Posted 4 years ago
MelissaGur…
(1 item)
I have not been able to find any information about this creamer. Pattern, year, etc. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Union k lusterware creamer pink & orange floral basket pattern | ||
| China and Dinnerware427 of 6044 |  |  |
Hi, MelissaGurschke. :-)
Somebody else here posted a Union K piece, along with an image of couple of pages about Union K from an unknown publication:
(I converted the image to text and touched up the resulting errors/omissions by hand, so please forgive any that I overlooked or mis-transcribed).
*snip*
1921 Porcelain Union, United Porcelain Factory AG was formed in the village of Meretitz outside of Klasterec (Klosterle). The Anglo Czechoslovakia bank merged several factories to form the new business with offices in Klagterec. These factories were: Gottfired [sic] and Vielgut, W Tuma & O Vielgut Porcelain Factory, and the Julius Neuman factory was also a part of the business. One of the Marks used by these factories was a wreath with the word Union and the alpha character "K," for Klagterec or Klosterle. (Note: Henderson and Rontgen have different descriptions for these factories. The above information is according to Decorated Bohemian Porcelain, Henderson.)
Additionally In 1921 the Alexanadra Porcelain Works Ernst Wahliss factory in Trnovany (Turn Teplitz, Bohemia, Austria) was merged into the new business. One of the Marks used by this factory was a wreath with the word Union and the alpha character "T," for Turn Teplitz or Trnovany. 1927 Porcelain Union, United Porcelain Factory AG joined the EPIAG association.
1939 all of the factories were closed.
*snip*
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/112994-union-k-made-in-czecho-slovakia
So the company seems to have existed for a relatively short span of time (1921-1939).
Here's an interesting insight about the numbers on the backs of the pieces:
*snip*
maryh1956, 7 years ago
The numbers are probably the artists number. Some European companies did that instead of allowing them to use their initials
*snip*
I'm sorry to say that I didn't see another sample of your pattern out there, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
Whoops, I found some more Union K porcelain marks:
https://www.porcelainmarksandmore.com/related/bohemia/kloesterle-00/index.php
The one that looks the most like yours was used from 1921 - 1927.
*snip*
For quite some time now it was assumed and claimed by other websites that the well-known wreathed UNION marks actually were used by one single or two formerly independent factories. That is however incorrect; the Porzellan-Union was (as the German name already implies) an association which included multiple businesses. It was founded on November 26th 1921 as counterpart to the highly successful ?EPIAG and consisted of a central office located in Klösterle which coordinated work of the following companies:
Gottfried & Vielgut, formerly ?Fabrik für keramische Erzeugnisse Venier & Co. (Meretitz bei Klösterle)
Tuma & Vielgut (Meretitz bei Klösterle)
Ernst Wahliss (Turn bei Teplitz)
Julius Neumann (Bahnhof Klösterle)
You may have noticed that Oskar Vielgut was mentioned twice above, each time together with a different partner. Reason was that he merely acted as active investor in both cases, leaving operations to the corresponding business partner. Both factories funded by him were previously not related as can be seen on their respective factory history pages.
While the companies in Meretitz near Klösterle used the wreath mark including "UNION" and a "K" (for "Klösterle") the factory of Ernst Wahliss used the same basic mark with a "T" (for "Turn-Teplitz"). As the association was membership-funded (unlike the EPIAG) and only consisted of a few smaller companies it never was able to generate enough weight in form of an influencial business position and thus already in 1927 merged into its former main competitor, the EPIAG group.
*snip*
https://www.porcelainmarksandmore.com/related/bohemia/kloesterle-00/index.php
So your piece was made at one of the Meretitz bei Klösterle factories sometime between 1921 and 1927.