In Fig. 129 may be seen a style of Dresden work which has had much popularity; it is costly, for it shows great difficulties well surmounted. But do you care for it as you would for a fine plate or an ample punch-bowl?
It is a candelabrum sold at the Bernal collection, and is thus described: “A pair of superb candelabra, each formed of a female draped figure bearing scroll-branches for five lights, seated on pedestals, round which Cupids are supporting shields-of-arms. These magnificent objects of decoration are twenty-four inches high.”
The price was two hundred and thirty-one pounds sterling (eleven hundred and fifty-five dollars).
It may not be amiss to hint to incipient collectors that not all Dresden porcelain is equally beautiful or desirable—which is true of the paintings of Raphael or Murillo—and that every collector should consider the intrinsic excellence of each piece, rather than the mark or name of the factory.
The productions of the Dresden factory have continued down to the present time, but the periods of greatest excellence have been from 1731 to 1756, and from 1763 to 1814.
In 1796 Count Marcolini was made director, and under him was produced some of the finest flower-painting; he also introduced the classic shapes and decorations into the vases; which style of decoration came into wide fashion during the days of Napoleon I., who was an imitator of Cæsar, and of the work of Cæsar’s day.
Some idea of the values of pieces of Dresden china may be of use, and I take a few from the great Bernal sale made in London in 1855:
| A scalloped cup and saucer, with minute landscapes | £1 | 14s. | $8 50 | |
| A pair of cups and saucers, with buildings on gold ground | 7 | 7s. | 36 75 | |
| A coffee-pot, crimson ground, with landscape | 9 | 5s. | 46 00 | |
| A small oval pierced tray, with two figures in green; and a small coffee-pot, with figures after Watteau, | 19 | 8s. | 6d. | 100 00 |
Marks for Dresden porcelain: