The Hans Christian Andersen Plates

Desiree Svend Jensen - Hans Christian Andersen Christmas Plates, Old Copenhagen Blue

The Christmas plates from the Danish porcelain manufacturer Desiree is recognisable by all the motifs being related to hans Christian Andersen. Thus they are called Hans Christian Andersen plates.

The inspiration for the Desiree Christmas plates are for the most part found in the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen and later his novels and biographies and places that were of importance to him. A perfect theme for Danish Christmas plates.

The motif of the first plat in the series is very symbolic, depicting the Hans Christian Andersen Museum in Odense the following plates depicts motifs from his fairy tales, novels and biographies. In 2000 a motif that has been of great importance for Hans Christian Andersen is depicted namely the Hermitage. The same is the fact of the last two plates in the series, depicting Fredensborg Palace, Kongens Nytorv and the Roya Theatre.

Create beautiful setups were you use the wonderful old plates.

Hans Christian Andersen Plates - Here placed in an plate rack

Read more about the Production of the Desiree Christmas plates. The Desirée Svend Jensen Hans Christian Andersen Christmas wall plate series started in 1970 and ended in 2002

All the blue wall plates are decorated with motifs inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales. These decorative wall plates can also be used as cake plates, as Desiree manufactured a Hans Christian Andersen Cup with or without saucer matching the motif of the Christmas plate of the same year.

Produced by the famous Porcelain Manufacture Desiree, Denmark, the Hans Christian Andersen Plates are famous because they are hand painted in blue underglaze porcelain. In 1970 the first of the Hans Christian Andersen decorative plates from the Desiree Porcelain Factory was issued in a series of hand painted Christmas wall Plates with typical Danish motifs inspired by Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales.

We can mention fairy tales like The Little Match Girl, The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling as sources of inspiration.

In his fairy tale The Ugly Duckling, the ugly duckling symbolizes Hans Christian Andersen's own life, and this motif was chosen as the motif of the Desiree Christmas plate in 1975, 100 years after the death of the poet.

Many different fairy tales were told in Desiree's Christmas plates, until the last Christmas plate was issued in 2002.

Mads Stage, Svend Otto S and Lis Torbol (the wife of Knud Torbol) all contributed with a wide range of motifs from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales to Desiree Christmas wall plates.

From the year 1982 Desiree Christmas cup and saucers were issued with the same motif as the Christmas plate.

Prior to staring The Porcelain Factory Desiree, Mr. H. C Thorbol worked as managing director at Bing & Grondahl.

As first the Christmas plates as well as the Mothers Day plates were mainly marketed on the US Market, where they became known under the name Desiree Svend Jensen, Old Copenhagen Blue.

All the decorative Hans Christian Andersen Plates have only been produced in the year they are issued, and are subject to collector's attention. Allthough some of the plates are very difficult to find in the market today, Danish Porcelain House sells all discontinued Christmas plates, and it is in most periods possible to order the complete collection of Decorative Wall Plates produced by the Désirée Porcelain Factory.

These old blue plates are the ultimate option for the fairy tale Christmas decoration or tableware. You can put them regularly on the wall as ornaments telling the fairy tales in their images or you can use it for serving the cake, coffee and tea. If you serve the Christms cake directly on the plates for your guests, you have the added pleasure of the motif slowly being revealed as the cake is eaten. The plates can also make a great topic for conversation, where you discuss, which fairy tale you favor and if you also have the cups you can match them together possibly having an extra Christmas gift, if anyone has a cup matching the plate they have received. The Desiree Hans Christian Andersen Christmas plates are also a finished series, so it is possible to collect the whole set and have it as a finished piece.

Use the Hans Christian Andersen Christmas plates for food

Like the Christmas plates from Bing & Grondahl and Royal Copenhagen you can use the Desiree Christmas plates for serving food. This makes it possible to set a table with all of your favorite fairy tales from the great poet. Just imaginge a table set with a fairy tale for each guest. There are many possibilities.

Desiree Hans Christian Andersen plate used as Cake Dish, with a Hans Christian Andersen Cup. Furthermore you see a special cake stand made by Danish Porcelain House of Hans Christian Andersen plates. - All placed on a Serving tray with folding legs

Wall decorated with the Danish Blue Hans Christian Andersen wall plates.

