MEISSEN Blue Onion Large Round Dish/Plate 36cm

The large plate/dish from Meissen manufactory. Hand-painted Blue Onion decoration (zwiebelmuster).
Dimension: 36 cm x 6cm
Condition: new, no chip, no restorations.
Crossed swords XX on the bottom of the platter. First-class quality.
 
The "onion" pattern was originally named the "bulb" pattern
While modelled after a pattern first produced by Chinese porcelain painters, which featured pomegranates unfamiliar in Saxony, the plates and bowls produced in the Meissen factory in 1740 produced their own style and feel. Among the earliest Chinese examples are underglaze blue and white porcelains of the early Ming Dynasty. The Meissen painters created hybrids that resembled flora more familiar to Europeans. The so-called "onions" are not onions at all, but, according to historians, are most likely mutations of the peaches and pomegranates modelled on the original Chinese pattern. The design is a grouping of several floral motifs, with peonies and asters in the pattern's centre, and winding stems around a bamboo stalk. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Onion)
Before the end of the 18th century, other porcelain factories were copying the Meissen Zwiebelmuster. In the 19th century almost all the European manufactories offered a version, with transfer-printed outlines that were coloured in by hand. Enoch Wedgwood's pattern in the 1870s was known as "Meissen". Today, a Japanese version called "Blue Danube" is well-known and featured amongst tableware patterns.
In 1739, Meissen discovered a unique combination of cobalt and oxygen by that resulted in the ability to create rich blues that would survive the extreme heat of porcelain firing. The first pattern to use this new color was Blue Onion, inspired by East Asian motifs of pomegranates, peaches, bamboo, lotus blossoms, and chrysanthemums. Then as now, the underglaze is handpainted with fine brushstrokes onto the fired and porous substrate. The color quickly penetrates deeply into the still absorbent material, appearing dull grey. Only after glazing and a second firing at a temperature of 1,450° does it acquire its magically radiant, cobalt-blue hue. A sturdy overglaze protects the décor and makes it dishwasher-safe. The famous Crossed Swords of Meissen, used since 1888, can be found at the foot of the bamboo stalk. Handmade and handpainted in Germany by Europe’s first porcelain manufactory
(https://www.scullyandscully.com/tabletop/china/meissen/dinnerware/meissen-blue-onion.axdvariant=ME80010100308&gclid=CjwKCAiA4KaRBhBdEiwAZi1zzkqf8qkGPU0SL8f4gA3x21SDZnlqoiET2R_yoZ2dsuetHH5ZeD6U7RoCstoQAvD_BwE)