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Kurfürstliche Fayencerie Poppelsdorf (Poppelsdorf Faience Fabrique) was founded in 1755 by Ferdinand von Stockhausen and his brother-in-law Johan Jacob Kaisin. Establishement of the Poppelsdorf (Bonn) manufacture was ordered by the prince elector of Cologne, Clemens August von Köln. Their plan was to discover the secret receipt of porcelain. In 1757 the prince withdrew his subvention as their research was not succesful. Founders had to run the business at their own expense. Only very few examples of production from this first period still exist.

Because of financial problems, until 1805 tenants and owners changed several times. In 1805 the manufacture was taken over by Johann Mathias Rosenkranz and his son-in-law Mauritz Wulf. Four years later they still employed just 15 workers but till 1816 production expanded and employment rose to 80 persons.

Wilhelm Wessel bought a part of the manufactory in 1825 following the bankruptcy of Mathias Rosenkranz. When Rosenkranz died three years later, Wessel took over the entire business and built a new faience and earthenware factory on the purchased land. Thanks to his efforts, the factory became highly respected and succesful.

Ludwig Wessel died in 1838. The company was taken over by his son Franz Joseph Wessel and his brother-in-law Karl von Thielmann. Karl von Thielmann decided to leave the company in 1842. Franz Joseph Wessel ruled the company till 1868 when the management was transferred to his two sons: Nikolaus Joseph Wessel and Carl Ludwig Wessel.

After Nikolaus died, his brother transferred the company in 1888 into a limited company. The company had serious problems during the Great Depression. Additionally in 1926, the fire almost completely destroyed the Poppelsdorf factory. 

As a result, the enterprise was bought by Friedrich Butzke from Berlin. The company concentrated solely on producing sanitary ware. After World War II, the Poppelsdorf company was renamed Wessel Keramische Werke AG. The production was completely stopped in 1969.

Wessel Bonn mark
Wessel Bonn 1880 - 1900 mark
Poppelsdorf mark
Ludwig Wessel 1755 Bonn Poppelsdorf mark used in the period 1875 - 1910
Imperial Bonn mark
Imperial Bonn Germany 1875 - 1910 mark
Bonn mark
Ludwig Wessel Bonn 1885 - 1910 mark
Rhein mark
Rhein LWP 1875 - 1910 mark
LW mark
Ludwig Wessel LW 1875 - 1910 mark
Red LWP mark
Red LWP Ludwig Wessel 1875 - 1910 mark
Imperial Bonn mark
Imperial LWP Bonn Germany 1875 - 1910 mark
1755 mark
1755 Imperial - Bonn Germany 1875 - 1910 mark
Blue Imperial mark
Blue Imperial Bonn Germany 1875 - 1910 mark
LW Bonn mark
LW Bonn ca. 1905 mark
Poppelsdorf mark
Poppelsdorf Bonn 1920 - 1930 mark
Bonn mark
Ludwig Wessel Bonn 1889 - 1905 mark
LW mark
Impressed LW Bonn ca. 1905 mark
L. Wessel mark
L. Wessel 1875 - 1910 mark, here with Chrysanthemum pattern  
Wessel impressed
Wessel impressed 1900 - 1910 mark
Bonn mark
Wessel Bonn 1889 - 1905 mark
Sygnatura Imperial Wessel
Imperial Wessel Bonn 1890 - 1910 mark
 
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