Frequently asked questions Where and how may I get brochures and price lists of your current tableware collections? You may download all available brochures and price lists from our homepage for free or order them from us to be sent by post. Please click here for the overview. Are brochures or lists of old FÜRSTENBERG tableware collections still available? No. FÜRSTENBERG archives only a few example copies which can no longer be distributed. May I have the value of my porcelain appraised by you? Unfortunately, we are unable to make appraisals. As part of our expertise services, we can provide you with nonbinding objective values at best. The Chamber of Commerce (Industrie- und Handelskammer) can provide you with the addresses of certified experts. What do I need to have my FÜRSTENBERG porcelain evaluated? In principle, to evaluate porcelain, we need information about the form and its model number as well as about the pattern. Often a pattern is used for various forms, for example, for gift items such as collections of various vase designs, tableware with a gold rim or scattered flower patterns. Where may I have my FÜRSTENBERG porcelain evaluated? We would be pleased to evaluate your FÜRSTENBERG porcelain. For an exact evaluation of your porcelain, we require sharply focused photos. For tableware, it is important that you send pictures of hollow pieces (tea or coffee pots, milk jugs or sugar bowls), not of cups or plates. A photo of the underside of the article in which the base mark and any other characters can be recognized clearly is also necessary. Digital photos, scans or photocopies are insufficient. Please send us your photos by post. For complex research, we reserve the right to charge a processing fee of € 25. For more detailed information, please call us at + 49 (0) 5271 401-0. May I come by personally to have my FÜRSTENBERG porcelain evaluated? Expertise hours for which registration is required take place in the Castle Museum. The fee is € 3.50 in addition to the museum admission. Please register at + 49 (0) 5271 401-161. May I purchase FÜRSTENBERG porcelain directly from you? Yes. In addition to our factory store "Porzellan im Schloss" in Fürstenberg, we have a company owned store in Hanover. Naturally, you can buy directly at our Online Shop. There, we offer you a special selection of our range of porcelain. Where near my home may I purchase your products? Please send us an e-mail including your place of residence. We will be pleased to give you the names of dealers near you. Or take a look in our Online Shop and order there conveniently and easily. How may I identify porcelain from FÜRSTENBERG? Since 1753, each piece of FÜRSTENBERG porcelain is marked with a blue F underneath the glaze. Prior to 1866, this mark was handwritten. Since then, it has been stamped. The style and typography of the F have changed over the years so that the manufacturing period of the porcelain can be determined based on these (see table of marks). What does the green F mark on my porcelain mean? Into the 1980s, porcelains with ivory glaze or porcelains made of celadon which were developed at the end of the 1920s were given a green F mark instead of the blue one. What is the meaning of the painted or stamped multidigit number next to the manufactory mark on the bottom of my FÜRSTENBERG porcelain? The numbers are pattern numbers, not an indication of the painter. They indicate the motif and pattern technique of the piece of porcelain. They do not indicate anything about the porcelain model, the tableware collection or the manufacturing time period. I can see letters or numbers pressed lightly into the bottom of my FÜRSTENBERG porcelain. What do these mean? In the 18th and 19th centuries, turners and molders marked large pieces with their initial (e.g. N for Nagel) before firing the porcelain. - Since the 20th century, the multidigit numbers on hollow forms indicate the model number (e.g. model number 641 = form ALT FÜRSTENBERG). There is a blue number on the bottom of my FÜRSTENBERG porcelain. What does this mean? In the 18th and 19th centuries, the sizes of pots, jugs or vases were marked on them in this way before glazing. On cups, these numbers indicate the model numbers. Is there a list with all of the pattern numbers and form names of FÜRSTENBERG porcelain? No, unfortunately not. Over the centuries, so many different forms and patterns have been manufactured that it is impossible to draw up a complete list. How do I find out which patterns / which forms are still in the current FÜRSTENBERG collection? If