Dresden Ornaments
- Variations
Surprisingly, there are variations of individual Dresden ornament pieces that sometimes differ only in minor details. It is not entirely clear whether a manufacturer made changes to his existing models or whether competing companies deliberately brought a similar design onto the market because this piece was selling well. This becomes clear, for example, with the animal model 'Swan'. Note the different plumage and the head. (Whether this is a silver embossed or a white object is irrelevant in my consideration).
On closer inspection it is noticeable that the swans differ not only in plumage and head, but also in the embossing. Presumably, the more finely embossed pieces are the early variants. As with other pieces, the simpler and often more poorly executed embossing speaks for objects of a later period.
Another example are the different trigger variations on the hunting rifle. It is astonishing that the barrel and the butt have remained the same, but the smallest part of the rifle - the trigger - is available in at least four different variants.
In the collection catalogue of Joseph G. Hrncirik Luxus aus Pape. Dresdner Christbaumschmuck 1870-1914, there is another form of the trigger on p. 144 (no. 336).
Of course, there were other different Dresden ornament variations, especially in the depictions of animals. Take, for example, the depictions of lions. This motif was popular, so it is not surprising that there were different manufacturers who produced this piece. The Dresden firms Gottschald and Neumann & Co. were such companies. Different versions of varying quality were also available for the bats and rhinos. There are also smaller versions of the sailing boats.
Curiously, there are three sizes of elephants with a howdah. The one on the left is about 8 x 8 cm. The elephant on the right measures 10 x 11.5 cm and the largest and probably rarest variant in the background measures 18 x 18 cm.
Differences in size can also be observed for the stags
There were also differences in size among the deer. One large object with glass eyes was almost 20 cm long. The larger objects were probably intended as table decorations. The examples are only meant to show that there were different variations of individual objects. However, the effort was probably only worthwhile for those pieces that were particularly sought after.