The bordalou – A curious treasure made of porcelain
Even at the beginning, in addition to coffee settings, tableware and decorative articles, FÜRSTENBERG produced the most varied objects in porcelain, many of which are hardly known today, or may evoke a chuckle from the viewer. The bordalou – in its time widely used and appreciated due to its usefulness – was a vessel which served ladies of society as a urine container until well into the 19th century. Embellished with sometimes extravagant, but also delicate patterns, the porcelain manufacturers thereby created a true luxury article. The use of this vessel is reputed to have begun at the French court in Versailles around 1700, at the time of King Ludwig XIV. The court clergyman there, Louis Bourdaloue (1632-1704) was famous for his captivating, but also long sermons. Artful ladies who didn’t wish to leave his long church services to take care of certain necessities, are said to have hit upon the idea of simply taking a saucier along for the purpose. Porcelain manufacturers developed a new vessel for this with a handle on one narrow side and usually with a spout, which is why they were often mistaken for a saucier. They were offered as “pot de chambre oval” (oval chamber pot) or simply “Nachtgeschirr für Damen” (night utensils for ladies). The FÜRSTENBERG porcelain manufactory produced this type of vessel under the name “ovale Pötte” (oval pot) until the end of the 19th century. The example which has now found its way into the castle museum comes from the end of the 18th century and was decorated with flowers in an underglaze blue by the painter Christian Friedrich Geisler (1742-1811).
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