Black Glass “Easy” Vase – Hutschenreuther, late 20th century

A postmodern glass vase by Hutschenreuther from the Easy series, executed in smoky black to clear glass with a softly tapering oval form. The body narrows downward from a broad asymmetric opening into a compact clear foot, giving the piece a strong vertical pull. Its defining feature is the banded hand-worked surface, with horizontal battuto-like cutting and polishing that creates a rippling, faceted texture across the satin-dark body.

• Dimensions: H 20 cm, W 13.1 cm, D 6.2 cm
  
• Material: Hand-polished art glass
  
• Brand: Hutschenreuther
  
• Color: Smoky black, transparent
  
• Era: Late 20th century
  
• Origin: West Germany
  
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; no chips, cracks, or structural damage. Minor age-related traces consistent with careful use.

What stands out here is the contrast between the dark, almost velvety upper body and the clear base, which gives the vase a lighter finish than expected. The oval opening and gently uneven contour keep it from feeling too strict, while the battuto-like surface catches light in a restrained, wave-like way.

Hutschenreuther is a historic German porcelain brand whose roots go back to 1814, when Carolus Magnus Hutschenreuther founded a porcelain factory in Hohenberg an der Eger. His son Lorenz established a separate porcelain factory in Selb in 1857, which grew into Lorenz Hutschenreuther AG, acquiring several other factories. In 1969 the two branches merged as Hutschenreuther AG; since 2000 the Hutschenreuther brand has belonged to Rosenthal and today continues as part of the Sambonet Paderno / Arcturus group.