Collections within My Collection: Another Outlier, the Irish Dresden Circus Pony

First Post of the Day

The name "Irish Dresden" may seem like a misnomer. After all, Dresden is in Germany, not Ireland. Dresden is famous not only for its beautiful Dresden lace, but also because the historic city was bombed to rubble during World War II. 

Dresden after three days of extensive bombing in 1945.

Also damaged beyond repair in that bombing was the porcelain business of Anton Mueller. This business added the famous Dresden lace and fabrics to porcelain figurines, finding a way to stiffen that lace and fabric before firing it in the kiln. 

After the war, surviving family members moved the business to Ireland in 1962. Pieces made in the Irish factory are called Irish Dresden. 

Thanks to Susan Bensema Young who alerted me to this piece on eBay, I have an Irish Dresden Circus Pony in my collection. That stiffened lace, despite having been fired, is very, very fragile. My piece was missing a part of the reins when I bought it.

A closeup of the lace reins, bridle, plume, harness, and mane ribbons.

A wider piece of lace was used to make the saddle. I love the colorful flowers on the lace.

A closeup of the saddle and its trim.

The model is covered with that fragile lace and that makes it difficult to pick it up. This model stays in my china cabinet - I do not take it to shows. The risk of damage to it is just too great.

The company's stamp under the base. A brief history can be found at the bottom of this blog entry.

The lace also makes it difficult to dust the model. I found the following directions for cleaning an Irish Dresden piece, but to be honest, I would never do what it advises.

To handle most porcelain or ceramic figurines you are told to lift them by the largest part of the body of the piece.  Because of the frozen lace on an Irish Dresden piece, this is not what you should do.  If you need to handle the Irish Dresden, pick up the piece by the head where there is no lace present.  To clean, use a large bucket filled with a mild dish detergent and water, and hold the piece by the head and submerge in the water.  Keeping the piece totally submerged, move the piece up and down, allowing the water and detergent to clean your piece.  Use extreme caution so as not to hit the side or bottom of the pail.  Allow to air dry and replace in your cabinet.  Picking up an Irish Dresden figurine by the lace will break the end pieces of the lace reducing the value of the piece. You should absolutely minimize the handling of any piece, as the lace is extremely delicate and will break quite quickly.  The beauty of Irish Dresden is in the lace, however, it does tend to collect dust and dirt over years even in a closed case. 

This has to be one of my most unique pieces in not only my circus horse collection, but in my entire collection as well. Delicate as it is, I am thrilled to have it.

A brief history of the Irish Dresden Company: Irish Dresden began with the late 19th century Germany artist Anton Muller, in the small town of Volkstedt, under the then business banner "Muller Volkstedt." Muller's skills with fine lace porcelain figures did not go unnoticed and his work quickly gained a reputation. Since his death in 1937 his family has kept up the tradition of pristine porcelain craftsmanship and kept the business alive, despite it having faced a rough history that includes the destruction of their factory during WWII, the deaths of Muller and his son, Herman, as well as the family being forced to leave their homes in what was then East Germany. The family tradition was saved by Johanna Saar, Herman's niece, her husband Oskar, and now daughter Sabina who settled in Ireland in 1962 and continued the business under the name Irish Dresden. Irish Dresden continues the family tradition to this day and its collection porcelain figures are now renown worldwide. 

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Circus Time: the Irish Desden Circus Horse

The name "Irish Dresden" may seem like a misnomer. After all, Dresden is in Germany, not Ireland. Dresden is famous not only for its beautiful Dresden lace, but also because the historic city was bombed to rubble during World War II. 

Dresden after three days of extensive bombing in 1945.

Also damaged beyond repair in that bombing was the porcelain business of Anton Mueller. This business added the famous Dresden lace and fabrics to porcelain figurines, finding a way to stiffen that lace and fabric before firing it in the kiln. After the war, surviving family members moved the business to Ireland in 1962. Pieces made in the Irish factory are called Irish Dresden.

Thanks to the eagle eyes of Susan Bensema Young who saw this piece on eBay, I now have an Irish Dresden Circus Pony in my collection. That stiffened lace, despite having been fired, is very, very fragile. My piece was missing a part of the reins when I bought it.

