Throwing & Casting
Throwing on the Potter’s Wheel
Throwing a vessel on the rotating potter’s wheel is a classic ceramic shaping technique and a widely used process at the MEISSEN Manufactory. Rotationally symmetrical objects such as cups, bowls, vases, and even the large crater vase are thrown. Essential tools include the potter’s wheel, plaster molds, templates, and instruments such as knives, brushes, compasses, modeling sticks, scraping and roughening tools, and natural sponges. Humidity cabinets keep the porcelain body workable.
A firm, plastic porcelain body is used. Everything begins with the free throwing of a “hump,” which is then turned into the rotating negative plaster mold and pressed against the mold wall with a sponge. Excess body is removed with a template, creating a smooth inner surface and the specified body profile. After approximately 30 minutes, the object can be removed from the multipart plaster mold. All parts are then cleaned up, and individual elements such as handles are attached using liquid porcelain body. This is followed by a drying period lasting several days.
Casting in Plaster Molds
The product range of the MEISSEN Porcelain Manufactory includes around 15,000 different porcelain objects. For larger or especially delicate objects such as pitchers, boxes, and vases, the casting process is preferred. This requires slip—a liquid porcelain body with a water content of 28 to 35 percent. It is poured into a multipart plaster mold, which draws water out of the body. At the absorbent surface, the porcelain body solidifies and forms the so-called body wall. Its thickness depends on how long the slip remains in the mold. Once the desired wall thickness has been reached, the excess slip is poured out. After a short drying period, the individual parts can be carefully removed from the mold.
Particularly large and highly detailed figurines consist of several individual parts, each made using its own working molds. After production, the parts are assembled and reworked according to the model so that the artistic detail of the original is preserved.
Form Archive
The impressive form archive houses around 700,000 plaster molds. These molds provide the basis for reproducing approximately 9,000 figurines and around 15,000 tableware pieces.
Discover nowFigurine Assembly
During porcelain figurine assembly, individual, unfired porcelain parts are joined by hand, reworked, and refined. This is how sculptural figures and artful details are created with precision.
Discover nowGlazing
After the first firing, the porcelain is glazed by dipping or spraying. During the subsequent glaze firing, the glossy protective layer is created, giving the porcelain its distinctive surface.
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