Lladro Gres
Lladro figurines are made in Valencia, Spain, of hard paste porcelain and gres. The Lladro family of companies was started by the Lladro brothers, Juan, José and Vicente in 1953. When buying a Lladro, look for the blue Lladro symbol on the bottom of the piece. It was first used in 1974. If the Lladro that interests you does not have the Lladro symbol, verify the piece with the Authorized Lladro Reference Guide. The guide is available from Andrews Gallery. If still unsure, ask the seller questions before you buy.
Lladro Gres figurines are made using gres as the main material. While not necessarily the same as the gres compound used in tiles, gres does have a brownish color which lends a different feeling to the finished sculpture. Since gres is different that hard paste porcelain, you do not find the delicate flowers often found in the classic figurines. Instead, gres has warmth of its own and emits an ambience of its room to the surroundings it shares. Most older gres pieces have a number similar to 12XXX with some extending into 13XXX. Also, there numbering of limited editions does not distinguish between classic and gres. If in doubt, consult the Lladro Reference Guide. |
