About us
Why Retro East And West Germain Ceramics
After retiring as a property evaluator and real estate broker of many years, I began studying interior design with an aim to providing those on wishing to sell, buy , build or renovate, with practical Information. The ideas had always been there but with the talent lacking to present these ideas on paper I had to find another way.
The use of color to provide interest and balance in a living or working space lead to retro ceramics, both Dutch and German. At first I found these pieces at rummage sales and charity shops. I was amazed at the quality of workmanship compared to what one can buy on the market today and the more I studied about the factories and artists that created these pieces, the more I came to appreciate them. It became a passion.
In the spring of 2011, antiques expert, writer and evaluator of antiques and retro on television Mark Hill opened an exhibition of German “ Fat Lava “ ceramics in Amsterdam. For the enthusiastic crowd gathered around to hear his opening speech, Hill explained how he got into collecting these wonderful vases, plaques and dishes. It was simply a matter of economics, he explained. Although he loved the real antiques, art deco, and expensive porcelain, he simply couldn’t afford it.
Although the prices for antiques have come down in recent years, there is still a big difference in price in what the collector can find in items from 1930 on ( for German 1950-1990), and the “real”antique. Retro ceramics is still, after all, the antique of the future, is still affordable for the collector, and is so varied pieces can be found to fit into any interior from classical to contemporary.
Acknowledgement
While every attempt has been made to correctly link each pot with its proper factory, it is always possible that here and there a mistake has crept in. This is due to the fact that base numbers have been glazed over, or a factory – no longer in existence – never kept accurate records. For the most part, identification could not have been possible without the invaluable help of 2 CDs produced by KEVIN JAMES GRAHAM :
- West and East German Pottery-Marks, Bases, Decors and Form numbers Volume III and
- From Spritzdekor to Fat Lava - West and East German Ceramics Volume II
Any collector of East and West German pottery should not be without these CD’s which can be ordered directly from Mr. Graham by mailing him at:
To Kevin my unconditional gratitude.
Further thanks are owed to interior decorator and interior design teacher Carla Verweij who never lost patience trying (and eventually failing) to teach me to draw in perspective. Had she succeeded I never would have pursued collecting beautiful German and Dutch retro pottery.For what she did do was open my eyes to seeing color and using it – in the form of pottery – to brightenan otherwise lifeless room, or to enhance the colors in a painting or other aspects of the living space.