(pronunciation: don’t know. Anybody?)

Location: Hungary.

This company continues to produce ceramics with their unique eosin glazes. This glaze is world famous for its deep color and iridescence. The firing process is complicated, but also provides each piece with a unique finish. Many of the forms are simply modeled and show the glaze off beautifully.

The architectural embellishments are still produced from the local clay and with the original techniques that made it stand out when first produced. The resultant ceramics are frost-proof and survive the climate of Northern Europe with immunity. Ornaments from the earliest production are still in place today.

To see Zsolnay Porcelain, go to my Squidoo lens about it.

My opinion: These porcelains are beautiful. The modeling is excellent and the eosin glaze amazing.

Product lines:
regular china dinnerware
regular porcelain decorative items, like vases and decorative plates
Eosin figures and decorative accent pieces. This is where Zsolnay distinguishes itself from other porcelain manufacturers. There are even pieces using two or more colors of eosin on one piece, and are quite colorful.

Prices:
figurines run from $20 to (from a US retailer)
eosin figures from $21 to $3700 for a large artist signed vase
porcelain decorative items with the usual glazes: $35 to $2000
dinnerware: single plate for $20 to a tea set for 6 for $1000
(These prices are from Klugex Art Products, Zsolnay’s US importer.)

Collector’s Society:none mentioned.

The official company site is: http://www.zsolnay.com/index.html

History

The Zsolnay factory was established in 1853 by Miklós Zsolnay. The products from this company were recognized at the 1873 World Exhibition in Vienna for its quality. The jury praised the Zsolnay products as unique and awarded the Grand Prix to the company. In 1896 Zsolnay created one of its most famous glazes, called eosin. This glaze comes in several colors, which are strong, and the finish is iridescent. Eosin made the company world famous at the time. Zsolnay also adopted the Art Nouveau style. Furthermore, the technical practices used at Zsolnay created frost-proof architectural ornaments that were in demand in Hungary. The company technique of high temperature firing remains unique even today. In spite of two world wars, the Zsolnay porcelain Factory holds on to its great traditions, while at the same time stressing the importance of a continuous renewal.

Since the 1950s, the Zsolnay factory has invited designers to try new styles and revive the use of older forms and glazes. Furthermore, visiting artists revitalized the production of the architectural ceramics.

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