A Manufactury's Past, Present and Future: The Collection of Museum Schloss Fürstenberg

Dr Christian Lechelt, Director, Museum Fürstenberg

Dating back to 1747 Fürstenberg as one of Germany‘s oldest porcelain manufacturies produced figurines, tableware and all kinds of fashionable items as well as utilitarian porcelain over the ups and downs of a 275 years period. Dramatic changes in taste and habits evolved, transformed and shaped a distinctive range from the beginning in the courtly rococo era until the present day’s idea of modern luxury.

The collection of Museum Schloss Fürstenberg was begun in the 1950s, when planning started to create a coporate museum. The objective was to introduce visitors of the historic site to the company’s long and lively tradition by displaying magnificent pieces from the past alongside contemporary, newly created porcelain. Over seven decades a unique collection with an encyclopaedic character developed, which offers not only a view through a looking glass into the past, but also serves as a vade mecum for the future.