The Chodov Factory

The factory at Chodov is amongst the oldest in Bohemia. It was established by the owner of the Chodov estate, Frantisek Miesl, who was granted the license to manufacture stoneware from his own deposits of china clay in 1811. As early as 1830 the factory was let to F. Weis, the chief decorator of the china factory at Kysibl (Struzna). He was however also only moderately successful therefore F. Miesl sold the factory to Jan Dietl, a rich coal mine owner. He and his partners J. Huttner and J. Schreyer set up a firm named Huttner et Co. which was granted the license to manufacture china in 1835.

After 1840 the Chodov factory was bought by Saxon physician Dr. Geitner who sold it after five years to Prague industrialist Moses Porges von Portheim. The Portheims extended the factory and ensured a growing output. In 1872, after almost thirty years, the business was sold to Haas and Czjzek at Horni Slavkov. This firm contributed further to the continued prosperity of Chodov.This period of time also saw the origin of the well known trademark with the letters H & C (Hass and Czjzek) under two little spruce trees and the letters CH (Chodov) which is still used today.

After privatization in 1994, the china manufacturer Chodov became one of the six manufacturers of the joint-stock company Karlovarsky Porcelan (Karlsbad China), the leading manufacturer of china in the Czech Republic.

The current production consists of rose color handmade and decorated china gilded with 24 carat gold. Contrary to some manufacturers using rose glazing, the Chodov factory adds color to the china mass which is then covered by transparent glazing. Thanks to its demanding and special manufacturing procedure the original Rose China from Chador will always be highly treasured and sought after.

The Concordia Factory

Concordia, the porcelain factory in Lesov near Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad), was founded in 1888 by Ernst Mader, jointly with Joseph KuhnI and Anton Salomon. The official name of the firm was KuhnI, Mader and Co. After the First World War the factory was bought by Rosa, Joseph and Adolf Low. Perhaps as a reflection of the post-war euphoria they chose the trade mark of Concordia - concord, unity - for their products, which has been in use until our day.

In 1933 the Low family let the factory to the firm of Winterling and Co., the branch of the well known company of Melitta Werke of Minden in Westphalen. The owners of this firm, K. H. W. Bentz and W. Bentz, became partners of the Lesov factory in 1941 -1945. After 1945 the factory became state property. Since 1958 the porcelain factory development was linked to an existence of the state owned company Karlovarsky porcelan. In 1993 Concordia in Lesov was transformed into a private joint-stock company whose business activities are carried out by Porcela Plus, a. s.

In the course of its more than centennial history the factory was concerned mostly with the manufacture of serviceable products for both the home and foreign markets in Europe and overseas. For the latter it manufactured a special assortment of products. The sets of hotel porcelain, toilet sets, dinner, coffee and tea services were completed by production of special luxury tableware and decorative porcelain in later years.

The Concordia porcelain factory in Lesov has been known for several decades for its wide range of assortment of famous Bernadotte shape evoking by its purity of fine relief the Baroque style. Actually it is a replica of a historical model enabling the application of numerous decors ranging from simple lines and fragile floral motifs to highly decorative historicizing elements accentuating rich relief. The Bernadotte shape is produced in white and ivory execution as well. This classic porcelain is enjoying considerable popularity both on the home market and among foreign customers.

The Nova Role Factory

The factory at Nova Role ranks among the youngest works for the production of china in Bohemia. Production was started at it in 1921, when household china was a widely sought-after type of goods in the post-war boom years due to its beauty and quality. This situation and excellent commercial prospects afforded an impulse for the founding of a new china works at Nova Role.

Under the name "Keramicke zavody Bohemia, a. s." this factory achieved outstanding successes in the forming of the
artistic aspect of its production and in the sale of its products in the very first decade of its existence. Later the factory became the property of the imperial German firm of Rosenthal, which inclined away from mass production and directed its program to high-quality china. From the aspects of quality, shapes and decorations the Bohemia factory became the leading producer among china works.