Royal Copenhagen Memorial Plates

Royal Copenhagen commemorative plates

Royal Copenhagen, or at that time The Royal Porcelain Factory, released its first historical porcelain plate in 1888 on the occasion of the Nordic Exhibition of Industry, Agriculture and Art in Copenhagen. The initiator of the exhibition was Philip Schou, director of The Royal Porcelain Factory and chairman of the Industrial Association, and it was therefore natural that the factory demonstrated its skills by presenting this first porcelain plate here. This first historical plate from Royal Copenhagen featured as its motif the factory’s three wavy lines, symbolizing the Little Belt, the Great Belt and the Øresund, with the royal crown above them.

The Danish Queen Louise saw this historical plate and wished to receive a copy, which was produced by Royal Copenhagen with splits at the ends of the three waves to symbolize the flag of the Danish royal family. This plate became the first produced in larger numbers, as the Danish aristocracy developed an interest in historical plates after noticing the Queen’s appreciation for them.