Desiree Christmas Plates 1970-2002

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1970
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1970

The motif on this 1970 Desiree Christmas plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is Hans Christian Andersen's House.The Hans Christian Andersen House is situated on the corner of two streets in the old part of Odense, Denmark. Today the Hans Christian Andersen House is a museum. There has been some debate as to which house was the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, but according to verbal statements the small low-ceilinged house was pointed out as his birthplace. Hans Christian Andersen was the son of a shoemaker. He never forgot his childhood in poor circumstances and in many of his fairytales, he has most likely been thinking of this.

Artist: Gerhard Sausmark

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1971
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1971

The motif of this 1971 Desiree Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Little Match Girl. The 1971 Desiree Christmas wall plate shows The Little Match Girl, who seeks cover from the cold between two house corners. She lights a match to get some heat and in the glimmer she sees all the joy and happiness of Christmas. Among other things she sees a beautiful Christmas Tree with thousands of candles. When the match burns out, she has to light a new one.

Artist: Mads Stage

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1972
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1972

The motif of this 1972 Desiree blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue comes from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Little Mermaid. In 1972 the Desirée Christmas plate shows the sculpture of The Little Mermaid. This sculpture is situated on the street Langelinie in Copenhagen and has been there since from 1913. We see the buildings in Copenhagen in the background and The Little Mermaid is longingly looking at them. According to the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Little Mermaid is longing for the beautiful prince, whom she saved from drowning. She goes to the surface of the water to admire him many times.

Artist: Edvard Eriksen

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1973
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1973

The motif of this 1973 Desiree Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Fir Tree. The motif of the 1973 blue Christmas wall plate is The Fir Tree. It shows the tree with all its magnificence, hearts and lights, and the children dancing around the tree having fun. After the children finished dancing they were allowed to strip the tree and they were told a fairy tale. The Fir Tree had its happiest time on this Christmas Eve.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1974
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1974

The motif of this 1974 Desiree Christmas plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep. The motif of the 1974 Desirée Christmas plate is The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep. The two porcelain figurines want to go out in the world to live together. They have gone through the chimney and are able to see beyond the roofs. The Chimney Sweep proudly shows the world to the Shepherdess.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1975
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1975

The motif of this 1975 Desiree Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Ugly Duckling. The motif of the blue Christmas wall plate is The Ugly Duckling in the pond one cold winter day. It is the first time the duckling sees the delightful and beautiful swans flying over its head. The duckling has only met hate and insult from other animals including its mother, brothers and sister through the first years of its life. The Ugly Duckling is travelling around the world, but everywhere it is met with insult. Then it sees the fascinating swans and goes to meet them. The only expectation it has is to be attacked and killed, but on the way to the swans the Ugly Duckling looks into the water and sees itself. But now it is not an Ugly Duckling, it is a swan that is just as beautiful as the other swans. When it comes near the adult swans, it is met with joy. Some people believe that when Hans Christian Andersen wrote the fairytale "The Ugly Duckling" he saw himself as The Ugly Duckling. He came from strained circumstances and was fighting for acknowledgement.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1976
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1976

The motif of this 1976 Desiree blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is from the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Snow Queen. In the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale named "The Snow Queen" an evil ogre has invented a magic mirror, which reflects the bad things in people. The mirror is shattered and the splinters are spread everywhere. One day in the winter a small boy named Kaj is playing in the square together with his friends. The children tie their sledges to the farmer's wagons, who give them a ride in the snow. Kaj ties his sledge to a wagon, too, but the wagon runs out of town and he finds out that the driver is the Snow Queen. She is created of splinters from the magic mirror. The motif of the 1976 Christmas plate shows how the Snow Queen is carrying Kaj out of town on his sledge, while snow crystals drift around Kaj, so it is impossible for him to see anything.

Artist: Mads Stage

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1977
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1977

The motif of this 1977 Desiree blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Snow Man. On the second day of his life The Snowman in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale is enjoying what he sees ithrough the cellar windows. The watchdog is jumping around the snowman and telling the snowman about his predecessors. Among other things the watchdog is telling him how the sun destroyed the predecessors and what would happen to him, if he got into the sitting room with the stove.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1978
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1978

The motif of this 1978 Desiree blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark, Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Last Dream of The Old Oak Tree. The oak tree in Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale is standing at the edge of the cliff. On Christmas Eve the Old Oak Tree is thinking back on its life for the past 365 years. While the oak is dreaming these lovely dreams the wind is whistling through the country and the waves come tumbling onto the shore. The Old Oak Tree is dreaming how its roots are letting go and it is going to heaven together with all its friends through the years. On Christmas Morning when the crew of the ship is looking towards land The Old Oak Tree has fallen down and the crew has lost their mark, which has always been standing there and it can never be replaced.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1979
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1979

