Antique Hertwig Parian Ware Porcelain centerpiece with cherubs 10" wide x 9" tall. Late 19th to early 20th century with no issues.
Porcelain factory Hertwig & Co. was established by Christoph Hertwig, Benjamin
Beyermann and Carl Birkner. First they owned in Großbreitenbach a porcelain
shop. Their application for a concession to start a porcelain factory in the
town was rejected.
Finally they got lucky in the principality of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt. In 1864
they started construction of a porcelain factory in Katzhütte. Porcelain items
produced in Katzhütte were decorated in Großbreitenbach. Production included
doll heads, pipe stubs and figurines.
In 1868 Christoph Hertwig became the only owner of the factory. Rapidly
developing factory around 1890 employed 300 workers at the site and 600
homeworkers. In 1911 they opened a branch in Meuselbach. WWI and World Economic
Crises enforced reduction of product range to fine earthenware. In 1930s the
company was already run by Ernst and Hans Hertwig, the sons of Karl and
Friedrich
After WWII the company was in communist East Germany. Ernst Friedrich Hertwig,
the great-grandson of the company's founder, led the company until 1958. Two
years later, the company was converted into a state-owned company, the VEB
Zierkeramik Katzhütte. The product range was cut back to decoration ceramics
only. In 1990 the factory was closed.
