Meissen

Meissen is the first porcelain manufactory in Europe, founded in 1710 in Saxony after the discovery of the secret of hard-paste porcelain production by J. F. Böttger and E. W. von Tschirnhaus. The manufactory's products were in high demand among European and Russian aristocracy. The "crossed swords" emblem has been used since 1722. Meissen masterpieces are held in the world's major museum collections, including the Hermitage.