PORCELAIN AND FAIENCE.
55
AUSTRIA.
Imperial Porcelain Works, Vienna.—The manufactiire
of porcelain was established in Vienna, in 1717, by Blanqnier.
In 1746, the works were purchased by the Empress Maria
Theresa for 45,000 florins, and Blanqnier was made'direetor.
In 1750, forty men were employed; in 1761, one hundred
and forty; in 1770, two hundred; and in the year 1780,
three hundred and twenty. In the period from 1760 to
1790, under the sculptor Niedermayer, the production of
fi<nires and groups was most developed. ^Morc attention was
then given to decoration of the wäre by painting, under the
directiou of the chemist Leitliner, who prodnced the beautiful
blue color known by his name, the reddish brown, and the
superb gilding.
The first artists of the day were engaged to furnish
sketches; and amongst the artists we find the names of
Watteau, Sancret, Boucher, and Angelica Kauffmann. In
1827, Director Niedermayer died, and the establishment
gradually declined in importance until 1864, when the
Reichsrath refused further sums for • its maintenance and
stopped operations. The models were destroyed, and the
buildings were turned into an imperial cigar factory.
Private porcelain works, zum Eisgrübl, had been estab
lished in 1702, and this firm came into possession of most of
the stock on hand in the imperial works, and has since%on-
tinued the manufactiire on a smaller scale.
Fischer, Moritz von, Tierend, near Weszprim, Hungary.
This famous establishment has its chief depot in Vienna,
and made a very extensive display of all its reproductions of
celebrated manufactures of porcelain, chiefly of old Sevres,
Meissen, old Chinese, and old Japanese. Here could be scen
counterparts of the raised flower-work of Saxony, of the open
perforated basket-work wäre, of old Vienna porcelain, and of
the Italian Capa di Monti. These imitations are much
souo-ht for, and are the basis of an extensive business.
Most, if not all, are distinctly marked with the maker’s name
and place of manufactiire, so that no deception or mistakes
can result. Some ordinary Chinese and Japanese wäre is
