The Meissen China Company was originally set up to provide china place settings for the royal courts of the time. These were meant to replace the expensive porcelain eating and serving pieces imported from China. Once the formula and technique of making hard porcelain was worked out, the Meissen factory began its production of two of the most famous china patterns in Europe and the Americas: the Swan Service and Blue Onion. Later, other patterns were added, and ornamental figurines began to be produced. If you want to collect history, collect the Swan Service or Blue Onion china, as they have been made ever since. To do this, however, you will need to learn the time periods for the various china marks used by the Meissen Company. Unless you but only modern, new products, you will need to get familiar with these marks anyway.

Like all china makers, the names given to the various patterns change with the dealer selling it or over time. Thus, you either have to learn the Meissen pattern number or learn a few details of the pattern in order to recognize it when you see it. Which also means only buying when you have examined the china or have good pictures of the front and back.

Also, like all china makers, the china blanks, unpainted porcelain plates and bowls, have names which are sometimes incorporated into the name of the pattern. Swan Service is actually the name of the china forms, and can be found with several painted decoration patterns. Wave, which has an unusual rim shape with four points, is a modern china line of forms used for specific painting patterns. Although not all painting patterns are produced on all china forms, there is plenty of room for confusion. If you are looking to complete a set of china, or to get one each of the various patterns on a particular set of shapes, carrying pictures of what you have may become essential. Some china patterns also include pierced pieces as well as the regular un-pierced ones.

So, on to the Meissen china patterns I have discovered.

The most famous of the Meissen patterns:

• Swan Service (Schwanenservice): made since 1737 and still in production.
• Blue Onion (Zweibelmuster): begun in 1739 and still in production. This pattern is so popular that it has been copied by over 60 companies, using the blue onion name and even including “Meissen” so that the entire name is now in the the public domain, Meissen has put out several versions of this pattern themselves, on a couple of china lines (shapes).
• Blue Onion Vine: blue onion (actually a pomegranate) with a vine motif, mostly on the rim.

Other Well Known Meissen China Patterns: Dragon Patterns:

Meissen has a number of patterns with dragons either chasing the Pearl of Wisdom in the cavetto or around the rim with a medallion or pair of phoenix in the center of the cavetto. These patterns come in a number of colors, including amethyst, black, blue, brown, green, lilac, pink, red, yellow. In addition, some of the china has additional touches of gold or a contrasting color in the pattern. he names involved in this confusion of china patterns are Dragon, Ming Dragon, Ming Dragon Lifestyle, and Court Dragon.

And, of course, there are myriad china patterns with flowers, bugs, shells and other natural motifs, either represented realistically or as stylized motifs.

Flowers:

• Blue Hydrangea: blue plants around rim, wave china forms.
• Blue Orchid: orchid and tree in center.
• Cornflower: flowers and plant on edge of cavetto and on rim, wave china forms.
• Enchanted Blossoms: 3 blue blossoms on rim, other small flowers scattered on rim and cavetto.
• Floral Tendrils: basket or planter with flowers.
• Garden Flowers: several designs, usually centered on cavetto.
• Garland of Grape Leaves: leaves and vine around rim.
• Gold Leaf or Golden Baroque: leaves of gold on black rim, with or without flowers on cavetto.
• Indian: pink flowers, some pierced.
• Indian Painting: flowers, some pierced, colors: amethyst, black, blue, green, red
• Mahonia Garland: stylized flower and leaf garland around rim.
• Oriental Flowers: flowers and leaves cover cavetto, four floral motifs on rim, colors: black, green, light blue, pink, red.
• Perian Rose
• Red Rose
• Rose Pink: pink rose at center of cavetto.
• Scattered Flowers or Strewn Flowers: eleven simple flowers of two sizes scattered evenly about cavetto and rim.
• String of Pearls: garland of blue leaves around rim.
• Tulip and Poppy: modern treatment of flowers on stems around the rim, wave china forms.
• Vine-leaf: ivy vines around the rim.
• Wild Poppy or Luscious Poppy: red, yellow, flower with stem and leaves around rim.
• Woodland Flora: leaves and flowers on rim, one side, wave china forms.

Other Nature Patterns:

• Exotic Water Plants: plants on rim and cavetto.
• My Favorite Bugs: arch of color and gold with a bug at each end, on rim.
• Seaside Rendezvous: shells and sea creatures on rim.
• Water Birds: stylized bird forms around rim, colors: coral, turquoise.

Other Patterns and Plain Patterns:

• 1001 Nights: exotic figures, stylized gold and purple curtains.
• Plain with colored edge.
• Water Lily: white on white pattern.
• White Wave or Wave: plain white with eccentric edge.
• White Rococo

I hope you find this information helpful. The big thing is to thoroughly identify the pieces before you buy them and buy where you can take it back if you still make a mistake.

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Read more about porcelain collectibles.