R. S. Prussia
Porcelain…Fit for King, Made for the Masses

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By Janet Werner

Magnificent Schlegelmilch R.S. Prussia porcelain, for sale at the Spring Antique Mall by collector and dealer, George Lankford.

One of the world’s finest porcelains originated in Prussia, one of the Germanic states prior to their consolidation. Originally in Thuringia (before becoming Prussia) in a town named Suhl, the Schlegelmilch family perfected the method of using a specific type of earth called Kaolin for porcelain wares. Available only in certain areas of the world, Kaolin consists of hydrated aluminum silicates, and was 50% of their porcelain; the balance was Feldspar and quartz.

This made it a natural or pure porcelain since these ingredients are found naturally in the earth. The hard paste, pure porcelain the Schlegelmilch’s manufactured, was translucent and produced a fine deep ring like that of a bell.

Rare fold-over Schlegelmilch bowl purchased from the Spring Antique Mall by collector, Patty Walters of Chester, TX, upon seeing a photo of it. Referenced in R.S. Prussia – The Early Years by Leland and Carol Marple, page 78. The ll” diam. bowl is Mold OM 40E, the decor is OT 11.

The mold patterns differentiated the Schlegelmilch porcelain from all others due to the heavily embossed and elaborate shapes, which were finished with a combination of transfer patterns and hand-applied enamels under glaze. The magnificent finished product had the appearance of hand-painted porcelain, and gave the illusion of holding a bouquet of flowers.

But even more exquisite were the pieces with portraits of beautiful women, scenic patterns, wild animals, and sailing ships. Just viewing books with colored pictures of Schlegelmilch china is akin to having your nose pressed against the window of a candy store.

The pastel-colored china resembles a myriad of confections and can definitely be referred to as eye candy.

Reference either R.S. Prussia – The Early Years by Leland & Carol Marple, or The Collectors Encyclopedia of R. S. Prussia by Mary Frank Gaston, to sample these delicious treats.

Taking great pride in their work, the Schlegelmilch brothers, Reinhold and Erdmann, marked their porcelain with the country of origin, Prussia, and their father’s initials. Thus the initials R.  S. stand for Rudolph Schlegelmilch.

Over forty different marks were used to indicate which factory and time period the porcelain was made. Not all pieces were marked though. Often only the major piece in a set might bear the mark, for instance, the handled cake plate may have been marked, but not the smaller dessert plates.

Collectors of this fine porcelain can easily tell unmarked pieces by the translucent quality of the porcelain, the intricate mold pattern, and the detail in the applied transfer. The most authoritative source on the R.S. Prussia marks is a handbook produced by the Schlegelmilch family. For a copy of the R.S. Prussia marks, email werner@wt.net

   From 1860 and for approximately the next twenty years, artistic display porcelain pieces were produced, but financial conditions made it necessary to manufacturer more useful and profitable table service pieces in the later 1800s, sacrificing some of the artistry.

By 1894 Prussia porcelain was in wholesale production, with the greatest import markets being Canada and the United States. World War 1 brought about the demise of the Schlegelmilch porcelain production and the exquisite craftsmanship became a dying art. But appreciation of these individual works of art (in many cases ‘one of a kind’) has never fallen out of favor.

But beware of reproductions bearing a variety of R.S. Prussia marks. These hideous fakes are obvious to even the novice collector.

They’re heavy and thick, obviously not made of porcelain, but instead, some inferior pottery. Missing is the translucence, the embossed detail in the mold, and the transfers under glaze are garish.

To view a beautiful selection of authentic R.S. Prussia porcelain, visit the Spring Antique Mall located on the southwest corner of I-45 and Spring Cypress (in the U-Haul Rental Center.), Exit 70A, in Spring, TX. Call 281-355-1110 for more information.

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