royal duke The figurines are very attractive and highly collectible. Some may view them as a bit ‘old fashioned’ but due to their quality and variety they still have a strong and dedicated following.
The Royal Dux factory was founded in 1853. But in 1860 it was taken over by Eduard Eichler, an expert model draftsman, who decided to change his name to E. Eichler Thonwaren-Fabrik.
At first, the company focused mainly on the manufacture of earthenware and majolica wares, for which it was awarded the Silver Medal at the Paris Exposition of 1878. Then, as the end of the 19th century approached, Royal Dux began manufacturing a wide range of porcelain figurines in what became known as the Art Nouveau style.
This became a successful venture for the Bohemian factory and the company expanded, establishing a head office in Berlin.
Many of the original Art Nouveau figurines were designed by the talented Alois Hampel, who produced some truly impressive figurines and figurine groups. Soon the Royal Dux Company began exporting them throughout Europe and the United States.
With the growing interest in all things Art Nouveau and Art Deco, these Royal Dux figurines are now highly sought after and the avid collector often pays high prices. Pieces are regularly sold at national auctions and the rarer and more valuable items often appear at auctions by major international auction houses.
Interestingly, prior to the Nazi occupation in 1938, Royal Dux is said to have produced over 11,000 different molds and had an established export market to many countries around the world.
Unfortunately, much of the archival information about the company and its history has been lost or “misplaced.” Old company catalogs and sales information are now very scarce and most of the original molds have been destroyed.
The fall of the communist regime in the 1990s has been a mixed blessing for the Royal Dux factory.
Some general chaos and shrill initial changes in management are said to have caused a lack of accountability and allegedly some degree of fraudulent misappropriation of shares and other assets.
However, now that the company is privately owned, Royal Dux is successfully building its own sales and marketing strategies and restoring its well-deserved previous great reputation.
Some of the rare surviving molds, dating from before World War II, have now been reintroduced for production.
Modern glazing techniques have also been incorporated into the manufacturing process and the Royal Dux Company has shown its determination to establish itself within the thriving collector market as a producer of high quality ceramics.