you do not find your tableware and/or the pattern which you are looking for on our homepage, please send us an e-mail and let us know your question. We would be pleased to give you information about our current collection. Where may I purchase individual pieces of FÜRSTENBERG porcelain from discontinued collections which are also no longer available in the shop "Porzellan im Schloss"? There are various trade and tableware exchanges which have specialized in the procurement of individual pieces. Some of these exchanges can be found on the internet. With a little luck, you may find what you are searching for on the websites of internet auctioneers. I own collective plates with the FÜRSTENBERG brand. Could you give me information about the total edition size? FÜRSTENBERG produced collective plates at different times for various companies. These plates were sold directly by these companies. Unfortunately, we do not have any information about the number of pieces or the motifs of these series. Could you please recommend special books on the Porzellanmanufaktur FÜRSTENBERG? Beatrix Freifrau [Baroness] von Wolff Metternich, Manfred Meinz: Die Porzellanmanufaktur Fürstenberg. [Fürstenberg Porcelain Manufactory] Eine Kulturgeschichte im Spiegel des Fürstenberger Porzellans, [A Cultural History in the Reflection of Fürstenberg Porcelain], 2 volumes. Unter Mitarbeit von Thomas Krueger. [With the assistance of Thomas Krueger.] Munich 2004. Museumsführer. [Museum Guide.] Fürstenberg Porcelain Museum (Publisher) Series "Museum", Braunschweig [Brunswick] 1992. Could you please recommend books on the evaluation of porcelain? Ludwig Danckert: Handbuch des Europäischen Porzellans [Handbook of European Porcelain], Munich 1954 and numerous more recent editions. Dieter Zühlsdorf: Markenlexikon [Brand Encyclopedia]. Porzellan und Keramik Report [Porcelain and Ceramics Report], 1885-1935. Volume 1: Europe (no others published). Stuttgart 1989. J. G. Th. Graesse, E. Jaennicke: Führer für Sammler von Porzellan und Fayence, Steinzeug, Steingut usw. [Guide for Collectors of Porcelain and Faïence, Stoneware, Earthenware, etc.] Braunschweig [Brunswick], numerous editions. I would like to learn more about the techniques of porcelain production. Is there specialized literature about this? Hans Friedl: 100 Fragen über Porzellan [100 Questions about Porcelain]: Warum? Weshalb? Wieso? [Why?] Publisher: Verband der Keramischen Industrie e.V. Selb, 19th revised edition 2003. Is there a guarantee that I can purchase pieces of my FÜRSTENBERG porcelain collection subsequent to my original purchase? The following applies to purchases of pieces of FÜRSTENBERG tableware collections subsequent to the original purchase: If whiteware and/or pattern decorations are still available for any forms and patterns which are no longer shown in the current collection, these may be ordered. These items are produced twice a year. May I order decorated FÜRSTENBERG porcelain in pure white as well? We offer all service and gift items on which there is a pattern in pure white as well. Can you repair porcelain? Unfortunately, we do not have a repair or restoration service. However, there are special porcelain restorers and porcelain clinics which do professional repair work in almost every region. You will find addresses for these on the internet or in the yellow pages. Can I wash porcelain in the dishwasher? Basically, all white items as well as patterns fired at approx. 1,200°C are dishwasher-safe. At this temperature, the glaze softens and the pattern sinks in. This makes the pattern indestructible in terms of its color and brilliance. It becomes highly resistant to scratches and wear. This porcelain can then be washed in the dishwasher without hesitation. Due to their high quality paints, hand-painted items may not be washed in the dishwasher. Can I use porcelain in the microwave? Basically, all items with precious metal patterns (e.g. gold or platinum) cannot be used in the microwave. You may use items in white (without patterns) in the microwave without hesitation. May I tour the production facility of the Manufactory? We host an open house every two years at the beginning of September at the Porzellanmanufaktur FÜRSTENBERG. The Manufactory opens its gates on this day to interested visitors. Beyond this, you have the opportunity to participate in a porcelain workshop in the Castle Museum during the main season. This takes place every second weekend of the month. When is your museum and company store open? You will find our opening hours here.