Curated Vase Duo – Martin Freyer & Werner Schreib for Rosenthal, 1960s–1970s

Striking white bisque porcelain duo by Martin Freyer and Werner Schreib for Rosenthal, each with strong Op-Art inspired relief and a calm matte surface. The tall Freyer vase brings crisp, rhythmic geometry, while the slightly smaller Schreib piece adds a softer, more lyrical pattern – together they read as a cool mid-century study in light and shadow.

• Dimensions:
  • Freyer vase H 37 cm, Dia 12,5 cm
  • Schreib vase H 27 cm, Dia 11 cm
• Material: Bisque porcelain, matte
• Brand: Rosenthal
• Designer: Martin Freyer; Werner Schreib
• Color: White
• Condition: Very good vintage condition; light patina and minor signs of age, no chips, cracks or repairs
• Era: 1960s–1970s
• Origin: Germany
  

Best on a long sideboard or low cabinet where they can stand slightly apart, like two white “figures” anchoring a row of art books and a framed print. They also work beautifully on the floor next to a media unit or in a wide hallway niche.

Hans Martin Freyer (1909–1975) was a German painter, graphic and industrial designer whose work ranged from architecture and stage design to textiles and product design. Best known to the wider public as the creator of the refined Volkswagen VW logo in 1938, he later worked as a freelance designer of patterns, structures and reliefs. From 1964 to 1974 he designed for Rosenthal, developing sculptural relief decorations for glass and porcelain in the studio-line – most famously the Plissée vases, whose pleated, fabric-like white or black bisque surfaces remain icons of mid-century and Op-Art influenced German porcelain design.

Werner Schreib (1925-1969) was a German painter and graphic artist known for “structural ornament” pattern work and experimental print techniques, and his visual language also appeared on Rosenthal Künstlerporzellan. In the 1960s he is credited with matte white bisque-porcelain pieces - especially relief vases (e.g., model 3054) and design objects like ashtrays/lighters - now collected for their crisp, Op-Art-like surface rhythm.

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.