Meissen

Blue Onion Coffee Cup & Saucer

The history of the “Onion Pattern” began with the search of a special blue color to emphasize the unprecedented whiteness of Meissen's porcelain. After numerous tests, they combined cobalt and oxygen to create a blue that was extremely heat-resistant. Thus, in 1722, the new paint made it possible to apply Meissen’s trademark, the Crossed Swords, in cobalt blue under the glaze for the first time. This technique protected the trademark and made it impossible to duplicate. Inspired by East Asian patterns, which were predominantly blue at the time, Meissen’s radiant blue “Onion Pattern” was created from 1731 and would go on to become famous around the world. The “onions” in the pattern are not actually onions, but rather peaches and melons on the rims, and bamboo stalks and delicate chrysanthemum blossoms in the center.

In 2004, Onion was modernized to include a chrysanthemum winding along the plate's rim. The vined bamboo shoot with delicate blossoms, along with the original pattern's double leaft have remained, while the fruits have disappeared altogether. This new pattern is a lighter, breezier offshoot of the 1731 original, allowing the porcelain to shine.

As the oldest trademark in Europe, the Crossed Swords from the coat of arms of the Electorate of Saxony have represented the exceptional quality of Meissen porcelain since 1722. To this day, the trademark is applied by hand to every piece of Meissen porcelain in the manufactory’s own cobalt blue by Meissen’s “swordsmen” – painters specialising in the Crossed Swords. The Crossed Swords have been a component of the onion pattern since 1888. Set in the foot of the bamboo stalks, the swords attest to the piece’s authenticity and guarantee Meissen’s exceptional porcelain quality and craftsmanship

Founded in 1710 by King Augustus the Strong, Meissen is the oldest porcelain manufactory in Europe and enjoys worldwide acclaim for its exceptional craftsmanship. Meissen and its crossed swords insignia are synonymous with the highest quality porcelain; every Meissen piece is entirely crafted in-house in the state of Saxony (Germany).