Earthenware, molded and glazed
Mettlach, Germany, 1874-1909
Villeroy und Boch (est. 1748)
Underside with underglaze green stamped manufactory mark and various impressed numerals
Eggshell glazed body with underglaze monochrome purple decoration
Imperial eagle with Prussian royal crown and monogram ‘WR’ (Wilhelmus Rex)
Diameter bowl: 50.5 cm
Good condition
Provenance: from the estate of Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia, thereafter private collection North Rhine-Westphalia; an ancestor of the family worked as a secret financial advisor in the House of Hohenzollern and thus came into possession of the washstand set
Three-piece lavour of royal provenance!

This set, consisting of a washbowl and two jugs of varying size, were made by the traditional manufactory Villeroy und Boch between 1874 and 1909. The pieces are made of earthenware and feature a monochrome purple print decoration on eggshell ground. The well of the bowl depicts a central monogram ‘WR’ – ‘Wilhelmus Rex’ for the Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia (1882-1951) – flanked by ornaments with shell-work and shields with the imperial eagle and Prussian royal crown of the House of Hohenzollern . The decoration is repeated on the two pitchers.



The three parts are marked on the base with the underglaze green stamped manufactory mark and various impressed marks, the small jug with ‘91’ and ‘3’, the large jug with ‘Y’ and ‘4’. The set is in good condition with signs of age and minor manufacturing flaws. The ceramic shows typical craquelure and there are some areas of discoloration. The small jug has a chip to the spout. The bowl has a diameter of 50.5 cm.

Villeroy & Boch

The story of Villeroy & Boch begins in 1748, when Francois Boch, a learned iron founder from Lorraine, began producing ceramic tableware. Only 20 years later, his huge success let him to expand his company out of Lorraine and into Luxembourg. In 1791, the merchant Nicolas Villeroy founded his own stoneware factory. He invented a technique that allowed him to reproduce copper engravings on porcelain and thus be able to produce a decor without having to paint it by hand. Boch himself bought an old abbey in Mettlach at the Saar in 1801 where he began the mass production of porcelain with self-invented machines. To be able to fight younger competitors, Villeroy and Boch merged in 1836. During the 19th century they became the leading company in porcelain, ceramics and tiles. During the two world wars, the company suffered many problems, one them being the separation of the Saar area from Germany. When it was reunited with Germany in 1957, the whole company managed to become a worldwide operating corporation. (tfa)

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