Marie Antoinette Figurine in Dresden style. Photo by Sherry's Rose Cottage on Flickr.

Dresden is a style of porcelain figurine known for the delicate lace of its ladies' dresses that has become quite collectible over the years.  Dresden figurines were produced by a number of factories / shops near the City of Dresden in Germany.  Dresden, which had become known for its collective advancements in porcelain rather than the work of any particular manufacturer, was the location of the invention of Dresden lace.  Dresden lace is the result of lace dipped in liquid porcelain and attached to porcelain figurines.

Dresden is often associated with German figurines.  Yet, it's unclear how much of this is owed to the work of those from Dresden or the result of its proximity to Meissen, as porcelain producers in Meissen typically sold their goods in Dresden.  The popular process known as Dresden has been adopted in other nations as well.  Irish Dresden is a similar process, discovered in nearby Messier. Irish Dresden combines cotton lace with porcelain clay before including it on figurines.  A company producing Irish Dresden, appropriately, moved to Ireland in the 1960s and has been producing Irish Dresden in Ireland ever since.  I have also found dresden-style figurines produced by Capodimonte, the italian porcelain maker known for its skilled work.

Dresden lace figurines typically portray, among other things, well dressed men and women in pairs or groups, ballerinas and dancers dancing, and individuals playing musical instruments.  The style of the figurines is quite recognizable and can be easily spotted.  Dresden lady figurines are still quite popular among collectors, in part because of the beauty and delicacy of the lace on the porcelain figurines.  Damage to the lace on Dresden figurines is common, and care must be taken to avoid exacerbating the damage.  When perfect pieces are found, special care must be taken in the handling and shipping of the figurine to ensure its continued good fortune.

Dresden Lace Figurine. Photo by Sherry's Rose Cottage on Flickr.

Some producers of Dresden figurines include Volkstedt, Alka-Kunst Alboth & Kaiser, Ernst Bohne & Sons, and Sitzendorf, though many figurines are simply marked with the Dresden mark of their time.

Here are some dresden figurines for sale.