Porcelain Ballerina Figurine

Q: This porcelain ballerina figurine is about 4 1/2 inches high. It’s marked “Made in Ireland” with a crown and the initials “MZ.” I haven’t seen any others like it in this size; they are all larger. She seems very old and her dress is starting to crumble.

A: Figurines like this are known as “Irish Dresden.” The lacy dress is called “Dresden lace.” It’s made by dipping real lace into a thin porcelain slip and applying it to the figurine before firing. The fabric burned away, leaving just the porcelain “lace.” The letter in the mark that looks like a “Z” is a sideways “V.” The “MV” mark was used by Muller & Co., which was founded by Anton Muller in Volkstedt, Thuringia, Germany, in 1907. The factory was destroyed during World War II and was rebuilt afterwards by Muller’s niece and her husband. The family moved the business to Ireland in 1962. The factory closed in 2009 but was reopened by the niece’s daughter in 2015. It’s now called Muller Volkstedt. Dresden lace figurines were made in several sizes. Since your figurine is marked “Made in Ireland,” it was made between 1962 and 2009. The “lace” on the dress is fragile and can be damaged by improper handling or cleaning. Dresden lace ballerinas sell for about $100 depending on size, but since the lace on your figurine is damaged, it would be hard to sell.