Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
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.
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Beech
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1960s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Laminate
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Foam, Beech, Lacquer
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Faux Fur, Wood, Oak
1990s American American Craftsman Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Walnut
1970s Czech Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Wood, Fabric
1980s American Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Stainless Steel
1980s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Metal, Chrome
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Leather, Bentwood
Early 2000s American Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Oak
2010s Brazilian Modern Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Wood
1960s Swedish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Wood
Mid-20th Century Czech Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Leather, Wood
1980s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Beech
1970s German Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Beech
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Fabric, Wood
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal Rocking Chairs
Upholstery, Wood
Rosenthal rocking chairs for sale on 1stDibs.
- Who owns Rosenthal china?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Sambonet Paderno Industrie S.p.A. owns Rosenthal china as of January 2022. The Italian company purchased the porcelain manufacturer in 2009. Philipp Rosenthal founded Rosenthal in 1879 in Selb, Bavaria, Germany. You'll find a variety of Rosenthal china on 1stDibs.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022To identify Rosenthal crystal, look for one of the company's maker's marks. The German crystal manufacturer changed their hallmark many times over the years, so you can use an authoritative online reference to determine an approximate manufacturing date. On 1stDibs, find a selection of expertly vetted Rosenthal crystal.
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Rosenthal porcelain is made in factories in Selb and Speichersdorf, Germany. Notably, the head of the Bauhaus school, Walter Gropius, designed the factory in Selb. Philipp Rosenthal founded Rosenthal in 1879. On 1stDibs, you can find a selection of Rosenthal porcelain.
- 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Yes, Rosenthal china is still being produced. Rosenthal was founded in 1979 in Germany with a passion for innovation and design with high-quality materials and hand-painted designs. Shop a collection of authentic Rosenthal goods on 1stDibs.