The motif of this 1979 Desiree blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark, Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Old Street Lamp. The 1979 Desirée Christmas plate tells about the fairytale "The Old Street Lamp" by Hans Christian Andersen. The Old Street Lamp has become too old to be a street lamp. The motif of the Christmas plate shows the street lamp, when it has just been lit for the last time by the old night watchman.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1980
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1980

The motif of this 1980 Desiree blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Sandman. On the Christmas plate we see "The Sandman" by Hans Christian Andersen. The Sandman holds his umbrella over the little boy named Hjalmer. The Sandman has two umbrellas. He has one umbrella with pictures. This umbrella he raises over good children and then they get nice dreams. The other umbrella has no pictures and this one he raises over naughty children, who will then get no dreams. Hjalmer is a good boy and because of The Sandman's umbrella with pictures, he is having good dreams every night. However The Sandman tells him to work
for good marks.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1981
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1981

The motif of this 1981 Desiree blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale At the Uttermost Parts of the Sea. Hans Christian Andersen tells in his fairy tale named "At the Uttermost Parts of the Sea" about the ships, which are sailing by the North Pole. The ships are looking for the borders of the country. Hans Christian Andersen writes about the native people and how they are helping the sailors by giving them some coats. The native people bring the coats to the igloos by their sledges. From their igloos it is possible for the sailors to contemplate the sea with the beautiful but dangerous icebergs.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1982
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1982

The motif of this 1982 Desiree blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale Twelve by the Mail. In his fairytale "Twelve by the Mail" Hans Christian Andersen writes about each month of the year. Right after the bell strikes twelve on New Years Eve, the Mail Coach arrives to the city and brings with it twelve visitors. The Christmas plate shows the Mail coach right before it will pass the gates into town. At the gate The Mail coach Passengers present each other as the twelve months and the listener gets a small impression of the weather in the month concerned. But the story cannot be ended until the end of the year. Then the citizens in town will be able to tell what each month brought them.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1983
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1983

The motif of this 1983 Desiree blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Story of the Year. In Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale named "The Story of the Year" he writes about some small sparrows. They are sitting in the cold winter and yearn for springtime. The sparrows are thinking about the lovely warm weather and the leaves on the trees. Finally the spring is there and after that the summer. But it is getting colder and then it is winter again with all the snow and frost, Winter makes it more difficult for the sparrows, when they are trying to find
some food.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1984
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1984

The motif of this 1984 Desiree blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Nightingale. The fairytale named "The Nightingale" by Hans Christian Andersen has been the inspiration for the 1984 Christmas plate. The small nightingale lives in some branches in trees along the seacoast of China. Every night, when the poor fisherman is sitting in his dinghy and is working with his net, he has to take a break and listen to the song from The Nightingale. Because of its song The Nightingale becomes famous and the emperor wants to hear it sing. Even through the emperor wants The Nightingale to stay it will not leave the branches over the sea.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1985
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1985

The motif of this 1985 Desiree blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is Kronborg Castle which is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale Holger Danske. According to the fairy tale "Holger Danske" by Hans Christian Andersen. Holger Danske is sleeping deep down in the cellar of the Danish Kronborg Castle. Holger Danske is dreaming about the things, which are happening in Denmark and on Christmas Eve an angel is coming to tell him that everything he dreams is true and Denmark is not in any danger. The guns at Kronborg bid strange ships welcome but this means nothing to Holger Danske who will only awaken to save Denmark in an emergency.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1986
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1986

The motif of this 1986 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Bell. In the city in Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Bell" it sounds like a church bell is ringing deep inside the quiet fragrant forest. But no one has been so deep in the forest that they have been able to find the bell with the heavenly tones. Probably only the animals in the forest know, where the bell is.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1987
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1987

The motif of this 1987 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale Thumbelina. The fishes in the pond have just bitten off the stalk of Thumbelina's water lily and the leaf is floating in the stream down the river. Thumbelina is very happy that she has got away from the nasty toad and her son, to whom she should have been married. The white butterfly followed her down the river and finally it ended at the edge of the leaf. The motif of the Christmas plate shows Thumbelina who has tied the butterfly to the leaf. Then she flows faster.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1988
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1988

