faint-blue colouring: Bleu mourant – “dying blue”. The king had a weakness for this colour, which was predominant in his private chambers at Sanssouci Palace. It took the manufactory four years to develop this particular shade of blue as porcelain colour. It is still produced today, according to a secret formula. The design of NEUOSIER from 1770 is based on the model of nature. Inspired by the French osier (wickerwork) the relief simulates the structure of a woven basket. The handles are shaped as branches. Elaborately decorated with bouquets of flowers and golden foliage NEUOSIER was made for Crown Prince Frederick William II in 1780. After his accession to the throne, it was used at the royal table of Sanssouci Palace. Around 1790, KPM produced a large “service with an antique border” in the classicist style for Peter von Biron, Duke of Kurland. The service was later renamed KURLAND in his honour. It is still one of the greatest successes of the manufactory today. English silverware served as design model for the relief adorning the rims of all items. KURLAND quickly found admirers in the Prussian royal family. King Frederick William II, the nephew of and successor to Frederick the Great, gave it to his uncle Prince Henry of Prussia in a particularly opulent decor with colourful natural field flowers. On the occasion of its 250th anniversary, KPM created two new interpretations of the classic tableware: KURLAND Blanc Nouveau which combines glazed surfaces and reliefs made of biscuit porcelain, and KURLAND Royal Noir with a precious black and gold decor. In 1912, Theodor Schmuz-Baudiss designed CERES to mark KPM's 150th anniversary. The design pays tribute to the opulence of late Art Nouveau. At the same time it is one of KPM's last major works of this epoch. The relief on this shape consists of overflowing with fruit and ears of corn. Along with ARKADIA and FELDBLUME, URBINO represents the era of New Objectivity and Bauhaus at KPM. Designer Trude Petri was awarded the Grand Prix at the 1937 World's Fair in Paris for her URBINO dinner service. The tureen is a good for the design's multi-functionality: The lid, when turned upside-down, can also be used as a bowl. As a modern classic URBINO is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. It is still one of KPM's best-selling products. The ARKADIA tea set was