Herend porcelain has intrigued collectors for nearly two centuries, blending royal history, meticulous hand-painting, and patterns rich with history. From the Rothschild Bird’s golden necklace to the butterfly-filled Queen Victoria service and colorful fishnet animals, Herend’s artistry is unmistakable.

Herend Porcelain: Royal Favorite, Collector’s Treasure & Rare Herend Patterns

Herend is one of those names that makes porcelain lovers instantly perk up. Hand-painted, gilded, and steeped in aristocratic history, Herend has been gracing grand tables and curio cabinets since the 19th century. From the romantic Rothschild Bird pattern (complete with its famous lost necklace) to the butterfly-strewn Queen Victoria service and whimsical fishnet animals, Herend offers a world where craftsmanship and storytelling meet.

The History of Herend

The Herend Porcelain Manufactory was founded in 1826 by Vince Stingl in the village of Herend, near Lake Balaton in western Hungary. At first, the factory produced stoneware and Stingl used the workshop to experiment with porcelain formulas. In 1839, financial troubles forced him to hand over the business to his creditor, Mór (Móric) Fischer.

Fischer changed everything. Under his leadership, Herend shifted from basic wares to refined, artistic porcelain. By the mid-19th century, the factory had become the preferred supplier to the Habsburg dynasty and aristocratic families across Europe. Herend exhibited at major international fairs—Vienna (1845), the Great Exhibition in London (1851), New York (1853), and Paris (1855)—and won prestigious awards that cemented its reputation.

Queen Victoria herself discovered Herend at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London. She ordered a large service featuring a new Far Eastern-inspired pattern of butterflies and flowers for Windsor Castle, and the design was later named “Queen Victoria” in her honor.

Over the decades, Herend survived shifting owners, wars, and political upheaval. The factory was nationalized in 1948, then privatized again in the 1990s; today it is majority owned by its management and workers and exports to over 60 countries worldwide.

Medium & Making: How Herend Porcelain Is Created

Herend specializes in hard-paste porcelain, the same type associated with the finest European and Chinese wares. The body is made from a precise mixture of kaolin, feldspar, and quartz, fired at very high temperatures to produce a strong, translucent white porcelain.

A simplified version of the process:

1. Forming the piece

   • Liquid clay (slip) is poured into plaster molds for hollow shapes (vases, figurines, teapots).

   • Plates, chargers, and flatware are pressed or cast into shape.

2. Biscuit firing
   The dried pieces are fired once to create a hard but porous “biscuit” body.

3. Glazing
   A clear glaze is applied, then the piece is fired again to fuse the body and glaze into a glossy, durable surface.

4. Hand painting
   This is where the magic happens. Herend’s artists apply designs entirely by hand—floral sprays, butterflies, birds, landscapes, or the signature fishnet pattern. Many patterns require years of training to execute properly, with each color built up in layers.

5. Gilding & final firing
   Gold accents (most often 24k) are painted on rims, handles, and decorative elements, then the piece is fired again at a lower temperature to fix the gilding.

The result: no two pieces are truly identical! Slight variations in brushwork and color make each example a unique work of art … which is a major reason collectors are so devoted to the brand.

The Rothschild Bird Pattern: Birds, a Necklace, and a Family Legend

The Story Behind the Design

In the mid-19th century, the Rothschild banking family became important patrons of Herend, ordering services and supporting the manufactory financially. In gratitude, Herend created a bird pattern that would later be named Herend Rothschild Bird (decor code RO), officially in use by around 1861.

According to tradition, Baroness Rothschild lost a pearl necklace while walking in her garden. After an unsuccessful search, the necklace was eventually discovered in a tree (where a gardener spotted birds playing with it).

That scene inspired Herend’s painters: in the classic Rothschild Bird design, two birds perch on a tree branch, with a delicate golden necklace draped between them.

Birds With Necklace vs. Birds Without

Herend offers multiple variants of the Rothschild Bird pattern. Herend catalogs describe 12 different scenes in the RO décor, each with slightly different bird positions and branch arrangements.

When it comes to Herend pieces, collectors often talk about:

• “With necklace” pieces – scenes where the famous pearl necklace is clearly visible, usually rendered as a delicate gold chain hanging between the birds or from a branch. These directly reference the Rothschild legend.

• “Without necklace” pieces – variants that show simply a pair of birds on a branch, still charming but without the necklace element front and center.

Because the necklace is the heart of the Rothschild story, pieces where it is prominently featured are often especially prized; some collectors specifically hunt for particular bird scenes or necklace compositions within the broader RO family. (This emphasis comes from how Herend and specialist dealers distinguish and name the variants.)

The Queen Victoria Pattern: Butterflies, Peonies, and Royal Approval

If Rothschild Bird is all about storybook romance, Herend Queen Victoria (VBO) is Herend’s grand, international debut.

The pattern was first shown at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851 as a new “Far Eastern” design. Inspired by Chinese export porcelain, it features colorful butterflies and stylized peony blossoms scattered across a bright white ground, often with richly gilded borders.

Queen Victoria was so taken with the design that she ordered a service for Windsor Castle. Her endorsement was such a defining moment that Herend later renamed the design “Queen Victoria” in her honor.

Today, Queen Victoria remains one of Herend’s iconic patterns:

• Herend Queen Victoria is produced in multiple colorways and border styles (from very colorful to more restrained).

