Century New Wave Vase & Bowl Set – Tapio Wirkkala & Dorothy Hafner for Rosenthal, 1980s

A two-piece Rosenthal Studio-Line set combining Tapio Wirkkala’s dynamic porcelain forms with Dorothy Hafner’s Century: New Wave decoration of sweeping lines, rhythmic marks and pastel colours with black accents. Produced in Germany in 1986 and 1989, the glossy vase and wide fruit bowl reflect the meeting of Finnish modernism and American postmodern design.

• Dimensions:
  
  • Vase: H 22 cm, Dia 18 cm
    
  • Bowl: H 6.5 cm, Dia 30 cm
    
• Material: Glazed porcelain
  
• Brand: Rosenthal
  
• Designers: Tapio Wirkkala; decoration by Dorothy Hafner
  
• Series: Century: New Wave
  
• Color: White, black, pastel blue, pink, yellow and green
  
• Condition: Very good vintage condition with minimal signs of age and careful use. The vase has a sealed production-related crack formed during manufacture; it is stable and does not affect its display. Please refer to the photographs.
  
• Era: 1980s
  
• Origin: Germany
  
• Remarks: Set of two; vase produced in 1989 and bowl in 1986

Display the pair together on a dining table, sideboard or open shelf, where the broad bowl and upright vase create a lively composition. 

Dorothy Hafner (born 1952, Woodbridge, Connecticut) is an American ceramist and glass artist whose bold, postmodern geometric pattern language turned functional tableware into collectible design. After founding Art in Dining and creating lines for major firms (including Tiffany & Co.), she began collaborating with Rosenthal in 1982, becoming best known for the “Flash” dinnerware series—widely regarded as her signature porcelain work.

Tapio Wirkkala (1915–1985) was one of the most important Finnish designers and sculptors of the 20th century and a major figure of post-war Nordic design. His work for Rosenthal – including the iconic crumpled paper bag vases and the geometric Polygon tableware for the Studio Line – uniquely combined Scandinavian minimalism with German porcelain craftsmanship and is still considered a milestone in the Rosenthal portfolio. Beyond Rosenthal, Wirkkala’s multidisciplinary designs in glass, wood, metal and porcelain for Iittala and others, defined Nordic design with their minimalist, functional yet highly expressive character and are now widely recognized as modern design classics in museum collections worldwide.

Rosenthal, founded in 1879 in Selb, Bavaria, is one of Germany’s most important porcelain manufacturers, recognised for combining industrial production with high design standards. With its Studio-Linie programme from the 1960s onwards, Rosenthal invited international artists and designers to create avant-garde forms and décors, making pieces like this set both functional objects and design collectibles.