Manufacture of household and table porcelain as well as cobalt porcelain in Blankenhain, Thuringia.
Weimarer Porzellanmanufaktur
BlankenhainNew on Amplifa
About the Weimarer Porzellanmanufaktur
The Weimarer Porzellanmanufaktur was a German porcelain company based in Blankenhain (Thuringia) that produced porcelain from 1790 to 2018. Its product range included tableware, cups and household porcelain; the company became particularly well known for the Weimar cobalt painting introduced from about 1926. The raw materials clay, quartz sand and feldspathic sand came from Tannroda, Schwarza and the surroundings of Blankenhain and were ground and levigated in the company's own mill. Production facilities included biscuit and glost firing kilns as well as, from 1963, modern electric cobalt tunnel kilns; in the turning shop, roller machines were introduced from 1963. The products were exported abroad, including to England, the Netherlands, Israel, Italy, Norway, Austria, the USA, Belgium, Finland, Spain and Switzerland. In 2006/2007 the manufactory was taken over by the Könitz Group; production in Blankenhain ended in 2018.
- Site
- Blankenhain
- Processes
- Porcelain production (tableware, cups, household porcelain), Industrial porcelain and insulator production, Decor firing (cobalt painting, decoration kiln), Biscuit and glost firing, Porcelain manufacturing, Weimar cobalt painting
- Materials
- Porcelain (ceramics), Cobalt porcelain, Clay (from Tannroda), Quartz sand, Feldspathic sand, Industrial porcelain / insulators (HESCHO, TRI-DELTA)
- Founded
- 1790
- Industries
- Porcelain, Household goods, Tableware
- 01
Raw material preparation (grinding and levigation of the porcelain body in the
- 02
Shaping/turning shop (roller machines)
- 03
Biscuit firing
- 04
Glost firing
- 05
Cobalt painting/decoration
- 06
Decor firing
Materials and Processes
Porcelain (ceramics)
Main material for tableware, cups and household porcelain.
Cobalt porcelain
Porcelain produced from about 1926 with the characteristic Weimar cobalt painting.
Clay (from Tannroda)
Raw material for the porcelain body prepared in the company's own mill.
Quartz sand
Raw material from Schwarza and the surroundings of Blankenhain for body production.
Feldspathic sand
Flux raw material from the region for the porcelain body.
Industrial porcelain / insulators (HESCHO, TRI-DELTA)
Industrial ceramics and insulators produced at the affiliated Könitz plant.
Sites
Blankenhain
DEProduction (until 2018)
- Materials
- Porcelain, cobalt porcelain
- Steam engine (driving the body mill)
- Three biscuit and glost firing kilns
- Electric cobalt tunnel kilns (from 1963)
- Roller machines in the turning shop
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porcelain production (tableware, cups, household porcelain)Casting | – | – | – | – | Porcelain, Cobalt porcelain |
| Industrial porcelain and insulator productionCasting | – | – | – | – | Industrial porcelain |
| Decor firing (cobalt painting, decoration kiln)Surface | – | – | – | – | Porcelain |
| Biscuit and glost firingHeat treatment | – | – | – | – | Porcelain |
6 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steam engine (body mill drive) | – | 1 | – | – | Blankenhain |
| Biscuit and glost firing kilns | – | 3 | – | – | Blankenhain |
| Electric cobalt tunnel kilns | – | – | – | 1963 | Blankenhain |
| Roller machines in the turning shop | – | – | – | – | Blankenhain |
| Decoration kiln | – | 1 | – | 2008 | Könitz |
| Modern cup assembly/production line | – | – | – | 1984–1985 | Könitz |
Additional services
History
- 1790
Founding of the porcelain manufactory in Blankenhain by Christian Andreas Speck; concession granted on 1 July 1790.
- 1797
First porcelain products presented at the Leipzig Trade Fair.
- 1816
155 workers employed.
- 1817
Factory largely destroyed by fire; reconstruction.
- 1830
Death of the founder Christian Andreas Speck; several changes of ownership followed.
- 1856
Taken over by the Fasolt family; from 1879 managed by the sons Max and Karl.
- 1900
The 'Rautenschild' brand receives the addition 'Germany' — evidence of export activity.
- 1917
Acquired by Ernst Carstens (E. Carstens KG); introduction of the Weimar cobalt painting from about 1926.
- 1928
Registration of the 'Weimar Porzellan' brand.
- 1948
Conversion into people's ownership on 18 July; later integration into the Feinkeramik Kahla combine.
- 1962
New production hall; in 1963 modern electric cobalt tunnel kilns.
- 1992
Acquired by Herbert Hillebrand Bauverwaltungs-Gesellschaft mbH from the Treuhandanstalt Erfurt; operated as Weimar Porzellan GmbH.
- 1995
Insolvency in April; subsequent sale of the factory.
- 2006/2007
Takeover by the Könitz Group (Könitz Porzellan GmbH); production in Blankenhain ended in 2018.