The Cherub who Launched a Thousand Plates.

Many years ago, I had friends who lived in Germany, and I traveled twice a year to visit with them at Easter and Thanksgiving. This couple had a fabulous porcelain collection. They had an extensive Meissen Blue Onion collection as well as the gorgeous Herend Fruits and Flowers pattern. The wife was so keen with her Herend collection that she placed on the large dining room table two individual cups and saucers. There was also a double salt on the table.

The double salt consisted of a cherub in the center with a sash, and two egg shaped ovals slightly in front of the cherub were the salt cellars. The mark on the bottom of the double salt attributed the maker to KPM. KPM is the abbreviation for Konigliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin (Royal Porcelain Factory in Berlin). Needless to say, I was always looking at the double salt.

One day after I had returned from a trip to Germany, I started looking around for a KPM double salt. When I was unable to fine one, I explored whether or not Herend made a double salt. Thus began my journey with Herend, and the cherub who launched a thousand pretty plates.