Von Schierholz Plaue miniature porcelain Jug Circa 1865-1890 - Ref Feb01

Von Schierholz Plaue miniature porcelain Jug Circa 1865-1890 - Ref Feb01

The von Schierholz factory was established by two brothers, Johann Karl Rudolf Heuäcker and Dr. Gottlob Ferdinand Heuäcker, in 1816. Dr. Heuäcker died a year later and Johann took on Christian Gottfried Schierholz in 1817. In that year the factory was granted an exclusive license for porcelain wares by the government of Schwarzburg-Sondehausen, which ruled the town of Plaue. These porcelain wares were manufactured for the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. In 1818 Johann Heuäcker left the partnership, leaving C.G. Schierholz as sole owner. The factory prospered over the years, especially after their most outstanding modeler, Edmund Haase, joined the firm in 1884. He remained with them until his death in 1914. Haase had been trained as a sculptor at the Munich Academy of Art and he is believed to have been responsible for the design and modeling of the character steins. Another modeler, Oskar Sieder, joined the firm in 1873 and worked with Haase to produce the majority of items in that product line. 
Hard coal was substituted for firewood in the kilns after 1870. In 1887, Arthur Schierholz - who appears to be the grandson of Christian - became the owner of the factory. He died in 1899, and in 1907 the firm became a private limited liability Company (Corporation), known as "Von Schierholz Porzellan Manufactur Plaue G.m.b.H.". 
As might be expected, a number of different marks were used by this factory over the years. Their first trademark was officially used from the end of the 19th Century, but it was probably used occasionally on wares as far back as 1865. This first mark is the one most collectors refer to as the "tic-tac-toe" or cross-hatch mark (#), which was underglazed in blue. 

The Von Scheirholz factory has produced some of the greatest examples of porcelain vases, compotes, and figural items yet in the storied history of Meissen, Dresden, and other producers in what is now Germany. The Von Schierholz porcelain factory is still located in its original town of Plaue in Thuringia.

This little jug stands just 4.5cm high to the tip of the spout and is 3.5cm wide. It portrays an overglaze transfer, with some hand-painting,  of a pair of ladies dressed in fashionable clothes, being entertained by a minstral.
A gilded border is shown above. The overall condition is good, apart from a slight loss of gilding and transfer, typical for overglazed transfers.  There are no chips nor cracks .The early 'cross hatched' mark is shown on the base, and, the jug possibly dates back to around 1880-1890.