The motif of this 1988 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Bell Deep. In the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale named "The Bell Deep", the old church bell from Saint Albani Church in Odense is lying at the deepest place in the small river through Odense. The bell is ringing from its deep and is telling the citizens about its experiences in the church tower. Among other things the bell tells about the murder of the Danish King Knud. Later he was named Canute the Holy and gave the name to the present Saint Canute's Cathedral or Odense Cathedral, Odense Domkirke.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1989
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1989

The motif of this 1989 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Old House. Hans Christian Andersen writes so lifelike about The Old House, which is standing side by side with new beautiful houses. The old house seems out of place, but it has a special charm. The wide step, the carved window frames and the bay which takes some of the view from the other houses. One day the small boy from the neighbour opposite The Old House visits the old man, who is living in The Old House. The old man tells stories about every single furniture in his house.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1990
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1990

The motif of this 1990 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is Rosenborg Castle which is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale Godfather's Picture Book. In the fairytale "Godfather's Picture Book" the writer Hans Christian Andersen mentions the birth of the Danish King Christian 4.
In his time King Christian 4. built many admirable buildings. Among these buildings we have to mention Rosenborg Castle. The King wanted a "summerhouse" and the first stones to this house were placed in 1606. Since that the castle has been extended several times. King Christian 4. died in this castle. Today the castle is no longer used as a royal residence. Instead it houses the Crown Jewels and the Danish Crown Regalia. At the museum it is also possible to see the history of the Danish kings through 300 years.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1991
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1991

The motif of this 1991 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Windmill. The old Dutch mill in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Windmill" was at the top of a hill.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1992
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1992

The motif of this 1992 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is The Round Tower which is found in the Hans Christian Andersen novel To be or not to be. With inspiration from Hans Christian Andersens novel "To be or not to be", the designer Svend Otto S., has painted The Round Tower on the Christmas plate of the year. When you are in the Round Tower and are standing on the viewpoint you are 35 meters above the street. To get to the point from which there is a view you have to walk through a wide passage, formed like a spiral. The passage is covered with paving stones, because it should be possible for a horse carriage to drive to the library. From the library you have to walk through steps the rest of the way to get to the viewpoint.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1993
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1993

The motif of this 1993 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is The Old Farmhouse, which is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale What the Old Man Does is Always Right. Hans Christian Andersen starts his fairytale "What the Old Man Does is Always Right" with a description of a little cottage in the country. Svend Otto S., the well known Hans Christian Andersen illustrator, has catched the mood in the fairy tale and painted the small cottage at wintertime with its lovely thatched roof, the small low windows, the old tree and the chained dog

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1994
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1994

The motif of this 1994 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is Roskilde Cathedral which is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale A String of Pearls. In Hans Christian Andersons fairytale named "A String of Pearls" the writer tells about the railway from Copenhagen to Korsor. Hans Christian Anderson is telling us which "pearls" we are going to see in this section. One of the pearls is Roskilde Cathedral, which is the motif on this Christmas plate. Roskilde Cathedral is the Danish church in which most kings and queens have been buried. Various churches have been situated where Roskilde Cathedral now lies, The Danish Viking Harald Blaatand built the original church and Absalon built the present Roskilde Cathedral. Harald Blaatand and Absalon were both buried in the church.

Artist: Svend Otto S

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1995
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1995

The motif of this 1995 old blue Desiree Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale Everything in the Right Place. In the plate you see the Manor in the background, while the young goose girl walks in the road in front. According to the Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale the small girl hears galloping horses on the road behind her and she has to shoo away the geese, for them not to be run down by the lord of the manor and his hunting party.

Artist: Lis Torbøl

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1996
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1996

The motif of this 1996 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Snowdrop. As The Snowdrop in Hans Christian Andersens fairy tale has the snowdrop on the Christmas plate just broken through snow and frost. The sunshine gives it courage and food for the time where the snow may still come.

Artist: Lis Torbøl

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1997
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1997

The motif of this 1997 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen autobiography The Fairy Tale of My Life. In his autobiography Hans Christian Andersen writes about his stay at the Wulff family, who were living in one of the Royal Palaces at Amalienborg Palace. Hans Christian Andersen wrote how he was standing by the window looking down to the palace square. The artist, Lis Torbol, was probably thinking of this when she designed the Christmas plate of this year. On the Christmas plate you see The Amalienborg Palace Square with the guardsman and The Equestrian Statue of King Frederik V. King Frederik V founded "Frederiksstaden" in which Amalienborg Palace is the centre. It was founded in 1749 to mark that the House of Oldenburg took over the Danish throne 300 years before. Some of the land in "Frederiksstaden" was given to noble families conditioned that they had to build palaces on them.

