Riga Ceramic Factory marks
In 1940 after establishing Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic, Kuznetsov Riga factory was nationalized. It was named the Red Star. Soviet occupation of Latvia was in 1941 transformed into German occupation. It lasted till 1944.
In 1947 in Soviet Riga, the factory was renamed from Riga Ceramic Factory (Rigas Keramikas Fabrikas) to Riga Porcelain and Faience Factory (Rigas Porcelana un Fajansa Fabrika - RPFF).
In 1963 two Riga factories (former Kuznetsov's and former Jessen's factories) were merged into Riga Porcelain and Faience Plant (Rigas Porcelana un Fajansa Rupnica - RPFR). Five years later faience production was stopped and the business was renamed into Riga Porcelain Factory (Rigas Porcelana Rupnica - RPR).
Another Riga porcelain factory was established by Jakob Karl Jessen. On February 1886 he received a permission to open a factory powered by a stationary steam engine. The factory was established in a small village Milgravis (Muhlgraben) located near Riga. Essen's business partner was a Russian merchant named Khrapunov. Khrapunov managed the factory after Jacob Karl Jessen died in 1891.
From the very beginning the factory specialized in the production of high quality porcelain tableware. Their products were awarded at various exhibitions.
In 1890 the factory started to manufacture porcelain insulators for electrical and telephone lines. Until 1913 number of workers rose to 600.
In 1908 there was a massive fire that completely stopped production. Restoration of the main building and furnaces took a year. By 1912 sons of Jakob Karl Jessen and Heinrich Jessen were granted their hereditary rights to the factory.
The First World War disrupted porcelain production in Riga for a long time. In 1930 production was stopped again because of falling demand caused by the Great Depression.
In 1933 the Riga Society of Ceramics Industry and Trade began the production of porcelain on the basis of the former J.K. Essen factory, without changing its name. Production was stopped in 1939 and started again in 1941. It was continued during German occupation and later after Soviets took over Latvia.
In 1963, the Riga porcelain factories were merged into one enterprise.
