In celebration of Herend's 200th anniversary, the beloved porcelain producer has released a collection of figurines and serving pieces in limited-edition colors. Smith's is one among ten shops across the country that has been hand-picked to host a special exhibition of the anniversary designs this fall.
For decades, Smith's of Dublin has been a proud purveyor of Herend USA. Every dish and decorative item exemplifies the unmatched craftsmanship of Herend's designers, sculptors, and master painters. From the company's 1826 founding to today, Herend's repertoire has exceeded 16,000 shapes and 4,000 distinctive patterns.
Herend's road to international acclaim was sparked by an order placed at the 1851 London World's Fair. Queen Victoria of Great Britain swooned over the Hungarian dinner service she purchased there for Windsor Castle, and soon after, the pattern was named in her honor. Herend china patterns such as Queen Victoria, Rothschild Bird, and Chinese Bouquet have been beloved by royalty and brides around the world for two centuries now.
Delicate figurines joined the Herend catalog in the 1870s. Inspired by a Chinese plate's fish scale design, a Herend artist painted a similar pattern onto a rooster figure's breast to look like stylized feathers. As demand continued to grow through the years, so did the assortment of animals and other dainty designs embellished with the company's signature fishnet motif in propriety colors.
Unique and familiar figurines star in the 200th Anniversary Exhibition, while debut colors include lavender, peach, turquoise, forest green, and multi-hued varieties. Longtime Smith's of Dublin customers will be thrilled to see some fishnet-pattern figurines in gold and white, the colorway of our Herend collection created exclusively for current owner Natalie Curry's 10th anniversary.
The featured piece in this year's exhibition is a timeless rooster figurine, hand-painted in Herend's iconic fish scale pattern. Interested collectors will have to hurry — only 150 of these standout birds will be available! Like the limited-edition rooster, each newly released treasure is a piece of history you'll always cherish.
Select special edition Herend pieces are available at Smith's of Dublin, in-store and online, while supplies last. Shop the Herend 200 collection today and find the perfect holiday gift, milestone momento, or treasure for your personal collection.