Artist: Lis Torbøl

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1998
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1998

The motif of this 1998 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale The Gardener and the Squire. With inspiration in the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale "The Gardener and the Squire", the designer Lis Torbøl painted a man, who is loading a Christmas Tree into the wagon. In the background we see one of the many Danish manor houses.

Artist: Lis Torbøl

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 1999
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 1999

The motif of this 1999 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is found in the Hans Christian Andersen novel The Two Baronesses.

Artist: Lis Torbøl

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 2000
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 2000

The motif of this 2000 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is The Royal Hunting Castle "Eremitagen". This year the motif of the Christmas plate is a little different than the previous years. This year the factory has not found the motif in a special Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, but instead found its inspiration in a part of the country that Hans Christian Andersen was often visiting. He spent much of his summer holidays together with the Melchior Family in their home called "Rolighed". In his diaries from this place Hans Christian Andersen was often writing about Dyrehaven (The Deer Garden) and the Eremitage Palace. The Eremitage Palace, or the Eremitage Hunting Lodge as it is also called, was used for hunting in The Deer Garden. Today the Eremitage Palace is still being used to the annual hunt called "Hubertus".

Artist: Lis Torbøl

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 2001
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 2001

The motif of this 2001 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark, Old Copenhagen Blue is The Royal Castle "Fredensborg". Like the Christmas plate in the year before the motif on this year plate has not been found in a specific Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale either. Instead the motif is Fredensborg Castle where Hans Christian Andersen often was invited as the Kings guest.

Artist: Lis Torbøl

Desiree Denmark - Christmas plate 2002
Old Copenhagen Blue
Svend Jensen of Denmark
Hans Christian Andersen Plate 2002

The motif of this 2002 Desiree old blue Christmas wall plate from the Porcelain Factory Desiree, also known as Désirée Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark or Old Copenhagen Blue is The Kings New Square and The Royal Danish Theatre. In 1670 the Danish King Christian V founded The Kings New Square. The king only wanted aristocratic palaces around the square and in 1748 The Royal Danish Theatre was founded. Many times Hans Christian Andersen tried to be noticed in the world of the theatre. He tried as a singer, dancer and as a playwright. This Christmas plate was designed by Lis Torbol.

Artist: Lis Torbøl

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The Blue under glaze technique was invented by the very famous designer Arnold Krog, working at Royal Copenhagen during the 1880's. His technique gained admiration as well as world fame at the world Exhibition in Paris in 1888, in same exhibition where the French introduced the Eiffel Tower.

The Desiree Porcelain Factory is famous for its porcelain wall plates in blue under glaze. Bing & Grondahl, Denmark released the first Christmas plate in the world in 1895, and Royal Copenhagen released the first Royal Copenhagen Christmas plate in 1908.

The Désirée porcelain factory was founded by Engineer H.C. Thorbol in 1964. Prior to starting his own production, Mr. Thorbol was the managing director of Bing & Grondahl and the porcelain factory Norden in Copenhagen for some years.

In the late sixties Desiree decided to produce a series of Danish Collector plates, and in 1970 the first of a series of Mother´s day plates and later same year a series of Christmas plates were released.

Desiree Christmas plates - the Hans Christian Andersen plates:

The motifs of the Desiree Svend Jensen Christmas plates are all related to Hans Christian Andersen. Some of the motifs show Danish buildings which were important to Hans Christian Andersen and some of them are found in the Hans Christian Andersen fairytales. The old tradition in Denmark says that the Christmas plates should be hanging on the wall the whole year as decoration. At Christmas time you candecorate a perfect Christmas table with the plates and cups with the same motif. There are a lot of ways of saying Desiree. In Denmark the full name of the factory has always been The Porcelain Factory Désireé, but in other countries the plates are know under Desiree of Denmark, Svend Jensen of Denmark, Old Copenhagen Blue and simply Sven Jensen Christmas plates.

Desiree Mother´s Day plates

The Desiree Mother's Day plates have been decorated with motifs showing a wonderful, unproblematic and innocent childhood. In total 25 different plates were released, with different motifs depicting this charming and fascinating world many of us have experienced.

The designer of the Mother´s Day plates are among others, Maggi Baaring, Nulle Oigaard, Mads Stage and Svend Otto S.