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The factory was established by Miklos Zsolnay in 1853. It produced stoneware and other ceramics. His son Vilmos joined the company in 1863 after his older brother Ignac didn't cope with restructuring the firm. 

Vilmos Zsolnay was born April 19, 1828 in the city of Pecz. Vilmos was second out of seven brothers. 

Vilmos made the company famous thanks to participation in numerous international exhibitions. He won the Grand Prix at the World Expo in Paris in 1878, and the French government awarded Vilmos Zsolnay with an honorary distinction. Then, the demand for Zsolnay products increased worldwide.

In 1882 number of employees rose to 460. In 1886 in a new factory was started production of stove tiles. In 1893, Zsolnay introduced porcelain pieces made of eosin. 

In 1900 the company was taken over by Vilmos' son, Miklos. Zsolnay frost-resisting architectural decorations were especially popular during art nouveau period.

Problems started after WWI, disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and Serbian occupation. After a few years conditions improved, but the Budapest factory was bombed during WWII. The firm was nationalized in 1948  and renamed as Zsolnay National Company of Pécs.

In 1963 the factory lost independence. It was used to was used to produce common tableware goods. The Zsolnay mark started to be used again in 1974. From 1982 the firm was independent again. The company was privatised in 1995. 

 

Zsolnay mark
Zsolnay Hungary 1868 Pecs Hand - Painted circa 1980s mark.
Pecs mark
Zsolnay Hungary 1853 Pecs mark used in 1999.
Zsolnay Pecs mark
Zsolnay Pecs Made in Hungary Hand-Painted 1920s mark.
Zsolnay Pecs mark
1898 - 1900 Zsolnay Pecs mark.
Zsolnay Pecs mark
Zsolnay Pecs Made in Hungary 1924 - 1970 mark.
Pecs mark
1970 - 1980 Pecs Zsolnay mark.
Est. 1868 mark
Est. 1868 Zsolnay Hungary Pecs ca. 1970s - 1980s mark.
1920s Zsolnay mark
1926 - 1928 Zsolnay mark.
Zsolnay mark
1926 - 1928 Zsolnay Pecs Made in Hungary mark. 
Zsolnay Pecs mark
Zsolnay Pecs 1878 - 1879 mark.
Zsolnay Pecs mark
1913 - 1918 Zsolnay Pecs mark.
PECS mark
Zsolnay Pecs 1870s mark.
Zsolnay 1881 mark
Zsolnay Pecs 1881 mark.
 
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