Lot 524 | Royal Kopenhagen | 18 PIECES FROM A PORCELAIN DINNER SERVICE 'FLORA DANICA'

18 PIECES FROM A PORCELAIN DINNER SERVICE 'FLORA DANICA'.

Royal Kopenhagen.
Maker/Designer: Model J. C. Bayer.
Technique: Porcelain, enriched in colours, gold-accentuated.
Description: In total 18 pieces, consisting of:
1 lidded tureen,
1 small sauce tureen,
1 leaf bowl with handle,
1 large platter,
1 rectangular bowl,
7 dinner plates,
6 soup plates.
Measurement: Height of the tureen 17cm, ø 23,7cm.
Mark: Manufacture mark, divergent year marks and model numbers, partially Latin plant designations.
Enclosed: Three fish plates with 'Flora Danica' decoration. 


Flora Danica (Latin for Danish flora) is the name of a botanical atlas that was begun in
1753 by Christian Oeder, the director of the botanical garden in Copenhagen. It took 122
years before the entire flora of the Danish state was recorded in the form of a herbarium
- and the comprehensive encyclopaedia was completed. In 1790, the Danish crown prince and
later King Frederick VI ordered an extensive dinner service from the royal porcelain
manufactory in Copenhagen, which was to bear not only the name but also the motifs of the
'Flora Danica'. It was intended as a gift for the Russian Tsarina Catherine II, who died
in 1796 before the service was completed in 1802. Deprived of its original purpose, the
service was kept by the Danish court, where parts of it are still used today for state
banquets at Christiansborg Palace.