though, there are some easily distinguishable differences on the fakes.

First, if the mark says, "Royal Vienna," it is not the Imperial and Royal Porcelain Manufactory, Vienna. No ifs, ands, or buts about it; it is a fake!

The bindenschild (shield) in the mark was a rendition of the center of the Coat-of-Arms for the royal Austrian Habsburg family. The Imperial and Royal Porcelain Manufactory used the marks impressed in the clay or blue ink underglaze from 1744 until 1864. Just because it is a blue underglaze mark or impressed mark that does not make it authentic. Don't be fooled.

Most imitations of the mark are the shield upside down thus it appears to be a beehive. Even many of the true marks turned upside down will look like a beehive. In Rontgen's book "Marks on German, Bohemian, and Austrian Porcelain," page 575-576 Rontgen discusses the marks. To detect imitations of the true mark the book has the following guides,

Pieces with forged Vienna marks are usually heavily decorated with mythological or historical scenes, often with a description of the scene on the bottom. Quite a number of urns, vases and especially plates are signed "Angelica Kauffmann."

1. Any Bindenschild blue overglaze is a forgery. In the early years of the manufactory, circa 1744-1749, the shield occasionally was painted red, purple, black or gold overglaze, but never blue.
2. Any Bindenschild that is stamped blue underglaze or overglaze and shows perfect symmetry and shape is not a mark of the Vienna manufactory.
3. If inscriptions, signatures or letters are arranged in a way that the mark appears as a beehive, it is not the mark of the Vienna manufactory.
4. All impressed number, except 0-60 (molders and turners), 84-99 and 800-864 (year numbers from 1784-1864) are indications of a forgery.
5. Letters, words or shapes in gold overglaze are indications for forgeries. If a part of the bottom is covered with a golden shape, this shape usually hides the original manufacturers mark.
6. Any number over 155 painted in color overglaze is not an identification number of a decorator of the Vienna manufactory.
7. Any number over 27 blue underglaze is not the number of a decorator of the Vienna manufactory.
8. Any bottom description of a decoration or scene indicates that the piece was not decorated in the Vienna manufactory.

One resource for a few of the original marks is at Collecting Porcelain.

The following are a few of the Bohemian bindenschild or beehive marks I have found.

"Victoria" Schmidt & Co 1918-1939	"Victoria" Schmidt & Co 1918-1945	"Victoria" Schmidt & Co 1918 -1939	"Victoria" Schmidt & Co 1945 - 1958
Haas & Czjzek 1918 - 1945	Alexandra Porcelain Works Ernst Wahliss	Alexandra Porcelain Works Ernst Wahliss	B Bloch & Co 1900~
Bawo & Dotter 1891 - 1913	Friedrich Simon Bohemian decorator	Josef Riedl decorator 1890 - 1918	Riedl & Zdekhauer 1890 - 1918
Unknown

A resource for a few of the fakes is also on Collecting Porcelain.

Here are a few obvious imitations; at least in my opinion.

Arnart Imports New York 1957 - 2001 Rontgen #3529	Arnart Imports New York 1957 - 2001 Rontgen #3529	Arnart Imports New York 1957 - 2001 Rontgen #3529	Arnart Imports New York 1957 - 2001 Rontgen #3529
Vienna Porcelain Factory Augarten Vienna, Austria od 1922 Rontgen #678	Gloria Porcelain Factory Anton Weidl Bayreuth, Germany 1947 - present	Porcelain Manufactory Josef Kuba Wiesau, Germany od 1945 Rontgen #612	Probably CM Hutschenreuther Hohenberg, Germany 1879 - ? See Rontgen #1432
Probably Porcelain Factory Kolmar Kolmar, Germany 1897 - 1944 See Rontgen #1405	Unknown front of plate has 1906 date	Unknown	Unknown
Unknown	Unknown

Note: I will be back soon to add the rest of the marks that are in the booklet.

One of these days I will tackle the same problems for Meissen and Dresden. Check back again.

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