Navy Christmas plates from Royal Copenhagen
From 1961 to 1983 Royal Copenhagen published a series of blue faience plates with motifs from the Navy. The plates shows significant ships, persons and equipment through the years and many of them can be related to very important events in Denmark.
The first plate shows the Frigate Niels Juel, 1864, which participated in the Battle of Helgoland on May 9th 1864. The Royal Copenhagen Navy's Christmas plate from 1966 shows Tordenskiold in the prow of his ship at the Battle of the Swedish fjord Dynekilen, where he won a convincing victory, which was contributed to Norway not beeing conquered by Sweden.
Also the sinking of the fleet on August 29th 1943 was depicted on one of the Christmas plates, namely Royal Copenhagen Navy's Christmas plate from 1968. Here is the characteristic image of the ship Peder Skram, halfway sunk in the harbour. The plate depicts a sad moment in Danish history, partly because 32 ships were lost and partly because the war is remembered as a dark time. At the same time, the Christmas plate tells the story of a planned event, which went well, as the German occupiers failed to take over the Danish ships.
The Battle of Køge Bay in 1677 appears on the Royal Copenhagen Navy Christmas plate from 1977. Here probably depicts Niels Juel, who had a major role in the Battle and contributed to Denmark winning over the Swedes.
The blue Navy Christmas plates also shows several motifs from Holmen, which for many years was the only naval base in Denmark until the current naval bases in Frederikshavn and Korsor were instituted. It also displays emblems and logos from some of the Navy's bodies such as the Navy's Officer School and Marine Society.
On the back of the Navy's Christmas plates there are two holes for hanging the plates, but they can also be used as bowls or ashtrays.
In the same period as the blue faience plates were released, there was also released a similar series of white porcelain with the same motifs as the faience plates. The white porcelain plates from the Navy, however, were produced a few years longer than the blue, so they go up to 1985.
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