#Exhibit of the Month

Porcelain is a material that has sparked great interest throughout history, and its production has been a true challenge. Also known as "white gold," porcelain is a white, translucent ceramic material obtained by firing a paste of kaolin, quartz, and feldspar, along with other additives, at high temperatures. It was first discovered and used in China. The first Chinese porcelain objects arrived in Europe in the 13th century, but a broader spread of Chinese porcelain on the European continent is recorded in the 17th century. The technology for producing porcelain was kept a secret by the Chinese for a very long time.

The first hard-paste porcelain manufactory in Europe, located in the city of Meissen, was established in 1710 due to discoveries in porcelain production made by Saxon mathematician and physicist Ehrenfried Walter von Tschirnhaus (1661-1708), which were put into practice by the royal court alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger (1682-1718). He invented the glaze and achieved the complete fusion of the shard and the glaze. The Meissen factory, still operational today, has created and continues to create a vast range of porcelain products. Crafted by the finest artists, sculptors, and engravers, who use unique hand-painted colors and exclusive designs, Meissen products are of exceptional quality and elegance, enjoying worldwide fame.

The tea set, partially consisting of seven pieces (teapot, milk jug, sugar bowl, and two cups with saucers), displayed in this showcase, is a product of the famous Meissen factory in the Kingdom of Saxony, Germany. It was crafted in the first half of the 19th century from high-quality porcelain. The exhibit became part of the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova through a transfer from the "G. Cotovschi" Memorial House in Hâncești, which was closed in 1989-1990.

The decoration of these pieces is remarkable, featuring hand-painted "German flowers," one of the well-known styles of floral and plant decoration practiced by Meissen craftsmen since the 18th century. They were influenced by Chinese porcelain, which was often adorned with images of flowers and fruits. A distinctive feature of this decorative style was the "scattered flowers" arrangement, where floral elements were placed as individual blossoms or bouquets across the surface of porcelain objects.

The marking on the underside of the pieces consists of two crossed swords, elements borrowed from the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Saxony, applied by hand with cobalt paint under the glaze. With slight variations in the representation of the swords, this mark has been used since 1722 and continues to the present day. The mark on this tea set is characterized by prominent dots on the crossed swords, a feature used at the Meissen factory between 1815 and 1860.

The polychrome floral painting, gilding, and the application of a rosebud on the lids of the teapot and sugar bowl lend a sublime delicacy to these pieces, making them rare and exquisite.

Virtual Tour

Publications

Heraldica Moldaviae

Heraldica Moldaviae, Vol. 5, 2022

Chişinău, 2023 (Tipogr. „Bons Offices”) – ISBN 978-5-36241-101-5. – 288 p.

Sumar

STUDII ȘI COMUNICĂRI

Plumburi comerciale pentru stofe, descoperite recent la Orheiul Vechi

Ana BOLDUREANU

„Armorialul general al familiilor nobile din Imperiul Rus" ca sursă istorică

Oleg NAUMOV

Un vlăstar ilegitim al familiei de Saxa-Coburg-Saalfeld, născut pe pământ românesc - baronul Friedrich de Rohmann și urmașii acestuia

Drăgan-George BASARABĂ

Însemne heraldice ale Despotatului de Samos în stemele princiare din Țările Române (secolul XIX)

Sorin IFTIMI (†)

Heraldistul maghiar din Transilvania care a finalizat stema României Mari - József Sebestyén Keöpeczi

Attila István SZEKERES

Un proiect de stemă al Republicii Autonome Sovietice Socialiste Moldovenești din 1924

Alexandru MOLCOSEAN

Sigilii cu tematică agricolă din Republica Autonomă Sovietică Socialistă Moldovenească (1926-1935)

Alexandru MOLCOSEAN

Ordinele Republicii Moldova instituite în anii 1994-2004: „Gloria Muncii", „Recunoștința Patriei", „Ordinul de Onoare", „Credință Patriei"

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

IN MEMORIAM

Un genealogist în slujba heraldicii românești

Tudor-Radu TIRON

Heraldistul Constantin Bogatov (1957-2021)

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

În amintirea bunului coleg Sorin Iftimi

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

Sorin Iftimi - heraldist și istoric de artă

Lucian-Valeriu LEFTER

Pentru o istorie a faleristicii românești. Contribuția lui Sorin Iftimi (1965-2021)

Tudor-Radu TIRON

RECENZII, NOTE ȘI PREZENTĂRI

Istoriografia ucraineană contemporană despre herbul Drag-Sas

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

Пушкины: генеалогическая энциклопедия, отв. ред. О. Н. Наумов, Москва: Политическая энциклопедия, 2020, 592 с.: ил. 223

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

Reluarea traducerilor din opera heraldistului Michel Pastoureau la editura „Cartier"

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

Adriana-Patricia Manea, Familii nobile din Banat în secolul al XVIII-lea și începutul secolului al XIX-lea. Heraldică și genealogie, Cluj-Napoca: Editura Mega, 2022, (Colecția „Teze de doctorat"), 718 p.: il. 243

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

Lucian-Valeriu Lefter, Boieri ai Moldovei înainte și în vremea lui Ștefan cel Mare, Cuvânt-înainte de Ștefan S. Gorovei, Cluj-Napoca: Editura Mega, 399 p.: il. + 1 pl. genealogică

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

И. В. Мальцев, Символы в праве, правовой науке и юридическом образовании, Москва: Норма; ИНФРА-М, 2022, 256 с.: ил.

Alexei E. ALIOȘIN, Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

О. Н. Наумов, Мятлевы: поколенная роспись, Москва: Старая Басманная, 2022, 242 с., XII с. ил.

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

О. Н. Наумов, Геральдика Пушкиных, отв. ред. Г. В. Вилинбахов, Москва: Старая Басманная, 2022, 146 с.: ил., XVI с. ил.

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

CRONICĂ

Al XVI-lea Simpozion de Heraldică, Chișinău, 27 aprilie 2022

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

Atelierul de Artă Heraldică, Chișinău, 5-7 iulie 2022

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC

Expoziția „Întru răsplata meritelor... Distincțiile de Stat ale Republicii Moldova la cea de-a 30-a aniversare", Chișinău, Muzeul Național de Istorie a Moldovei, 28 iulie - 25 august 2022

Silviu ANDRIEȘ-TABAC, Adelaida CHIROȘCA