Nonetheless, theoretical knowledge alone is far from enough to guarantee success in practice, and Mller spent all his time and money on experiments with his little porcelain kiln.

In Dresden the alchemist Johann Friedrich Bttger produces the first European porcelain, although King August the Strong zealously guards both the alchemist and his formula.

The Royal Danish Porcelain Manufactory, which later became Royal Copenhagen, was founded as the result of experiments carried out by the pharmacist, Frantz Heinrich Mller (1738-1820).

He was an expert chemist who specialised in mineralogy, and since the early 1770s he had been experimenting with hard feldspar porcelain made from quartz, kaolin and feldspar.

An old post yard on Kbmagergade, in the centre of Copenhagen, is converted to house the manufactory.

A labourous beginning 1775: Blue Fluted 1779: The King takes over the porcelain manufactory 1779: Blue Flower The manufactorys first years are a hard daily struggle against fluctuating and poor raw materials, lack of experience, unsuccessful firings, disappointing experiments.