Caring for Herend Figurines, and What to Do When One Breaks

Quick answers

• How do I dust a Herend figurine? With a soft, dry cloth. A clean, soft makeup brush reaches the fine net and the gaps between ears, paws and props.
• What should I avoid? Lemon-based products, abrasive cleaners and scouring cloths.
• Can I wash it? If a figurine needs more than dusting, ask us before you try anything stronger.
• How do I pick it up? By the body or the base, with both hands for anything larger than a miniature.
• Where should it stand? On a steady shelf away from swinging doors, ideally behind glass.

Where each animal is most fragile

Every Herend animal has a few thin parts that break first. These are the ones we warn customers about in each of our animal guides.

Displaying a collection

• A closed glass cabinet keeps dust off, so the pieces need dusting far less often.
• Leave a little space between figurines so they don't touch when a shelf is bumped.
• Keep fragile pieces at the back of a shelf and away from swinging doors, curtains and pets.
• Group them in a way that helps you see gaps in the collection: by animal, by color, or one model in several colors. Our figurine guide has ideas for starting a collection.

Gold touches

Herend uses real gold. According to herend.com, the gold and painting are fixed to the surface in a last decor firing at about 800°C (about 1,470°F), after the porcelain has already been fired twice. Treat the gilded beak, paws or collar as the most delicate surface on the piece and dust it gently, without polish.

Packing figurines for a move or for storage

1. Dust each piece first, so grit is not rubbed against the paint.
2. Wrap each figurine on its own in soft tissue, then in bubble wrap, with extra padding around the thin parts.
3. Use the original Herend box when you have it, and keep the boxes for that reason.
4. Pack the pieces upright in a sturdy carton with padding on all sides, and mark the carton as fragile.

Seasonal pieces such as the nativity and the snowmen in our Herend Christmas guide go back into storage the same way after the holidays.

Keep a record of your collection

Photograph each figurine from the front and from the base, and note its item number: the decor code names the color, and the five-digit model number stays the same in every color. Our figurine guide shows how to read the number and our guide to Herend marks explains the base. A simple list with photos makes an insurance claim or a replacement much easier.

When a figurine breaks: how to replace it

1. Keep every piece, above all the base. The base carries the mark, so keep it until you have the item number.
2. Find the item number. Note the five-digit model number and the color code, or the model and color from your own records.
3. Look for the model at Paris Tableware. Herend figurines are listed by model and color in Herend figurines at Paris Tableware.
4. Can't find it? Search paristableware.com by the figurine's name as well. If the model is not listed in your color, email info@paristableware.com with the model number and color code and we'll check whether we can get it for you.

Repairs and keepsakes

Paris Tableware doesn't repair porcelain. For a piece with sentimental value, a professional porcelain restorer can often rejoin breaks and retouch paint; ask to see their work on hand-painted porcelain first. Some families choose kintsugi instead, the Japanese practice of mending with lacquer and gold, which our store explains in What Is Kintsugi?

Herend plates and cups

This guide is about figurines. Herend dinnerware is sold one piece at a time, so a single broken plate or cup can usually be replaced; start with Herend teacups and saucers or Herend dinnerware. Pieces with gold trim never go in the microwave; our store's article on the gold rim on Herend dinnerware explains the trim.