Irish Dresden

The story of Irish Dresden began in Thüringen, Germany, renowned for fine porcelain craftsmanship. In the town of Volkstedt, artisans developed the famous porcelain lace figurines by dipping real cotton lace into porcelain paste and firing it, leaving behind a delicate yet durable lace pattern in porcelain. In the late 19th century, master craftsman Anton Müller became renowned for his porcelain lace creations. In 1907, he founded Müller-Volkstedt, whose distinctive crown-over-"MV" trademark remains the Irish Dresden logo today. After his death in 1935, the business continued under his family until World War II destroyed the factory in 1945. Remarkably, many original moulds survived, enabling Johanna Saar and her husband Oskar to rebuild production by 1947. Political upheaval in East Germany forced the Saar family to flee in 1950, taking precious moulds with them. They re-established the Müller-Volkstedt tradition in Rottweil, West Germany, before embarking on a new chapter in 1962 when they moved the business to Dromcolliher, County Limerick, Ireland. There, with the support of local craftspeople, Irish Dresden was born. Despite the loss of Oskar Saar in 1968, the family continued to grow the business, preserving its unique handmade production process. Each figurine still combines artistic design, traditional porcelain lace techniques, multiple firings, and hand painting, making every piece a true work of art. Today, Irish Dresden is recognised worldwide and has been presented to notable figures including Presidents John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and First Lady Nancy Reagan.