herend
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Nov. 22nd, 2006 | 02:26 am
We recently had the opportunity to visit Herend, a town in western Hungary near Lake Balaton where Herend Porcelain Manufactory Ltd. is headquartered. Herend, established in 1826, is the world's largest manufacturer of handmade, hand-painted porcelain. Herend patterns are the most intricate, elaborate and vivid I've ever seen, and also the most expensive. A Herend ashtray costs $150 and that's cheap. Ten thousand dollars might get you a full dining set for four.
We arrived at the factory around noon and spent about 30 minutes in the factory store. The displays were tantalizing. Herend patterns seduce the eye like a Siren song. Each piece is its own little world of graceful design and dazzling detail.
I circled the store many times and got lost in teacups, platters, dessert plates, vases. I picked my favorite patterns and imagined a long dining table bedecked with Herend. It is china fit for royalty.
We ate lunch at Herend's Apicius Restaurant. Each place setting featured an elaborate spread of Herend china complete with Herend napkin holders and butter dishes. I ordered the "Roast chicken breast slice rolled in chopped walnuts, served on a red wine sauce improved with forest fruits, dressed with a pear steamed in noble Tokaj wine alongside roesti." It was an exquisite combination of flavors.
After lunch, we took a guided tour through Herend's "Minimanufactory," which is a condensed version of the factory. A short movie about the history of Herend explained how Hungary was the first country in Europe to discover the secret to manufacturing porcelain, a secret once held only by Asian porcelain masters. Herend soon became a favorite among members of European royalty who needed to replace or repair pieces of porcelain sets imported from Asia.
Our energetic tour guide led us through a series of workshop rooms where Herend employees were molding, shaping, piercing and painting Herend porcelain. Herend's manufacturing process is completely free of the modern world's reliance on machines. The hand techniques have been passed down through generations of Herend workers. We met a Herend master painter and he let Michael paint a bright green leaf on one of his plates.
We headed across the street to the Herend Museum. The museum offered a great opportunity to see how Herend has built upon its craft since its inception. As I walked through the exhibits of early Herend to the exhibits of modern day Herend porcelain, I observed the subtle evolution of design, color and complexity. Much of the china on display was commissioned by aristocrats, wealthy families, kings, queens and emperors in the 19th and 20th centuries.
We left as the sun was setting. Driving through the countryside, I felt proud of Hungary. I was utterly impressed by Herend Porcelain Manufactory Ltd. and hope someday to have my own set of their world-renowned porcelain.
Guided tour through Minimanufactory
Mold-making
Shaping the porcelain
Porcelain figurine
Piercing holes
Hand-rolled trim
Hand-painted
Michael steadies his brush
The Herend Porcelain Museum
We arrived at the factory around noon and spent about 30 minutes in the factory store. The displays were tantalizing. Herend patterns seduce the eye like a Siren song. Each piece is its own little world of graceful design and dazzling detail.
I circled the store many times and got lost in teacups, platters, dessert plates, vases. I picked my favorite patterns and imagined a long dining table bedecked with Herend. It is china fit for royalty.We ate lunch at Herend's Apicius Restaurant. Each place setting featured an elaborate spread of Herend china complete with Herend napkin holders and butter dishes. I ordered the "Roast chicken breast slice rolled in chopped walnuts, served on a red wine sauce improved with forest fruits, dressed with a pear steamed in noble Tokaj wine alongside roesti." It was an exquisite combination of flavors.
After lunch, we took a guided tour through Herend's "Minimanufactory," which is a condensed version of the factory. A short movie about the history of Herend explained how Hungary was the first country in Europe to discover the secret to manufacturing porcelain, a secret once held only by Asian porcelain masters. Herend soon became a favorite among members of European royalty who needed to replace or repair pieces of porcelain sets imported from Asia.
Our energetic tour guide led us through a series of workshop rooms where Herend employees were molding, shaping, piercing and painting Herend porcelain. Herend's manufacturing process is completely free of the modern world's reliance on machines. The hand techniques have been passed down through generations of Herend workers. We met a Herend master painter and he let Michael paint a bright green leaf on one of his plates.
We headed across the street to the Herend Museum. The museum offered a great opportunity to see how Herend has built upon its craft since its inception. As I walked through the exhibits of early Herend to the exhibits of modern day Herend porcelain, I observed the subtle evolution of design, color and complexity. Much of the china on display was commissioned by aristocrats, wealthy families, kings, queens and emperors in the 19th and 20th centuries.
We left as the sun was setting. Driving through the countryside, I felt proud of Hungary. I was utterly impressed by Herend Porcelain Manufactory Ltd. and hope someday to have my own set of their world-renowned porcelain.
Guided tour through Minimanufactory
Mold-making
Shaping the porcelain
Porcelain figurine
Piercing holes
Hand-rolled trim
Hand-painted
Michael steadies his brush
The Herend Porcelain Museum