Porcelain Manufactory Herend
| Herendi Porcelánmanufaktúra Zrt.
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| legal form | AG |
| founding | 1826 |
| Seat | Herend |
| Number of employees | 1,700 (2006) |
| Branch | porcelain |
| Website | www.Herend.com |
Herend is the oldest and largest porcelain manufacturer in Hungary and is now one of the most important manufacturers in Europe. It was founded in 1826 in Herend ( Veszprém county ) by the ceramicist Vinzenz (Vince) Stingl.
history
However, Stingl soon ran into financial difficulties and had to sell the manufactory. Under its new owner Moritz Fischer (born March 25, 1799 in Tata ; † February 15, 1880 there ), the rise of the plant began in 1839. Fischer began with additions to old Asian and European dining services for the Hungarian aristocracy. On the basis of this experience and the contacts made through these commissions, he achieved success with his own creations, which were awarded at the major exhibitions in Vienna , London , New York and Paris in the mid-19th century.
The prominent customers of this time ( Queen Victoria , Emperor Franz Joseph , the Esterházy , Batthyány , Rothschild , and Apponyi families ) gave their names to the decors that are still produced today. Among other things, services for the royal castle in Budapest , the service for the palace in Gödöllő and for Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico were supplied . As a result, the Herend manufactory was appointed supplier to the Imperial and Royal Court in 1872 under the direction of Fischer .
However, the economic crisis of 1874 and stiff competition nearly drove the company to bankruptcy. In 1876 Moritz Fischer's sons took over management. The company was then called Moritz Fischers Söhne, Porzellanfabrik . In 1878 the purveyor's privilege was confirmed again. In spite of this, the manufactory continued to lose importance in these years as its products lost quality. In 1883 the company was sold again and converted into a stock corporation. In 1892 part of the factory hall collapsed and production had to be temporarily stopped completely.
Under Fischer's grandson Jenõ Farkasházy Fischer, the company continued to struggle economically. Farkasházy worked with Hungarian Art Nouveau artists and again produced masterpieces. However, the financial situation could not be fundamentally improved because, although the focus was on quality again, the production figures remained low. After the First World War and the collapse of the monarchy, the company was kept alive by foreign investors such as Mobil and Lloyds. Exports were carried out through houses such as Lobmeyr and Warnecke in Hamburg , which were responsible for European sales.
The finances recovered somewhat up to the Second World War, and during the war it was also produced for military purposes. In 1948 Herend was nationalized, which probably saved the company from bankruptcy again. Although foreign employees were no longer tolerated, Lobmeyr and Warnecke were still responsible for sales. The communist regime gave Herend a relatively free hand, as the manufactory was an important source of foreign currency and a model company for the country.
In 1981 it separates from the fine ceramics group and becomes an independent company. The Herend Porcelain Manufactory was a regular exhibitor at the Frankfurt International Spring Fair as early as the early 1980s. This has since changed its name and is known as "Ambiente". It is also considered a "showcase" for the world market.
After the fall of the Iron Curtain , privatization took place, so that 75 percent of the shares are currently owned by the employees. On June 30, 1992, the "Herend Porcelain Manufactory AG" was founded as the legal successor to the Herend porcelain factory.
Between 1993 and 1995, a series of exhibitions with Herend master painters took place in major cities in the United States, from New York to Los Angeles. The number of employees in the manufacture increases to 1583 during this time.
In 1996 the first Herend specialty store was opened in Singapore in the traditional Raffles Hotel. In that year Imre Schrammel was also appointed artistic director of the manufactory. In 1997 another specialty shop was opened in the Berlin Hotel Adlon . In 2000, another, own specialist shop follows in Munich.
1998 - 1999 the new "Porzellanium" is built on the opposite side of the street from the main entrance. This building complex houses the porcelain museum, the mini-factory, in which you can see the production steps "up close". The continuation of the building is the “Appicius” restaurant and cafe (named after a Roman gourmet). There, high-quality dishes are served on original Herend porcelain. The different dishes are also served on different, famous Herend dishes.
In 2001 Herend celebrated its 175th anniversary. In the same year the manufacture received the national award "Hungarian Cultural Heritage" in recognition and for the importance of this Hungarian national heritage.
Products
Production is still based on old templates today. The services "Gödöllő", "Miramare", "Fleurs des Indes Vertes" or "Victoria Bouquet" for Queen Victoria of Great Britain will continue to be produced with newer creations. The white and gold "Burgservice" is decorated with the initials of King Franz Joseph I and St. Stephen's crown. The "Miramare" service is intended to commemorate Emperor Maximilian and Mexico. The "Gödöllő" service was originally a gift from King Franz Joseph I to his wife Elisabeth for her palace in Gödöllő . It is in red color and decorated with floral motifs and trees.
swell
- List of porcelain manufacturers and manufacturers
- Otto Bohinc: Herend - porcelain for fine people. In: NZZ Folio . The monthly magazine of the Neue Zürcher Zeitung , May 1992, accessed on March 17, 2009 .
literature
- Ingrid Haslinger. Customer - Kaiser. The story of the former imperial and royal purveyors . Schroll, Vienna (1996). ISBN 3-85202-129-4
- Jozsef Vadas, Karoly Szelenyi, Vera Varga: Herend - A Manufactory in the 20th Century . Bösmüller printing company, Vienna 1992.
- Gyözö Sikota: Herend - Manufactory of Hungarian porcelain art . ISBN 978-3-87680-896-3 .
- Johann Geigl: Herend porcelain. Published on behalf of Herend Porcelain Manufactory AG by Magyar Képek / Hungarian Pictures, Veszprem-Budapest, translation: Eva and Gyula Berta, ISBN 963-9439-18-5 .
- Johann Geigl: Our house calendar 2020. (= The yearbook of Germans from Hungary. ) Schwabenverlag, Ostfildern, ISBN 978-3-7966-1790-4 .
