1950s - 60s West German Furstenberg Hexagonal Ombre Gold Decor Op Art Vase by Prof. E A Sundermann

This elegant and charming work was designed and produced by Edelstein of Bavaria, Germany. Characteristic to mid-century Op Art or Pop Art design, the décor of this piece is very tactile and is likened to a stylised Sunburst or Supernova. The design is the feature on both sides of the vase, making this a double-faced piece. The form is also abstract to that of a traditional bottle form with the neck taking on mildly exaggerated curves to create a bevelled oval rim. 

Stylistically timeless and subtle but yet very much of the Op Art movement, this piece is versatile enough to be displayed as a standalone piece or used functionally.  

CONDITION
Excellent. There are no chips, cracks or repairs. Mentioned for completeness, there is mild wear of movement marks on the underside of the base and also a spot where the glaze did not completely cover the vase that is not visible when the vase is upright. Please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the base bears Edelstein's stamp. 

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 6.8" / 17.3 cm tall (from base to rim). Rim measurements: c. 2.6" / 6.5 cm x c. 1.5" / 3.8 cm. Width: c. 5.9" / 15 cm (across widest point). Depth: c. 2.9" / 7.5 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 0.6 kg / 555 g

NOTES
Vase will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Edelstein Bavaria was founded by Julius Edelstein in 1919 who right from the start specialised in porcelain tableware and decorative pieces. Edelstein enjoyed great success and by the mid-1920s employed up to 600 people. Sadly and like many other companies of the time, suffered from the world war. Though the company recovered to employing around 400 people during the 1950s, it would only last for another 2 decades until it was finally closed down in the 1970s. 

This exquisite work of 70s Modernist studio art ceramic is by master ceramist Reiner Gehrig (b. 1938 - ) Grünstadt Studio. Gehrig owned Grünstadt, enjoying a long and successful career before retiring in 2013.

This brilliantly executed work is a shining example of Gehrig's signature style, a fusion of a sculpted, lightly geometric, polished form combined with a touch-inviting, sumptuous running glaze. 

The deceptively simple bottle form is crafted with inflection points which create the three softly geometric segments and is finished with an elegantly tapered neck. The base glaze to this piece is a rich hares fur glaze of matte brown tones from deep Umber to tones of warm Cedar, Cinnamon and Coffee. Overlaid onto the base glaze is resplendent running blue glaze in tones of Azure, Cobalt, Aegean and Indigo which intersperses with earthy hues of Cedar and Blonde. 

CONDITION
Excellent- no chips, cracks or repairs. There is mild wear on the underside of the base that is commensurate with the age of the piece. Mentioned for completeness: there is the polishing on the underside of the base that is from the production process and is not damage. Please see photos as they form part of the condition report. The underside also bears Gehrig's signature 'g' pottery mark.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 7.5" / 19 cm tall by c. 4.9" / 12.5 cm wide (across the body's widest point). Base diameter: c. 1.9" / 4.8 cm. Rim diameter: c. 0.6" / 1.6 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 0.6 kg / 630 g

NOTES
Vase will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Gehrig began apprenticing with ceramics in 1954, at the age of 16. He would work his way through apprenticeship to journeyman until he attended and graduated in 1961 from the master class with Hubert Griemert (b. 1905 - d. 1990) in Höhr-Grenzhause. Griemert was an important figure in the German studio pottery world, a professor, master potter who often designed for KPM Berlin. 

After graduating, Gehrig spent some years working for recognised names such as JLKnödgen,  Van Daalen, Ulmer Keramik, Steingutfabrik Grünstadt before establishing his own studio in 1974. 

Gehrig is known for having quickly and confidently developed his own style, becoming particularly proficient with turning difficult forms. He was known to work in ceramic, porcelain, stoneware and developing a rich range of glazes, from running to salt glaze.

In his long career, Gehrig was awarded the Palatinate Prize for arts and crafts and his work features in collections at the Deidesheim, Museum of Modern Ceramics, Höhr-Grenzhausen, and the Ceramic Museum Westerwald Mainz, Ministry of Culture.

This piece is a beautiful design of Art Deco from the iconic Rubin series by Gefle Upsala Ekeby's renowned artistic director, Arthur Percy.

