Flora Danica Gift & Registry FAQ

What is Flora Danica?

Flora Danica is Royal Copenhagen's legendary porcelain service — in continuous production since 1790, when King Christian VII of Denmark commissioned it as a diplomatic gift for Catherine the Great of Russia. Every piece is formed, carved, and painted entirely by hand after the original 18th-century Flora Danica botanical encyclopedia and finished in 24-karat gold. The original royal service remains a Danish national treasure, exhibited at Rosenborg and Christiansborg castles.

Why is Flora Danica so valuable — and so collectible?

Because almost nothing about the process has changed since 1790. Each piece begins as porcelain formed by hand. Any openwork border is carved freehand, piece by piece, while the clay is still soft — work Royal Copenhagen compares to surgery. The piece is then painted by a single artist working from the original copper plates of the Flora Danica encyclopedia — a craft demanding years of training and days of painting per piece — before being finished in 24-karat gold and signed with the painter's initials. The very first service consumed twelve years of one painter's life, Johann Christoph Bayer, who completed most of its 1,802 pieces himself. Every piece is one of a kind, production is tiny, and the pattern carries unmatched royal provenance — it has been Denmark's gift for royal weddings from Princess Alexandra in 1862 to Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary in 2004. Pieces are collected, insured, and passed down for generations.

Is Flora Danica displayed as wall art?

Very often — many collectors never set their Flora Danica on a table at all. Because every piece is an original botanical painting on porcelain, signed by its artist, plates are hung as gallery walls, arranged in cabinets, or displayed singly on stands. The openwork and lace-border plates are especially striking on a wall, where the pierced rim reads like sculpture.

What is the best first Flora Danica piece?

Most collections begin with a single plate or cup. The 7.5 cm plate ($2,300 per plate) is the classic entry point, followed by the bread & butter plates (from $3,200) and the tea cup without handle ($3,400) — each hand-painted with the botanical motif of your choice, and each a complete work of art on its own. Add pieces over time, as collectors have done for two centuries.

What is the best Flora Danica statement gift?

For milestone occasions, the signature pieces are the Round Fruit Basket with hand-pierced basketwork ($35,000), the Monteith Bowl ($49,600), the Oval Tureen ($67,100), and — the crown of the collection — the Ice Bell & Stand ($125,400). These are the pieces museums and multigenerational collections are built around.

Is Flora Danica a good wedding registry choice?

Yes — gifting Flora Danica piece by piece is a Danish royal tradition: Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary's wedding service was funded collectively by the people of Denmark. Guests can contribute together toward a single piece, or build a service one place setting at a time. Call us about including Flora Danica in a Sallie Home wedding registry.

How does ordering Flora Danica work?

Purchase your piece online like any other product. After your purchase, contact Sallie Home at (314) 567-7883 (storefront) or (888) 733-3915 (online sales) — or we will reach out to you — to finalize your custom commission and choose your botanical motif from approximately 3,000 designs in the original encyclopedia. Royal Copenhagen's artists then paint your piece by hand in Copenhagen. Each painter interprets the motif with her own artistic hand, so no two pieces are ever alike.

How long does delivery take?

Please allow 4–6 months. Every Flora Danica piece is made to order and painted entirely by hand — the timeline is the craft, not the shipping.

How do I know a piece is authentic?

Turn it over. The back of every Flora Danica piece carries the Latin name of its botanical motif written in black, the gold painter's initials in green, and the flower painter's initials in light purple — along with Royal Copenhagen's marks.

How should I care for Flora Danica?

Hand wash only, with a soft cloth and mild soap. The 24-karat gold detailing should never go in the dishwasher or microwave. Treated well, these pieces last centuries — the originals from 1790 still survive.

Where can I see Flora Danica in person?

Sallie Home is an authorized Flora Danica retailer with a boutique showroom at 9821 Clayton Road in Ladue, Missouri, serving greater St. Louis. Visit us to discuss a Flora Danica commission in person, or call (314) 567-7883 — we ship nationwide.