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.
Postmodern Procelain Clock by Marcello Morandini for Rosenthal Studio Line
By Rosenthal
Located in Brooklyn, NY
A fantastic porcelain desk or table clock by Italian designer Marcello Morandini for German ceramics powerhouse Rosenthal for their designer-focused Studio Line. Black and white gra...
Porcelain
Rosenthal Jugendstil Porcelain Clock with the Goddess Diana (Artemis) the Hunter
By Rosenthal, Karl Himmelstoss
Located in Philadelphia, PA
A fine antique Jugendstil porcelain clock. By Rosenthal. In blanc de chine porcelain with gilt accents throughout and a gold washed clock face. Perched atop the clock is the Godde...
Porcelain
German Meissen Porcelain Clock
Located in Queens, NY
German Meissen (19th Century) porcelain group of men and women with floral and bronze branches around mantel clock (not working)
Bronze
$24,601 / set
H 23.63 in W 10.24 in D 8.67 in
Antique Clock Garniture with Sèvres Style Porcelain and Ormolu
By Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres
Located in London, GB
This fantastic porcelain clock garniture contains three vases, one of which has been mounted with a ormolu clock dial with jewels surrounding it. The vases are decorated in the style of the Sèvres Porcelain manufacturers, with cartouches to the front and back. The panels on the front depict ladies and putti in a landscape, while the reverse sides depict riverbanks. The vases are set on ormolu bases with canted angles, and feature twin ormolu handles which take the form of masks. The central vase is surmounted by an ormolu putti...
Ormolu
Sèvres Porcelain with Doré Bronze Clock
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Sèvres Porcelain with doré bronze clock. Clock is not running.
Bronze
Jugendstil mantel clock by Junghans Darmstadt
By Junghans Uhren GmbH
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Jugendstil mantel clock by Junghans Darmstadt. Professionally stained and repolished.
Brass
Lenzkirch Mantel Clock, Art Nouveau Jugendstil
Located in Hamilton, Ontario
Lenzkirch Art Nouveau Jugendstil mantle clock This German clock features stylized accents heavily influenced by the Art Nouveau and Jugendstil era. I...
$325
H 13 in W 5 in D 5 in
German Junghans Style Brass Lady Diana Figure Porcelain Dial Swinging Clock
By Junghans Uhren GmbH
Located in Danville, CA
German Junghans Style Brass Lady Diana Figure Swinging Clock with Porcelain Dial Solid Brass cast statue with polished wood base. Hand painted 2" porcelain dial. Clock portion swing...
Brass
$6,081
H 16 in W 18.5 in D 6.25 in
French porcelain and ormolu mantel clock with silver highlights mantel clock
Located in London, GB
French porcelain and ormolu mantel clock with silver highlights mantel clock. A superb Napoleon III clock in the Louis XVIth style. The original fire/mercury gilt ormolu in very good...
Bronze
Porcelain Clock in the Louis XV Style by Jacob Petit
By Jacob Petit
Located in London, GB
This antique porcelain mantel clock demonstrates the 19th century nostalgia for the delicately elegant decorative arts under King Louis XV, also known as the Rococo style. Crafted by celebrated porcelain artist Jacob Petit, this exquisite clock is particularly notable for the way in which the porcelain has been shaped so as to give the clock such a whimsically free-spirited, scrolling shape. The clock is formed as a clock case upon a lower base, which are both decorated as a though a singular piece with green glaze on a white ground, accented with painted floral panels and extensive gilt highlights all over. The clock case, which is particularly exuberant in design, features a central, circular clock dial. The white enamelled dial is bordered with beaded ormolu, and features black Roman numerals and the inscription 'Scherer'- the name of the 19th century Parisian clock...
Porcelain
$4,047
H 18.12 in W 14.97 in D 5.12 in
Antique French Empire Style Ormolu Bronze Mantel Clock with Goddess 'Ceres'
By Pierre-Philippe Thomire
Located in Madrid, ES
Following a model by early 19th century Paris sculptor and bronzier Pierre-Philippe Thomire, and showcasing many of the neoclassical design elements common to the Empire Style popula...
Bronze
Small jugendstil mantel clock by Junghans Darmstadt
By Junghans Uhren GmbH
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Small jugendstil mantel clock by Junghans Darmstadt in excellent original condition.
Tin
Jugendstil longcase clock
Located in Banská Štiavnica, SK
Jugendstil longcase clock in very good original condition, working.
Brass
Postmodern Alarm Desk Clock Designed by Dietrich Lubs For Braun
By Dietrich Lubs, Braun
Located in San Diego, CA
Classic analouge alarm battery desk top clock simple elegant design , in great condition battery AA not included.Model BC01W
Plastic