Hungarian Hollohaza "Janos Hary" Decorative Plaque / Dish

Offered for sale is an intriguing decorative plaque/dish from the famous Hungarian factory Hollohaza. It depicts the character Janos Hary in a beautifully stylised design by Miklos Veress. Háry János is a Hungarian folk opera in four acts by Zoltán Kodály to a Hungarian libretto by Béla Paulini and Zsolt Harsányi, based on the comic epic "The Veteran" by János Garay about a supposed veteran named Háry János. The item is intricately tube lined decoration in a vibrant cobalt blue with gilding on a crisp white ground. A most unusual piece and a wonderful touch of Hungarian folklore. Hollohaza porcelain is one of the oldest porcelain manufactory in Europe and it is the oldest in Hungary, dating back to 1777. The factory just recently celebrated its 240th year in business, still on the original site in rural Northeastern Hungary amid lush forests and rolling hills. In the beginning, they only made rudimentary, although visually appealing glass cups, bottles and dishes. At the dawn of the 19th century, the glass industry has flourished. However, the main transport routes and the raw materials needed to manufacture glass were far from the factory site. So, the owner of the factory, Count Karolyi decided to turn it into a ceramic manufactory in 1831, using the kaolin clay found nearby.