Ceramic Floor Vase – Fridegard Glatzle for Karlsruher Majolika, 1970s

Extra-large vintage floor vase from Karlsruher Majolika, designed by Fridegard Glatzle in the 1970s, with a bold abstract glaze in deep red and warm beige on a generously rounded body. The strong colour blocking and expressive surface make it a definitive statement piece of West German mid-century ceramics.

• Dimensions: H 56 cm, W 30 cm, D 27 cm
• Material: Glazed ceramic
• Brand: Karlsruher Majolika
• Designer: Fridegard Glatzle
• Color: Deep red, beige, earthy tones
• Condition: Very good vintage condition; no visible damage, minor signs of age and use
• Era: 1970s
• Origin: Germany
• Remarks: Marked on the base with Karlsruher Majolika stamp and model number 7605

Best used as a floor vase or low pedestal piece: place it beside a sideboard, next to a fireplace, or at the end of a sofa to anchor a corner with colour and presence. 

Fridegard Glätzle (b. 1920) is a German ceramic designer closely associated with the Staatliche Majolika Manufaktur Karlsruhe, where she worked as an in-house designer from 1951 to 1981 after training as a potter and studying ceramics in Höhr-Grenzhausen (1949–1951). During her manufactory career, around 1,200 of her designs went into series production, and she also developed her own studio collection; she received the Baden-Württemberg State Prize for Arts and Crafts in 1959.

Karlsruher Majolika (the State Majolica Manufactory) was founded on 4 January 1901 in Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, to revive and advance tin-glazed majolica and establish an artist-led ceramics program. Over more than a century it became known for art pottery, wall tiles, and architectural ceramics, collaborating with notable figures such as Max Laeuger and Wilhelm Süs, and later for collectible decorative pieces including animal figures linked to makers like Dietmar Liedke. The manufactory ceased operations in 2024, with remaining holdings dispersed via a major closing auction in March 2025.