The Royal Porcelain Factory in Berlin (Königliche PorzellanManufaktur or KPM) was founded in 1763 by King Frederick II of Prussia. He had a personal interest in the design and manufacture of porcelain and almost all of his diplomatic gifts came from the factory. In 1765, Frederick the II commissioned twenty-one porcelain dinner services for his own court, more than any of his contemporaries would have been able to acquire at this time.
The richly decorated cabinet cup and saucer commemorate the birth of George V (1819 – 1878), last King of Hanover and the only child and successor of King Ernest Augustus. A gilt roundel at the centre of the saucer’s well is inscribed with his date of birth, while the cup features an oval medallion with a bust of the royal child in an etched gold frame, painted in imitation of oil-painting. The wreaths of flowers painted on both pieces feature primrose, lily of the valley, crocuses and daffodils, all typically associated with springtime and when the royal baby was born.
