Royal Copenhagen tea cups

Since 1775, every piece of Royal Copenhagen porcelain has carried its characteristic factory markings: the three blue waves, the royal crown and the painter's personal mark. These symbols represent authenticity, quality craftsmanship and the royal connection.

When Queen Dowager Juliane Marie founded the Royal Porcelain Factory in 1775, she insisted that the three waves be the factory's trademark. The waves symbolize Denmark's three most important waters; the Sound, the Great Belt and the Little Belt. Even today, these waves are painted on the back of every piece of porcelain, as part of Royal Copenhagen's well-known signature of authenticity and craftsmanship. Originally, the crown was painted by hand, but in the 1870s the company began stamping the mark under the glaze. The crown is adorned by the 'Dagmar Cross', a medieval jeweled cross discovered in 1690. Over the years, the design of the crown has changed, but it is still possible to identify the year or decade when each piece of porcelain was made.

Each painter's unique markings

It takes four years to learn the art of painting on Royal Copenhagen porcelain. Although it can be difficult to distinguish one Blue Fluted design from another, experienced painters always recognize their own work as their own handwriting. Each painter has their own mark, stamped on the underside of each piece of porcelain, making each piece personal and unique.