The history and description of PAW pottery
Paul Wranitzky
Paul Wranitzky was born in 1836 in the Moravian town of Svojkovice (Teltsch), which is approximately 4.5 km northwest of the market town of Schelletau.
It is not certain when he started work in Frainersdorf as
the postmaster. However, he was definitely there on 12 March 1864, when his
son Viktor was born, from his first marriage.
On May 1 1874 Paul Wranitzky founded a pottery business in house number 14.
His first workers were simple potters and their apprentices. With his mediocre
products he only achieved modest sales at first. This proved to be a serious
problem in the highly competitive market at the time. However, upon deciding
to work on improving the quality of workmanship, he gradually increased the
sales and the pottery grew in size.
Factory workers at the height of their success
His first success was in the manufacture of refectory crockery and especially of decorative ware, toys and luxury items, where there was a gap in the market. For many years he visited the Leipzig Trade fair to find new markets.
Paul Wranitzky had not only opened up new sales areas in
all states of the monarchy, but also in Germany, England, the Orient and in
the United States. This made it necessary to continually expand his company.
On May 8, 1889, just as the business was beginning to really take off, he
died suddenly. At the time there were 85 workers in the factory. Anna Wranitzky
(born Schramek), his second wife, not only led the business successfully from
then on, but she also expanded it considerably.