101 Piece Flora Danica Dinner Set - The World's Most Prestigious Dinnerware
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EXTRAVAGANZI, October 26, 2011--
Regarded as one of the most prestigious and stunning porcelain patterns ever created, this most rare and remarkable 101-piece Flora Danica dinner set was crafted by the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory. The stunning service can serve up to 12 people, and each of the 101 pieces comes with delicate carvings and 24-carat gold accents and rich, hand-painted botanical motifs.
The 101-Piece Flora Danica Porcelain Dinner Service by Royal Copenhagen
The set consist of 12 pieces of 7 3/4 inch plates, 12 pieces of 9 inch dessert plates, 12 pieces of 10 inch dinner plates, 12 bowls, 12 two handle soup bowls with saucers, 12 chocolate cups with saucers, round reticulated 13 1/4 inch serving tray, an oval wine cooler, a round wine cooler, a Monteith ice basin and a covered tureen. The set is priced at $168,500 and can be purchased at Rau Antiques.
One of the last luxury services still in existence from the 18th century is perhaps the world’s most prestigious dinnerware in production today. Flora Danica (translating into flowers of Denmark) is reputed to be one of the most original and inspired products of the European art industry from the golden age of porcelain. The creation of the Flora Danica dinnerware was an immense task. It became the life’s work of one of the most gifted artists of the late 18th century, and one of the greatest porcelain painters, Johann Christoph Bayer. The long and laborious process commenced in 1790 and was not finished until 12 years and 1,802 different pieces of hand-molded and hand-painted porcelain later.
To this very day Flora Danica is still molded and painted by hand as it was more than 200 years ago. The elaborate and intricate overglaze decorations contain more than 700 wild plants in their patterns, all culled from the old encyclopedia “Flora Danica”. Flora Danica is admired today as it was when it was first produced, although culture and taste have changed a great deal since then. Flora Danica speaks to us across the ages – perhaps, as our world returns to nature, more eloquently than ever before. One never tires of studying the service, because each and every piece is decorated with an individual and highly articulated plant – complete with flower, leaves, stem, root and fruit. [Danish Porcelain Online]
