STATE GIFTS FROM THE ROYAL PORCELAIN MANUFACTORY
Only the best for guests! This must have been the motto of former Berlin mayor Klaus Wowereit when he presented the Obamas with porcelain from the Royal Porcelain Manufactory during their state visit a few years ago. We reveal which pieces Barack, Michelle, Malia Ann and Sasha were allowed to take back to the USA as souvenirs - perhaps you are also looking for such a statesmanlike gift?
Both Obama daughters each received a small porcelain BEAR. If you have ever visited Berlin, you will probably have noticed the huge sculptures in the cityscape. Berlin's heraldic animal is repeatedly sculpted by different artists or personalities and placed in prominent locations. It thus represents the many faces and colorful diversity of the city. Even the Queen was delighted to receive a little bear during one of her visits to Germany. No wonder the handy figurines from KPM are the ideal souvenir, right?
The former US president himself received a souvenir with very special significance: a model of the BRANDENBURG GATE. It symbolizes the city's eventful past like no other building. The fact that it is also the place where Barack Obama gave a speech in front of 4,000 invited guests gives the gift a personal touch. A piece of history to take home - which, incidentally, Pope Benedict XVI can also call his own.
The First Lady was presented with a stylish CADRE vase with a detailed poppy painting. The floral motif is an exciting contrast to the strict form of the rectangular vessel, which follows the design ideal of the Bauhaus. It was Trude Petri who designed the vase in 1967 in reference to the tea caddy she had created for the URBINO service around 30 years earlier - another piece of German (design) history.
The fact that the state gifts come from KPM is not only due to the symbolic character of the porcelain pieces, but also to the history of the company. Acquired by King Frederick II. of Prussia in 1763, the manufactory is now one of the oldest manufacturing workshops in Berlin. KPM is therefore firmly linked to the history of the city - and the state is practically in its DNA.
Whether classic or modern: our porcelain carries this essence within it. So if you too want to give a gift of something very special from the capital that is closely linked to German history, you are guaranteed to find it at KPM. Have fun discovering!
