Porcelain is a material that has sparked great interest throughout history, and its production has been a true challenge. Also known as "white gold," porcelain is a white, translucent ceramic material obtained by firing a paste of kaolin, quartz, and feldspar, along with other additives, at high temperatures. It was first discovered and used in China. The first Chinese porcelain objects arrived in Europe in the 13th century, but a broader spread of Chinese porcelain on the European continent is recorded in the 17th century. The technology for producing porcelain was kept a secret by the Chinese for a very long time.
The first hard-paste porcelain manufactory in Europe, located in the city of Meissen, was established in 1710 due to discoveries in porcelain production made by Saxon mathematician and physicist Ehrenfried Walter von Tschirnhaus (1661-1708), which were put into practice by the royal court alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger (1682-1718). He invented the glaze and achieved the complete fusion of the shard and the glaze. The Meissen factory, still operational today, has created and continues to create a vast range of porcelain products. Crafted by the finest artists, sculptors, and engravers, who use unique hand-painted colors and exclusive designs, Meissen products are of exceptional quality and elegance, enjoying worldwide fame.
The tea set, partially consisting of seven pieces (teapot, milk jug, sugar bowl, and two cups with saucers), displayed in this showcase, is a product of the famous Meissen factory in the Kingdom of Saxony, Germany. It was crafted in the first half of the 19th century from high-quality porcelain. The exhibit became part of the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova through a transfer from the "G. Cotovschi" Memorial House in Hâncești, which was closed in 1989-1990.
The decoration of these pieces is remarkable, featuring hand-painted "German flowers," one of the well-known styles of floral and plant decoration practiced by Meissen craftsmen since the 18th century. They were influenced by Chinese porcelain, which was often adorned with images of flowers and fruits. A distinctive feature of this decorative style was the "scattered flowers" arrangement, where floral elements were placed as individual blossoms or bouquets across the surface of porcelain objects.
The marking on the underside of the pieces consists of two crossed swords, elements borrowed from the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Saxony, applied by hand with cobalt paint under the glaze. With slight variations in the representation of the swords, this mark has been used since 1722 and continues to the present day. The mark on this tea set is characterized by prominent dots on the crossed swords, a feature used at the Meissen factory between 1815 and 1860.
The polychrome floral painting, gilding, and the application of a rosebud on the lids of the teapot and sugar bowl lend a sublime delicacy to these pieces, making them rare and exquisite.
The clay objects found in the settlements of the Noua-Sabatinovka type in the Carpathian-Dniester area
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VI [XXI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
In the settlements of the Noua-Sabatinovka type investigated in the Carpathian-Dniester area since 1950s to the present there have been found 255 objects made of clay. Most of these products, which were usually made of clay paste of poor quality, were toys or votive elements (balls, rings, wheels, zoomorphic and anthropomorphic figu- rines, flat cakes) and only two categories have been identified as working tools (spindle whorls, spoons for pouring molten metal). The vast number of votive objects indicates the developed spirituality of the communities of Noua- Sabatinovka type and the clay working tools present two of their basic crafts: metal working and weaving.This article presents the categories of clay objects, their technological process and attribution. List of illustrations: Fig. 1. Map of the monuments where the objects of clay were found. Fig. 2. Balls made of baked clay: 1-3 - Petrușeni (after Левицкий 1985); 4, 5 - Magala (after Смирнова 1972); 6 - Cobâlnea (after Левицкий 1988); 7-9 - Căușeni (after Левинский 1986); 10, 11 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Sava, Kaiser 2004, 2006); 12 - Mologa (after Агульников, Малюкевич 2010). Fig. 3. Spindle whorls: 1, 3 - Petrușeni (after Левицкий 1985); 2 - Cobâlnea (after Левицкий 1988); 4 - Gârbovăț (after Florescu 1991); 5 - Hansca (after Postică 1992); 6, 10, 12 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Sava, Kaiser 2004; Sava 2008); 7 - Tăvădărești (after Florescu 1991); 8 - Nicoleni (after Florescu 1991); 9 - Dorobanțu (after Florescu 1991); 11 - Bărboasa (after Florescu 1991). Fig. 4. Zoomorphic figurines: 1-4 - Ghindești (after Мелюкова 1957). Fig. 5. 1-5 - Zoomorphic figurines; 6-8 - anthropomorphic figurines. 1, 2 - Mereni (after Дергачев, Постикэ, Савва 1988); 3 - Odaia (after Сава, Кайзер 2011); 4 - Hansca (after Postică, Cavruc 1991); 5 - Lichitișeni (after Florescu 1991); 6, 7 - Nicoleni (after Florescu 1991); 8 - Mologa (after Агульников, Малюкевич 2010). Fig. 6. 1-3 - Wheels; 4-10 - discs; 11-13 - spoons for pouring molten metal. 1 - Ulmu (after Florescu 1991); 2 - Ni- sporeni; 3, 13 - Simionești (after Florescu 1991); 4, 5 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Sava, Kaiser 2006; Sava, Kaiser 2007); 6, 7 - Cobâlnea (after Левицкий 1988); 8-12 - Gârbovăț (after Florescu 1991). Fig. 7. 1-3 - Balls; 4 - flat cake; 5 - bead; 6-10 - clay objects of unknown purpose. 1 - Petrușeni (after Левицкий1985); 2-4, 8, 10 - Odaia (after Sava, Kaiser 2004; Sava 2008); 5 - Căușeni (after Левинский 1986); 6, 9 - Bărboasa (after Florescu 1991); 8 - Ostrovec (after Балагури 1968). Fig. 8. 1 - Spindle whorl; 2 - disc; 3 - ball; 4, 6 - wheels; 5, 10 - anthropomorphic figurines; 7-9 - zoomorphic figurines. 1-7 - Novokievka (after Gerškovič 1999); 8 - Stepovoe (after Археология 1985); 9 - Belogrudovskii Les (after Археология 1985); 10 - Babadag (after Jugănaru 2005).
Mariana Sîrbu, Denis Topal, Eugen Sava, Lazar Dermenji
Bronze items discovered on the settlements of the Noua-Sabatinovka cultures from the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XIV [XXIX], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică, Chişinău, 2020
Mariana Sîrbu
Complementing the data on the collection of stone artifacts found at the first studied settlement of the Noua culture on the territory of the Republic of Moldova
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVI [XXXI], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică, Chişinău, 2022
Mariana Sîrbu
Bronze objects found in the settlements of Noua-Sabatinovka type in the Prut-Dniester area
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. VIII [XXIII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Mariana Sîrbu
Pottery of the Noua- Sabatinovka-Coslogeni cultural complex. The typology
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. XVII [XXXII], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică
Mariana Sîrbu
The spiritual life of the Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni communities through the prism of the non-funerary items found in settlements
Tyragetia, serie nouă, vol. IX [XXIV], nr. 1, Arheologie. Istorie Antică Chișinău, 2015
Porcelain is a material that has sparked great interest throughout history, and its production has been a true challenge. Also known as "white gold," porcelain is a white, translucent ceramic material obtained by firing a paste of kaolin, quartz, and feldspar, along with other additives, at high temperatures...
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.