My children discovered that there’s a big Herend showroom near our hotel.
They all accompanied me to look for something nice.
They were all nice actually.
The very first version of Herend’s Apponyi pattern was green. The base color comes from the original decor, the “Indian flower basket” suggestive of nature’s life breeding force. This lively shade of green, combined with touches of 24 carat gold, creates an elegant effect.
When Herend first came out of this patttern, it became popular so fast that at the Paris Exposition of 1867, the tables of Elysee Palace were laid with this Herend dinner set at a reception in honour of Emperor Franz Joseph. Count Albert Apponyi (1846-1933), famous Hungarian politician, diplomat and patriot, requested that the dominant motif of the Indian Flower Basket be enlarged resulting in a purer version of the original pattern. Thus the fusion of Oriental exoticism and bourgeois poise was born.
Green was my mom’s favorite color. The green was nice and looked stately too but, Hmm, I think I would go for this pattern, Apponyi blue.
Peek a boo
We met one of Herend’s artists doing hand-painting on every piece of porcelain.
I lost the piece of paper where I wrote her name on. Tsk tsk.
The prices vary depending on what’s included in a set. They are also sold per piece but according to the sales lady, buying individual pieces could cost more.
Okay, I’ve chosen a pattern. Next would be to decide if I would buy, which ones and how many pieces.
(delayed post April 2015 Budapest)
