Set of Two Antique FRANZ ANTON MEHLEM/ROYAL BONN Gilt Cobalt Blue Porcelain 9 Inch Cache Pots. Description: Cobalt Blue with Floral Still Life Ovals with Embossed Relief Gilt Scrolls and Leaf pattern, Inset White Band above Base, White Interior, Gold Trim. Measurements: Each cache pot measures 9″ in Height and 9″ in Width at the top. Base with is 6-3/4. Maker’s Marks: Royal Bonn used a variety of marks to distinguish the firm’s wares; among these were a monogram-and-tower on exported pottery, the name’Bonn’, the initials FM and a crown. In 1890 both’Royal’ and’1755′ were added to the pottery mark and were used continuously until 1920. Both of these cache pots carry the basic’tower mark’ with’F-A-M’ over’BONN’. These also have FRANZ ANT. MEHLEM below the tower. Both printed marks are blurred and/or faded. These marks date to the period of ca. In addition to those printed marks are two handprinted variants of g. Finally there are a number of impressed marks including “2886”, “CD” with a diamond, and a circular FRANZ ANT. MEHLEM’ and’BONN A/ RHEIN’ (Bonn upon River Rhine) in a ring around the stylized initials’F-A-M’. This last mark was also used from 1885 until 1920. One may imply that since Germany is not part of these marks that the pieces preceded the 1891 import mark regulations. Condition: Both pots are in very good antique condition. There are no chips, cracks, or repairs except a couple of shallow chips on the sole of each pot. Very light crazing is visible on the underside of one, and there are scratches to the interior of both from previous use. Finally there is light wear to the gold trim. Company History: The following is credited to WorthPoint: In 1805, Mauritz Wulf and his son-in-law Johann Mathias Rosenkranz assumed control. Rosenkranze had worked at the factory since 1780. Financial difficulties in the 1820s resulted in Rosenkranz leasing the factory to Ludwig Wessel and Johann Bruckmann in 1825. Rozenkranz died in 1828. He was unsuccessful in multiple attempts to sell his factory. In October 1829, Rosenkranz’s two sons-in-law, Christain von Reth and Vianden, gained control of the factory. The inability to upgrade the factory technology created financial difficulties. Finances remained a problem. Production was transferred to the Wessel plant. The new company was named Steingutfabrik Franz Anton Mehlem in honor of the father of Paul and Everhard. A period of expansion occurred. Two new kilns were built in 1841. A steam engine was installed in 1845. Additional kilns and a chimney were added in 1853. Von Recklinghausen, Franz Anton Mehlem, and Paul Joseph Mehlem died within a short period of each other. Everhard became the head of the company. Everhard died in 1865. The company was managed by Braubach & Kaeser acting on behalf of the heirs. Frings targeted the America, British, and French markets. In 1873, Max Roesler was employed as the technical manager. He served for a year. In 1874, Frings reached a partnership agreement with Franz Guilleaume from Cologne. Frings died during a trip to England. A period of expansion followed. In 1884, the firm became Steingu-Fabrik und Kunsttöpferei F. The company produced a wide range of decorative, technical, and sanitary items. In 1890, the company added “Royal” and “1755” to its mark. The Wessel family took exception to the Mehlem claim that the factory traced its origins to 1755. In 1892, the decorating studio was rebuilt and additional improvements made. Kaiser Wilhelm II made Franz Guilleaume a counselor of the chamber of commerce in 1897. When Franz Guilleaume died in 1914, his son Walter Guilleaume succeeded him. Walter and his brother-in-law Doctor Goertz had other plans. In 1925, production was switched to sanitary wares. Although an expansion started in 1926, it was soon curtailed by the declining economic situation in Germany. Villeroy & Boch closed the factory in 1931. With the exception of the chimneys, the plant was demolished by 1934. All evidence of the plant was gone by 1938.