Q: I have a demitasse set, never used, that was my mother’s. When she died, my sister and I split it up. It consists of a teapot, coffeepot, creamer and sugar, 10 little cups and saucers, and 10 plates about 7 1/2 inches in diameter. Each item has a different painted scene. My Mom was told the set was made for royalty. Some pieces are marked with a lamb and “Dresden, Made in Saxony,” and most have a gold rose over the writing. Another piece says, “Made in Germany, Guaranteed hand painted,” another piece says, “special order, painted at Lambs studio.” What can you tell me about this set? Is it worth anything?

A: The mark of a lamb above the word “Dresden” was used by Ambrosius Lamm. He opened a decorating studio in Dresden, Germany, in 1887 and decorated white blanks made by porcelain manufacturers in Meissen. The gold rose was used to cover the maker’s mark. After Lamm retired in 1934, his daughter, Clara, and Rudolf Pitschke, a former employee, took over the business. This mark with “Made in Saxony” was used after 1934. The road where the studio was located was destroyed during the bombing of Dresden in 1944 but the studio may have been in business until 1949. Porcelain decorated by Lamm’s studio, with gilt trim, sells for high prices. Sets sell for over $2,000.

dresden demitasse teapot germany and mark

Leave a Reply

Featured Articles