A cup and a saucer from the legendary set at the NMK
A cup and a saucer from the legendary set at the NMK
The collection of the National Museum in Krakow has acquired a very rare exhibit – a cup and a saucer from the so-called presidential dinner service made in Ćmielów for the President of the Polish Republic, Professor Ignacy Mościcki.
The set is characterized by its elegant simplicity emphasized by its balanced proportions and unassuming, though impressive gilding: the Polish eagle which distinctly stands out against the background, the handle covered with matte gold, and a pattern of laurel leaves modelled in relief with great precision. The porcelain itself is of excellent quality – it is thin, translucent and immaculately white.Very few elements of this legendary set have survived until today – so far the National Museum has only been in possession of one round dish and a dinner plate. Polish museum collections primarily contain individual plates, other dishes are rare.
In 1980, Zbigniew M. Stadnicki, a brilliant scholar and enthusiast of the Ćmielów porcelain, wrote in 'Szkło i Ceramika ['Glass and Ceramics'], that the set was manufactured in the 'Empire'-style (on a foot), with surfaces in 'Spała'-style and inlay technique decoration no. 3000, although preserved vessels in other shapes indicate that it was not the only 'Presidential style' originating from Ćmielów. This is evidenced by a photo featured on 16 August 1930 in the 'Światowid' weekly, which shows an identical cup to the one purchased by the National Museum in Krakow. The press information about the delivery of the Ćmielów set to the President of the Polish Republic dates it back to 1930.