• Queen Victoria Herend patterns appear on everything from full dinner services to tea sets, vases, and accent plates.

• Herend’s Queen Victoria pattern is instantly recognizable to many collectors, making it a “blue-chip” pattern in the Herend world.

Herend’s Famous Fishnet Animals

Herend is not only about dinner plates and tea sets. Its porcelain animals have become a collecting category of their own.

These figures are distinguished by a signature fishnet (or fish-scale) pattern: small, overlapping brushstrokes that create a net-like texture over the animal’s body. The pattern is usually painted in a single color—popular choices include blue, green, butterscotch, raspberry, black, or rust—outlined in a contrasting tone, then finished with gilded details on paws, horns, or beaks. Some pieces display a polychrome finish in some areas to further highlight the artistry.

Herend has produced fishnet animals in a huge variety of species:

• Domestic animals (dogs, cats, rabbits)

• Farm animals (cows, pigs, roosters)

• Wildlife (lions, tigers, elephants, foxes)

• Birds and fantasy creatures

Because they come in different colors, sizes, and poses, many collectors treat them almost like fine-art “trading cards,” building displays around color themes, species, or even specific poses. Early or retired models and unusual colorways tend to command a premium.

Why Herend Is Important, Collectible & Special

1. Heritage and Royal Patronage

Herend’s story is deeply intertwined with European aristocracy. The factory supplied the Habsburg court and was commissioned by leading noble families such as the Rothschilds, Esterházy, and others, with several patterns named after those patrons.

Add in Queen Victoria’s endorsement and later gifts for major events (like special Herend pieces presented to modern royals), and you have a brand whose history is inseparable from European high society.

2. Exceptional Craftsmanship

Every Herend piece is still hand-painted in Hungary. The painting schools within the factory train artists for years before they tackle the more complex patterns. Designs like Rothschild Bird and Queen Victoria are densely detailed; the fishnet animals require astonishing control and consistency to keep the repeating scale pattern clean and rhythmic.

That level of manual work is increasingly rare in an industrial world—and collectors recognize and value it.

3. Continuity of Patterns

One of the most appealing aspects for collectors is that many of Herend’s 19th-century patterns are still in production today. You can set a modern Herend plate next to a 19th-century example in the same décor and see a continuous tradition of design and technique.

That continuity makes Herend ideal for:

• Adding to inherited sets over time

• Mixing antique pieces with newer purchases

• Building themed collections around a single décor (Rothschild Bird, Queen Victoria)

4. Collectibility and Market Recognition

Herend is a recognized name in the decorative arts market. Auction houses and dealers regularly feature:

• Complete or partial Queen Victoria and Rothschild Bird services

• Rare Herend patterns or early Herend figures and animals

• Large or unusual presentation pieces

Market guides and auction results show that desirable patterns, good condition, and interesting provenance can command strong prices, particularly for large services and top-tier figurines.

For collectors, that means Herend offers both aesthetic pleasure and a measure of value retention—especially when buying quality examples and classic patterns.

5. Emotional & Storytelling Appeal

Finally, Herend pieces carry stories:

• The Baroness’s lost pearl necklace in the Rothschild Bird pattern

• The Queen’s discovery of a “new” pattern at the Great Exhibition

• Generations of families laying holiday tables with the same Herend service, then passing it on

These narratives—combined with handwork you can literally see in each brushstroke—are what make Herend feel alive, rather than just “pretty china.”

New to Collecting Herend? What to Look For

• Pattern & décor: Queen Victoria, Rothschild Bird, Herend Chinese Bouquet (Herend Apponyi), and well-known fishnet animals are always in demand.

• Condition: Check for chips, cracks, hairlines, and professional restorations. Even tiny rim nicks can affect value on high-end pieces.

• Marks & dating: The Herend mark has evolved over time. Herend stamp identifications began as early beehive-like symbols and later changed to a variety of shield and script marks. Base maker marks can help approximate age.

• Rarity: Retired patterns, unusual shapes, limited editions, and early figurines often bring a premium and can affect Herend porcelain value.

• Completeness: Larger, cohesive services and sets (especially in Queen Victoria and Rothschild Bird) are particularly appealing to both decorators and collectors.

In Summary

Herend is more than beautiful porcelain; it’s a living craft tradition that bridges 19th-century aristocratic Europe and today’s collectors.

• Rothschild Bird gives us birds, a golden necklace, and a family legend frozen in porcelain.

• Queen Victoria connects a Hungarian workshop to the British royal court through butterflies and peonies.

• Fishnet animals inject playfulness and modern collectibility into the brand’s output.

All of it is built on a foundation of hand-painted, hard-paste porcelain that has made Herend a byword for luxury and artistry for nearly two centuries—and a perennial favorite for those who love objects with history, beauty, and heart.

Herend & Black Rock Galleries

The Herend pieces featured in Black Rock Galleries’ upcoming Specialty Herend Auction represent a refined selection from discerning collectors across the tri-state area, many of whom acquired their treasures while traveling through Europe — purchasing from London’s Harrods, as well as directly from the Herend Gallery in Hungary.

Overall the pieces are in excellent to showroom condition, with only a few examples having slight imperfections. We invite you to preview the auction online and participate in the auction on Thursday, November 20, 2025 at 8:00 PM EST.