As early as the 13th century, porcelain was a highly coveted item in the royal courts of Europe and was imported from China at extravagant prices. Attempts were made starting from the early 18th century to reproduce the “White Gold” in Europe, with alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger finding success in Meissen in 1708 under commission from Saxony’s royal court.

That discovery marked the beginning of a legend that was sealed two years later with the founding of the “Royal-Polish and Electoral-Saxon Porcelain Manufactory” by royal decree of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony, in Meissen’s Albrechtsburg palace. The Crossed Swords from the royal crest, the cobalt blue trademark of the manufactory, testify to its porcelain quality since 1722. As the oldest porcelain manufactory in Europe, the Meissen manufactory occupies a special position among the porcelain manufactories around the world.

Since its founding in 1710, the Meissen porcelain manufactory has stood for the highest-quality porcelain and the utmost workmanship. Charting new territory in the creation of innovative porcelain objects is as much a part of the manufactory’s tradition as the observation of its own rich heritage.

For this, MEISSEN can draw on the world’s oldest and most comprehensive collection of historic models and plaster moulds – 700.000 in total. Meanwhile, the manufactory’s paint laboratory safeguards 10,000 color recipes while constantly developing new hues of expression. The manufactory channels this rich heritage through its lived craft, creating porcelain pieces that meet the highest standards of exclusivity and individuality.

Among the developments pioneered by Meissen are the porcelain figurines and the introduction of European decorative styles to replace the imitation of Asian decoration of its earliest wares. Since 1991, the factory has been operating as the Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen GmbH, owned by the Free State of Saxony. The company is one of the world's leading porcelain manufacturers and one of the oldest and most internationally known German luxury brands.

According to erlebniswelt-meissen.com and en.wikipedia