Percy combined the gentle curves in the form of this piece, the colour and stylised floral gold gilding into a modernised statement of Scandinavian influenced chinoiserie. The design overall, is seamless blend of the luxury, glamour and exuberance of which the Art Deco design movement represented.

CONDITION
Superb. No chips or cracks, there is age-wear present in the form of mild wear to the gold gilding which is commensurable with age of the piece. The base bears the Upsala-Ekeby Gefle stamp, 'Rubin', the numbers '252', '19' and the inscribed initials of 'DP'.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 3.9" / 10 cm tall (from base to rim) x 4.1" / 10.5 cm in diameter (rim). Base diameter: c. 2.4" / 6 cm. Unpackaged weight: 0.3 kg / 345 g

NOTES
Vase will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured.
Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Carl Arthur Carlsson-Percy, a ceramist and artist, born in Vickleby on August 10, 1886, son of sailor Nils Petter Carlsson and Johanna (Hanna) Sofia Andersson, married to Kerstin Beckman from 1911.

Percy traveled to Stockholm during the early 20th century to train himself as a decorative painters. In 1905 he went to the school of artistic association and in 1908 he traveled to Paris for studies at Académie Collarossi and Matisse Painting School. He would go on to become artistic director in 1923 at Gefle Porslinsfabrik(which became part of Upsala Ekeby in 1936). In 1942 he became artistic director at Karlskrona Porslinsfabrik until 1946.

His early work was characterised by items with soft decorations of flowers and birds, he was also inspired by Italian 14th and 16th centuries, which was also reflected in his work. During the 1920s, his renowned work includes the series "Gefle", "Vinranka", "Floating Blue", "Iris", "Three Flowers", "Silversties" and "Christina". During the 1930's and 40's came "Suecia", "Exotica" and his perhaps most famous décor "Rubin".

Percys art is represented in a large number of Swedish and foreign museums, including National Museum and Modern Museum, Prince Eugens Waldemarsudde, Art Museum in Gothenburg, and museums in Malmö, Norrköping, Lindköping, Västerås, Borås, Jönköping, Kalmar, Karlstad, Gävle and Östersund, etc. Abroad, one can find his art at the Sévres Museum in Paris, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Pau, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Metropolian Museum in New York and the Lubeck Museum in Germany and others.

THE ITEM
Two spectacular pieces of porcelain art by Johan Van Loon, true to his artistic trademark - these are an excellent embodiment of juxtapositions.

The undulating ripples of the matte textured drapes as if it was fabric, the 'fabric' is wrapped around the smooth gloss surface of the structured porcelain body. The visually woven texture of the 'fabric', its ripples and ridges that would otherwise appear along the folds of soft fabric is all held together in one piece next to the glossy-smooth to touch, fine porcelain.

These works of art speak to Van Loons fascination and creativity with ceramic and textile on multiple levels and were created when he was a guest designer at Rosenthal Studio Line. These are pieces which are well deserving of a place in a contemporary, modernist or even industrial decor themed room.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Johan Gerard van Loon
Johan van Loon (1934 - present) is a Dutch ceramist and textile artist. Van Loon studied textile design in Amsterdam and Copenhagen until 1960, during this time, his fascination in ceramics began to manifest and he mastered the skills of a ceramist. During his career, he continued to study and refine, working and learning from well-known names of the time such as Jos Eppens-van Veen, Thera Hofstede Crull, Lucie Rie, Stig Lindberg, Kylikki Salmenhaara and Jan van der Vaart. Van Loons influences came from many places, Amsterdam, London, Stockholm, Helsinki and Copenhagen. Absorbing everything that came his way, over the course of the years Van Loon gained the great technical proficiency that gives him the freedom to express the wealth of his ideas. Few ceramicists are so intrigued by the characteristics of the material as Van Loon. Often the material itself is the locus of expression, usually taking the form of a container, however far removed that may be from its original function.

