Bohemian Decorated Porcelain (Schiffer Book for Collectors)

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Summary: Bohemian Decorated Porcelain A hit with China Collectors
Review: My book describes the development of porcelain production in the Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) region of western Bohemia. Through the declining years of the Habsburg's Austro-Hungarian Empire to the rise of communism in Czechoslovakia, a history of each factory exporting ware to the United States is presented which recounts details of factory owners never described in English literature. A description of each small town or village in the Karlovy Vary region that manufactured porcelain is provided. Details of the methods of exporting porcelain to the United States and the history of import businesses and their owners gives the reader an insight into how today's antique porcelain found its way from factory to home. Numerous advertisements of import companies illustrate the array of Bohemian porcelain sold in America during the late 1800s and early 1900s. As the demand for whiteware increased to satisfy the growing interest in amateur china painting in America in the 1880s, the Karlovy Vary area factories expanded and their export business grew. I describe the factory methods used to decorate "Carlsbad china", the name given to porcelain exported from this region in the late 1800s. American decoration of imported whiteware is also presented making the book an invaluable reference for those who purchase, sell, or who have inherited pieces of this china. In addition, the book should be of value to those interested in family histories of factory owners and decorators. Over 600 color photographs and illustrations demonstrate the rich variety of porcelain pieces exported to as well as decorated in, the United States during this time. An extensive presentation of American export dinnerware patterns from the oldest producing factory is featured in one of the book's appendices. Many factory marks are illustrated in color and are presented in a chronology following the description of each factory. A price guide is provided to give a relative value of one piece to another. If you have questions about Bohemian/Austrian porcelain please contact me and time permitting, I'll try to help you.