Szűts István Gergely: Üzlet és diplomácia. A Gulden Gyula vezette Herendi Porcelánmanufaktúra - A Veszprém Megyei Levéltár kiadványai 36. (Veszprém, 2015)
Abstract
Abstract The first leader of the nearly two hundred year old Herend Porcelain Manufactory who had a manager's perspective was Gyula Gulden. Gulden, speaking several languages and having a degree in Law and Trade, was admitted to the factory in 1923 at the age of 25. In the next two decades he introduced significant reforms in production, sales and marketing. Owing to his sense of business and relationships the Herendi brand became available in all the five continents. He was familiar in Western Europe, principally in England, Switzerland and Germany due to his kinship, which was very advantageous for the sale of the products. Gyula Golden was also well-known in the economic, political and diplomatic life of Hungary at that time. Besides the traditional means of trade the sale of the porcelain products through channels of diplomacy became increasingly important due to his wide network of relationships. As a result, several European dynasties, prime ministers and artists received Herend products from the Hungarian government. Apart from the Herend Porcelain Manufactory, he also had an interest in other enterprises, the most remarkable of which was the world famous Hungarian brand, the Gerbeaud. In 1923 he married Edmee Pittard, grandchild of Emil Gerbeaud, and they had a child. He was a member of the Supervisory Board of the Kugler Gerbeaud Pic. from 1930, and later he became the managing director. His duties multiplied when he was appointed Honorary Consul of Portugal to Budapest. Although during the second world war the Herend Porcelain Manufactory had more profit, the number of its customers declined because of the European political situation. In 1944 Gyula Gulden as Portugal vice consul played an active part in rescuing the refugees, he was the head of the embassy of the neutral country in Budapest from 29 October to 8 December. On 9 December 1944 he travelled to Switzerland with his wife in order to come to terms with the local envoys of Portugal about the transportation of the protected people out of the country. The family lived in Geneva until the spring of 1948, where Gulden managed the export of the manufactory until the nationalization. Besides he was the head of the Hungarian Section of the Red Cross in Geneva. Due to the nationalizations he lost his share both in the Herend Porcelain Manufactory Pic., and in the Gerbeaud Pic. In addition, the properties and belongings of the family were also impounded by the government. In 1948 the family moved to the USA and settled down in Syracuse in New York State. Gyula Gulden became one of the leaders of the local porcelain factory. This is the place where he died in 1979. 175
