Playfully Serious: The Porcelain Mastery of Herend
In the world of porcelain, there may be no name as synonymous with craftsmanship, whimsy, and luxury as Herend. With a legacy dating back to its foundation in Hungary in the first half of the 19th century, the output of the Herend Porcelain Manufactory has been a storied one, and its desirability among collectors worldwide is legendary.
Like so many Herend devotees, Celia Rulle found her collection of these stunning and playful porcelain figures growing over the years.
“For more than 40 years, my passion for Herend has been about more than just collecting. It’s about honoring a tradition of excellence. It’s about preserving a piece of craftsmanship that has stood the test of time. I’ve had the rare opportunity to acquire these pieces from locations all over the world and brought them home to live with and enjoy.”
Now Ms. Rulle’s beloved menagerie of porcelain figures is returning to the market in a series of dedicated sales including a selling exhibition (now open to the public in our gallery through April 30), online auctions, and an estate sale at the Rulle family property.
In many ways, Herend owes its popularity to some important early benefactors. Founded in 1826 in the small Hungarian village of Herend, the factory initially produced simple pottery items like household goods and stoves.
In 1839, after the original ceramist went bankrupt and its new owner took over, the firm received a royal commission from Hungarian aristocrat Count István Széchenyi for a dinner set. This eventually led to Herend becoming the chosen porcelain supplier for the aristocracy including Queen Victoria, the Rothschild Family, and the Hapsburg dynasty.
Herend’s innovations included hand-painting intricate patterns and applying richly colored joyful glazes. These methods earned it numerous awards and accolades at international exhibitions, including the Great Exhibition in London (1851) and the Exposition Universelle in Paris (1855).
Today, Herend is still considered among the finest porcelains in the world, prized for its beauty, quality, and craftsmanship. Rarely does such a wonderfully assembled collection of Herend porcelain come to market. The playful animals, which include an elephant, a rhinoceros, several dogs and cats, a moose, and many others, are fine examples of what makes this porcelain so sought after.
