General Description 

This large, deep serving platter from the Damascus Service for Kaiser Wilhelm II., dated 1906, comes from one of the most exclusive and rarest dinner services of the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin (KPM). Food was served with this dinnerware "à la russe". Between 1903 and 1915, KPM produced this prestigious porcelain service on behalf of Kaiser Wilhelm II., which was used exclusively for special occasions and official receptions.

The Damascus Service is today considered one of the most precious porcelain series of the Imperial Era. While individual plates occasionally appear on the art market, large, deep serving platters like this one are extremely rare and particularly sought after. The platter offered here is made of white glazed porcelain, with fine craftsmanship and preserved in very good condition.

The underside bears the classic underglaze blue scepter mark as well as the red imperial orb mark of KPM Berlin, with dating. The diameter is 29.7 cm, ideal for museum presentation or high-quality collections.

This object combines imperial provenance, artistic quality and historical significance – a true highlight for collectors of KPM porcelain, Imperial Era dinnerware, and representative objects of German history.

Origin & Inspiration

The name "Damascus Service" can be traced back to Kaiser Wilhelm II's trip to the Orient in 1898. During this journey, the monarch received a Chinese famille-rose bowl as a diplomatic gift – an object that later served as a model for the new imperial court service at the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin (KPM). The original Chinese template shows overlapping lotus petals, a motif with Buddhist symbolism, which KPM adopted and developed further. It was complemented by cartouche-like fields filled with botanical motifs, giving the service its characteristic blend of Oriental aesthetics and European plant iconography.

Decor & Design

The Damascus Service is among the art historically most sophisticated KPM services of the Imperial Era. It combines purple and green hues in the style of East Asian famille-rose porcelains with gilded chrysanthemums and large lotus petals on the rim. The center of many plates features finely painted botanical studies, such as depictions of dandelions or exotic plants. Between 1903 and 1905, over 900 plant designs were created specifically for this service – including European, Asian, and some fantastic plant motifs. This diversity makes the Damascus Service an outstanding example of the combination of KPM craftsmanship, botanical illustration, and imperial representation.

"Service à la russe" – Meaning

The addition "à la russe" describes the serving style, not the decor. In this form of table setting, dishes are served course by course, with platters being presented by staff rather than placed centrally on the table. Around 1900, this serving style was considered modern, prestigious, and particularly suitable for state banquets and imperial receptions. The Damascus Service à la russe was used precisely for these occasions and was an important element of the courtly cultural staging under Wilhelm II.

Usage & Provenance

The first large delivery of the Damascus Service included 530 dinner plates, which were invoiced on January 26, 1904, for 9,540 Marks – an impressive testament to the scope and significance of this court commission. The service was initially used in the New Palace in Potsdam before arriving at Huis Doorn in 1919, where Wilhelm II went into exile after his abdication. After the Kaiser's death in 1941, the majority of the service was transferred to Hohenzollern Castle.

Today, plates, platters, and sauce boats from the Damascus Service are among the most sought-after collector's items from KPM Berlin. They regularly appear at major auction houses and specialized art dealers and are considered key works of imperial porcelain art.