Rosenthal (1879 - present)
The company founder, Philipp Rosenthal, moved his porcelain painting skills from Werl (North Rhine-Westphalia) to Selb in Bavaria, which he industrialised in the castle Erkersreuth with his painting workshop. The company grew from strength to strength over the years, with original pieces designed by artists such as Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol, Wilhelm Wagenfeld and Walter Gropius. By 1997, Rosenthal was the market leader for high-quality porcelain and glassware in Germany and was the world market leader in conjunction with Waterford Wedgwood.

Rosenthal studio-line, a brand of Rosenthal made design-oriented crockery and art objects made of porcelain and glass. Sadly, in 2008, the Waterford Wedgwood Group wanted to divest the Rosenthal share package due to liquidity difficulties and as a result of the subsequent collapse of Waterford Wedgwood, the company filed for insolvency in January 2009. Today, Rosenthal operates as an independent company and is part of Sambonet Paderno Industrie.

CONDITION
Excellent, no chips, cracks or scratches - please see photos as part of the condition report. Base of both vases bear Van Loon's signature, as well as the 'Rosenthal Porcelaine Noire, Germany' mark.

MEASUREMENTS
Ginger Jar Form Vase c. 6.3" / 16 cm in height by c. 5.5" / 14 cm (across the body's widest point) Unpackaged weight: c. 0.6 kg / 610 g
Cylinder Form Vase c. 7.5" / 19 cm in height by c. 3.2" /8 cm (across the body's widest point) Unpackaged: c. 0.3 kg / 305 g

NOTES
Vase(s) will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured.
Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

THE ITEM
This set was designed and produced by Jammet Seignolles (now 'J. Seignolles'), a prestigious flagship Limoges porcelain brand. The design series was named Kyoto, echoing the style influences of Japan and coveted during the Art Deco era. Pieces from this design series rarely appear on the market and in this good a level of vintage condition, so this piece is an exceptional find.

An impeccable representation of Art Deco design with the design's influence and inspiration being present at multiple levels, from the form to the decor of this set. Art Deco indicators of sophisticated luxury can be seen in the iridised silver plating of the dish and the trim accents on the cup, the influences carry through in the clean, geometric shape of the dish and the angular handle of the cup. The cup itself, is made with fine Limoges porcelain.

The wonderful iridised silver plating on the cup and dish was applied by the Italian Silversmiths Calegaro, their mark is present on both pieces. Calegaro are known as partners to luxury brands in the production of their exclusive designs.

CONDITION

Excellent vintage, no chips or cracks to the porcelain, wear and tarnish to the iridised silver plating commensurate with age of the piece, please see photos as part of condition report.
Cup bears on its base 'Jammet-Seignolles, Limoges, France, Exclusivité, Forme Parabole, Kyoto' as well as the 'Calegaro' mark and silver plating mark 'S.A 1000' on the trim.
The dish bears on its base 'Calegaro, silverplated'.

Unpackaged weight: 0.3 kg / 324 g

MEASUREMENTS
Cup: Height: c. 2.2" / 5.5 cm x c. 3.5" / 8.3 cm in diameter.
Dish: c. 5.9" / 15 cm x 5.9" / 15 cm

NOTES
Set will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured.
Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Art Deco. From its outset, Art Deco was influenced by the bold geometric forms of Cubism and the bright colours of Fauvism. It was also influenced by updated craftsmanship of the furniture of the Louis Philippe I and Louis XVI eras and the exotic styles of China and Japan, India, Persia, ancient Egypt and Maya art

Jammet Seignolles. In 1962, Henri Seignolles, an established decorator of porcelain and his co-founders acquire "La Fabrique", one of the oldest porcelain manufactories in Limoges that was founded in 1825 in the Brigueuil forest.

Through its continual innovation over the years, Seignolles became one of the major flagship brands of Limoges porcelain. Nearing a 200 year history, J. Seignolles porcelain had become both admired and used by rulers as well as heads of state. In 2004, they were selected from several competitors, to provide all the porcelain tableware for the royal wedding of Prince Felipe of Spain and Letizia. In the same year, the manufactory also supplied the royal family of Saudi Arabia.

In 2008, the factory received the "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" label, am award for its perseverance in perfectionism and the love of the craft of from its spinners, painters, polishers, creators and exceptional art, whose excellence has made the tour of the greatest tables in the world.