Rosenthal
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 Space Age Vintage Rosenthal
Fiberglass, Foam, Rubber, Wool, Canvas
1970s German Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Fabric, Wood
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal
Glass, Art Glass
1910s German Art Nouveau Vintage Rosenthal
Porcelain
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Ceramic, Porcelain
20th Century German Modern Rosenthal
Glass
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Porcelain
1960s German Vintage Rosenthal
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Scandinavian Modern Rosenthal
Gold Leaf
Late 20th Century German Post-Modern Rosenthal
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal
Ceramic
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal
Ceramic, Porcelain
Late 20th Century German Rosenthal
Porcelain
1980s American Vintage Rosenthal
Glass
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal
Ceramic, Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal
Ceramic, Porcelain
1980s German Art Deco Vintage Rosenthal
Glass
Mid-20th Century German Modern Rosenthal
Porcelain
Late 20th Century Unknown Modern Rosenthal
Porcelain
1960s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Porcelain
1970s Vintage Rosenthal
Crystal
20th Century Modern Rosenthal
Gold
Late 20th Century German Country Rosenthal
Porcelain
1970s German Vintage Rosenthal
Porcelain
Late 20th Century German Art Deco Rosenthal
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal
Ceramic, Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal
Wood
Late 20th Century German Modern Rosenthal
Ceramic
Late 20th Century German Modern Rosenthal
Ceramic
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal
Porcelain
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Chrome, Metal
20th Century Rosenthal
Porcelain
1960s Austrian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Stainless Steel
20th Century Rosenthal
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Post-Modern Rosenthal
Wood
1980s German Post-Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Porcelain
1980s German Post-Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Porcelain
20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal
Porcelain
1960s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Steel
1980s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Porcelain
20th Century Rosenthal
Porcelain
Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal
Glass
1970s Danish Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Fabric, Upholstery
Late 20th Century Rosenthal
Brass
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Fabric, Upholstery, Plastic, Fiberglass
20th Century Rosenthal
Porcelain
1970s German Mid-Century Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Wood, Fabric
1970s Danish Scandinavian Modern Vintage Rosenthal
Metal, Chrome
1980s German Vintage Rosenthal
Porcelain
Late 20th Century German Mid-Century Modern Rosenthal
Porcelain
Late 20th Century German Post-Modern Rosenthal
Porcelain
20th Century Rosenthal
Porcelain
20th Century Rosenthal
Porcelain
Late 20th Century American Neoclassical Rosenthal
Composition
1970s German Vintage Rosenthal
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century German Space Age Rosenthal
Velvet, Fiberglass
Rosenthal furniture for sale on 1stDibs
Creators Similar to Rosenthal
- 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.