A closeup of the lace reins, bridle, plume, harness, and mane ribbons.

A wider piece of lace was used to make the saddle. I love the colorful flowers on the lace.

A closeup of the saddle and its trim.

The model is covered with that fragile lace and that makes it difficult to pick it up. This model stays in my china cabinet - I do not take it to shows. The risk of damage to it is just too great.

The company's stamp under the base. A brief history can be found at the bottom of this blog entry.

The lace also makes it difficult to dust the model. I found the following directions for cleaning an Irish Dresden piece, but to be honest, I would never do what it advises.

To handle most porcelain or ceramic figurines you are told to lift them by the largest part of the body of the piece.  Because of the frozen lace on an Irish Dresden piece, this is not what you should do.  If you need to handle the Irish Dresden, pick up the piece by the head where there is no lace present.  To clean, use a large bucket filled with a mild dish detergent and water, and hold the piece by the head and submerge in the water.  Keeping the piece totally submerged, move the piece up and down, allowing the water and detergent to clean your piece.  Use extreme caution so as not to hit the side or bottom of the pail.  Allow to air dry and replace in your cabinet.  Picking up an Irish Dresden figurine by the lace will break the end pieces of the lace reducing the value of the piece. You should absolutely minimize the handling of any piece, as the lace is extremely delicate and will break quite quickly.  The beauty of Irish Dresden is in the lace, however, it does tend to collect dust and dirt over years even in a closed case. 

This has to be one of my most unique pieces in not only my circus horse collection, but in my entire collection as well. Delicate as it is, I am thrilled to have it.

Next up? We stay in the British Isles another day.

Prepare to be amazed!

A brief history of the Irish Dresden Company: Irish Dresden began with the late 19th century Germany artist Anton Muller, in the small town of Volkstedt, under the then banner Muller Volkstedt. Muller's skills with fine lace porcelain figures did not go unnoticed and his work quickly gained a reputation. Since his death in 1937 his family has kept up the tradition of pristine porcelain craftsmanship and kept the business alive, despite it having faced a rough history that includes the destruction of their factory during WWII, the deaths of Muller and his son, Herman, as well as the family being forced to leave their homes in what was then East Germany. The family tradition was saved by Johanna Saar, Herman's niece, her husband Oskar, and now daughter Sabina who settled in Ireland in 1962 and continued the business under the name Irish Dresden. Irish Dresden continues the family tradition to this day and its collection porcelain figures are now renown worldwide.

Irish Dresden Circus Pony

This unusual piece was added to my collection thanks to my friend, Susan Bensema Young. Knowing my love of circus ponies, she keeps an eye out for them and discovered this one on eBay.

 The price was more than I felt it was worth, but after watching it for several months, I contacted the seller and made an offer. She countered, and the piece was mine!

 The Irish Dresden Company specializes in using fabrics that they fire onto their pieces. The tack and mane/tail decorations all were fabric at one time.

 The base is stamped with the company's logo and the name of the piece.

A close up of the stamp. Note that it has an "R" in a circle that the stamp from their Facebook page does not have.

 The logo from Facebook.

And, the crown is attached to the line drawn around "MV." (That stands for Muller Volkstedt.)

Another horsey piece of Irish Dresden that I found on the web - there are not many!

Information that I have found on the company thus far:

Irish Dresden began with the late 19th century Germany artist Anton Muller, in the small town of Volkstedt, under the then banner Muller Volkstedt. Muller's skills with fine lace porcelain figures did not go unnoticed and his work quickly gained a reputation. Since his death in 1937 his family has kept up the tradition of pristine porcelain craftsmanship and kept the business alive, despite it having faced a rough history that includes the destruction of their factory during WWII, the deaths of Muller and his son, Herman, as well as the family being forced to leave their homes in what was then East Germany. The family tradition was saved by Johanna Saar, Herman's niece, her husband Oskar, and now daughter Sabina who settled in Ireland in 1962 and continued the business under the name Irish Dresden. Irish Dresden continues the family tradition to this day and its collection porcelain figures are now renown worldwide.

I am loving my most recent circus pony, and send many heartfelt thanks to a dear friend who was looking out for me. Thanks, Sue!