While the Rosenthal Porcelain Factory grew from humble decorating roots — as many pottery companies do — it eventually built a list of universally revered designer and artist partners that included Andy Warhol and Salvador Dalí. And after securing an enviable position as a top manufacturer of serveware and dominating the porcelain and bone china markets, Rosenthal expanded into furniture production, working with influential designers Verner Panton, Luigi Colani and Günther Ferdinand Ris and Herbert Selldorf.
German-born Jewish businessman Philipp Rosenthal founded the company in 1879 in Bavaria. It began as his modest workshop where he painted porcelain and encountered success with porcelain ashtrays. Rosenthal hired the best designers and clay modelers he could find. Adolf Oppel designed figurative Art Nouveau pieces, while Eleonore (Lore) Friedrich-Gronau produced decorative objects, namely her graceful porcelain dancer figurines, for the company.
Dinnerware, though, would be a Rosenthal mainstay. Between 1904 and 1910, Rosenthal produced its renowned dinnerware lines such as Donatello, Darmstadt and Isolde. These were introduced as unornamented white pieces — only later were they given their underglaze designs.
Rosenthal founder Philipp, a Catholic of Jewish ancestry, resigned in 1934 as the company’s president due to pressures owing to discriminatory German laws that took shape during the rise of the Nazi regime. Rosenthal died in 1937, and the family fled to America. The company would not regain its footing until 1950 when Rosenthal’s son, Philip, joined the firm and, in 1958, became chairman and dubbed Germany’s “China King.” At its peak, the company had 10,000 employees.
In the 1950s, Rosenthal’s modernist dinnerware was a significant part of the brand’s offerings, and by 1961 they introduced the famed Rosenthal Studio Line. Although furniture designers and ceramicists would lead the list of individuals working with Rosenthal — among them Tapio Wirkkala, Max Weber and Lisa Larson — the company eventually reached out to fine artists, not only Dalí and Warhol but Sandro Chia and Kenny Scharf. Rosenthal also collaborated with fashion designers Gianni Versace and Donatella Versace.
In a daring move in 1972, the company diversified into furniture, collaborating with some of the giants of mid-century modern design. The revolutionary Sunball chair, an icon of Space Age seating crafted by Selldorf and Ris, was among Rosenthal’s stellar successes in this venture.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Rosenthal ceramics, porcelain, tableware, seating and more.
Large LLADRO spanish circa 1970 porcelain "Tahitian".
By Lladró Atelier
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible LLADRO spanish natural circa 1970 sculpture in porcelain "Tahitian girl".
Porcelain
Guido Cacciapuoti italian porcelain "Putan" circa 1950
By Guido Cacciapuoti
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible Guido Cacciapuoti porcelain representing "Putan" circa 1950 signed and sealed.
Porcelain
Bruno Zach french bronze Art Deco figure circa 1930
By Bruno Zach
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible french Art Deco figure attributed to Bruno Zach dancer circa 1930
Bronze
Karl Hagenauer Art Deco bronze sculpture circa 1930 signed
By Franz Hagenauer
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible bronze original Art Deco signed and numbered Franz Hagenauer circa 1930.
Bronze
Brulle Parfum in porcelain by Aladin France circa 1930. Art Deco.
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Brulle parfum in porcelain hand-painted Art Deco circa 1930. Signed ALADIN France
Porcelain
E. Aurelio italian Art Deco brown bronze male circa 1930
Located in Rio De Janeiro, RJ
Incredible sculpture in italian bronze signed E. Aurelio Art deco circa 1930 depicting naked boy sitting on edge of cliff.
Bronze
Porcelain - Christ the Redeemer
Located in Porto, PT
Porcelain - Christ the Redeemer. Biscuit sculpture of European manufacture. Minor restoration needed. Height: 30 cm.
Porcelain
19thC Terracotta "Christus Consolator" Sculpture after Thorvaldsen R&T Magdeburg
By Bertel Thorvaldsen
Located in Lisse, NL
Large 19th Century German Terracotta "Christus Consolator" Sculpture After Thorvaldsen, Scagliola Finish. This exquisite 19th-century German terracotta sculpture represents Jesus Ch...
Terracotta
“Christ King in Our Home” Plaster Statue, Belgium, ca. 1920
Located in Meulebeke, BE
This devotional plaster statue depicts Christ the King, standing with one hand raised in blessing and the other pointing to the Sacred Heart. The inscription on the base, “VLYS KONIN...
Plaster
Old Ecclesiastical Religious Art Sacred Heart of Jesus Plaster Statue Sculpture
Located in Topeka, KS
Glorious Late 19th to Early 20th Century Ecclesiastical Religious Art Sacred Heart of Jesus plaster statue sculpture upon a gilded wood base. Beautiful condition, keeping in mind that this is vintage and not new so will have signs of use and wear even if it has been refinished or restored. Specifically, his hands only had the wire structure so new hand-molded & crafted hands were created by our professional craftsmen and the wood on the base was bad so it has been given a new gilded wood base. He has many chips in the plaster that have been repaired and the whole statue has been shellacked. Please see photos, zoom in for details, and see long description as they are part of the condition report. We attempt to portray any imperfections. Circa, Late 19th – Early 20th Century. Heaven knows we could all use a little more Jesus in our lives!! Well, your prayers have just been answered!!! This is an absolutely magnificent Ecclesiastical Religious Art plaster statue of The Sacred Heart of Jesus. He is comprised of hand sculpted and hand painted plaster and he stands about 43 inches tall upon a square flat edge gilded wood base. He has handsome, realistic, intricately hand painted facial features, and his glorious dark brown shoulder length hair drapes gracefully upon his shoulders. He wears a lovely, flowing robe featuring the Sacred Heart symbol upon his chest and his beautiful bare feet are exposed at the base of his robe. His enticing hands are open and reaching out as if to welcome you into his arms. The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus is one of the most widely practiced Catholic Faith devotions wherein the heart of Jesus Christ is viewed as a symbol of “God’s boundless and passionate love for mankind.” The Sacred Heart is depicted as a flaming heart shining from behind with divine light, pierced by the lance with a bleeding wound, and encircled by the crown of thorns. And Christian faith depicts it more as a flaming heart, while the wounds and crown of thorns allude to the manner of Christ’s passion and the flames a furnace of ardent love. You can depict it how you choose! We believe that his original home was most likely a wonderful old church where he was admired for many years. Due to his materials, he should only be exhibited indoors…. Which is exactly where we all need the Lord to be anyway… on the inside!!! He will be absolutely divine in your entry way or heavenly in a sunroom surrounded by indoor foliage or faux plants & trees. He has an all-over “perfectly imperfect” aged patina, a few “character enhancing” chips that you would expect given his vintage age, and an angelic aura...
Wire, Gold Leaf
20th Century French Painted and Gilt Statue of Jesus Christ, Sacred Heart
Located in Miami, FL
This beautiful statue of Christ was crafted in Spain, circa 1900. The statue features the religious figure standing in a traditional seating pose a...
Original Porcelain Figure of Mark, circa 1930s-1950s
Located in New Orleans, LA
Original porcelain figure with mark of professor E. Patterino, maker, circa 1930s-1950s.
Porcelain
