Royal Dux: Bohemian Art Nouveau & Art Deco Porcelain Figures
Royal Dux Bohemia is a porcelain factory founded in 1860 in Dux (now Duchcov), Bohemia, in the modern Czech Republic. The factory became internationally renowned for its large-scale figural porcelain in the Art Nouveau period (1890s-1910s), producing dramatic figures of maidens, nymphs, shepherdesses, and exotic characters in flowing poses with distinctive matte and iridescent glazes. Royal Dux continued through the Art Deco period and postwar era, with production continuing to the present. The Art Nouveau period figures are the most collected and valuable, prized for their dramatic scale, sensuous modeling, and distinctive olive-green and pink-cream color palette.
Identification & Marks
- Pink triangle mark: The primary Royal Dux mark -- an embossed or printed pink/red triangle with an "E" (for Eichler, the founder's name) and "Dux" or "Royal Dux Bohemia"
- Model numbers: Impressed numbers on the base correspond to specific models; some popular models were produced for decades
- "Made in Czechoslovakia": Added after 1918; pieces marked "Austria" predate this
- "Bohemia": Appears in various mark configurations across different periods
- Colorway identification: Art Nouveau pieces typically feature olive-green and pink-cream matte glazes; later pieces may have different color schemes
Types & Styles
Art Nouveau Period (1890s-1910s)
- Female figures: Life-sized and large-scale maidens, water carriers, flower sellers, and classical figures
- Shell and wave compositions: Figures emerging from or posed with shells and ocean waves
- Pair compositions: Matching male and female figures or complementary poses
- Applied flowers: Detailed floral decoration on figural vases and centerpieces
Art Deco Period (1920s-1930s)
- Streamlined figures: Modernized female forms with geometric styling
- Dancer figures: Theatrical and dance-inspired poses
- Animal figures: Stylized horses, dogs, and exotic animals
Later Production (Post-1945)
- Continued figure production: Using historical molds and new designs
- Contemporary art pieces: Modern interpretations by invited artists
Auction Price Ranges
| Item | Low | Mid | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art Nouveau figure (small) | $100 | $300 | $800 |
| Art Nouveau figure (large, 18"+) | $300 | $1,000 | $4,000 |
| Art Nouveau pair (matched) | $500 | $2,000 | $6,000+ |
| Shell/wave composition | $400 | $1,200 | $3,500 |
| Art Deco figure | $100 | $400 | $1,500 |
| Animal figure | $50 | $200 | $600 |
| Post-1945 figure | $30 | $100 | $300 |
Condition Factors
- Fingers, toes, and outstretched hands are extremely fragile; check all extremities for repairs
- Applied flowers and leaves are prone to breakage; intact floral decoration adds significant value
- The matte olive-green and pink glazes should be unfaded and unchipped
- Large figures are heavy and prone to stress cracks at joints; examine bases and connection points
- Original gilding should be intact; gold accents wear from handling and cleaning
- Pairs must be genuine matching pairs, not assembled from unrelated figures
Collecting Tips
- Art Nouveau period figures (pre-1918) are the most valuable and collected; the "Austria" mark indicates pre-WWI production
- Matched pairs bring significantly more than twice the single-figure price
- The largest figures (24+ inches) are the most impressive and command the highest prices
- Royal Dux remained in continuous production; later pieces using original molds are less valuable than original period production
- The factory's mold archive survived, meaning exact copies of historic models were produced in later decades; mark and glaze analysis helps distinguish periods
- Art Deco period pieces are gaining collector interest and represent good value relative to Art Nouveau examples