St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-04
DRESDEN CHINA.
A Romance of the Celebrated
Royal Potteries of Germany.


Royal Potteries of Germany.
The finest and also some of the rarest
specimens of Dresden porcelain are
those that bear the golden cipher of the
Countess Cosel. says Dresden letter to
the New York Sun. She was the fair
Anna de Bischoff. twice married, who
achieved double celebrity by captivat-
ing the affections of the most feeble Of
all monarchS and maintaining herself
in favor far longer than any Of her
predecessors. Augustus Ii. shoWered
gold and presents upon his beautiful
mistress: he filled the Palace
of the Four Seasons. built purposely
for her, with the superb china that
had been marked with her private sign.
At last, however, even her prolonged in
tiuence waned. When the final Separa-
ton with her royal lover had taken
place the favorite refused all the com
penSation he offered, sc0rned titles and
wealth, and gave herself up entirely to
revenge. This she carried so far that
she was after while imprisoned in the
castle of Stolpen. One day as the elect0r
passed under her window she saw him
and fired pistol at him. He was not
hurt and smilingly bowed to her. Even
at the electors death she declined the
liberty now granted her, remaining a
self-elected prisoner; she became
strange and extravaganza, had gold coins
engraved with her monogram inter
laced with his fOrty of these medals
were afterward found in the cushion of
the chair she usually occupied); she as
sumed the garb of magician, and dab
bled in witchcraft. She died at Stolpen
RI nn1 md
enough, no one has yet discovered where
the Countess Cosel lies buried.
1t is truism that nothing has been
more consistently initiated than good
china, therefore the least genuine Ores
den porcelain bears with exceeding
clearnesS the various marks that stamp
the real article; the A. B. of Augustus
H., the CaduceuS of the first MeisSen
porcelain, the B. of De Brul, the stars
of Count Marcolina placed between the
two crowned central swords are all
carefully pointed out by the vendors as
incontrovertible proof of the authentic
ity of the spurious article offered for
sale; some, even more audaciouS, do not
hesitate to produce the unattainable
golden cipher of the Countess C0sel, in
the hope of alluring customers.
At Dresden, especially. the fabrication
of false china is carried on to a coll.
siderable extent. An immense number
of houses send out to the old world
connterfeits of old Nielsen and old
Saxon, the demand being apparently as
inexhaustible as the supply. While de-
ploring this cheapening of really artistic
wares, we cannot help admiring the in
genuity and prodigious cleverness that
succeeds in puzzling connolsseurs and
experts, and has more than once caused
divergence of opinions among them. AT
the same time Dresden is perhaps of all
European cities the place where col
lectors can find the richest harvest of
authentic and really valuable specimens.
Many old families have been and are
daily compelled by reverses of fortune
to part with their heirlooms of old
china, and they can be purchased onfar
more advantageous terms than when
they have been secured by the dealers
of Holland and Great Britain. who are
always on the lookout for such wind
falls.