Flash Porcelain Vase Duo & Ashtray – Dorothy Hafner for Rosenthal, 1980s

A three-piece Rosenthal Studio-Line ensemble comprising two porcelain vases and a matching triangular ashtray decorated with Dorothy Hafner’s colourful “Flash” pattern. Designed in 1982 and introduced in 1984, the series combines jagged lines, checkerboard details and contrasting colour blocks in a distinctive Postmodern composition associated with the Memphis era.

• Dimensions:
  • Tall vase: H 23 cm, W 13 cm, D 13 cm
    
  • Smaller vase: H 19 cm, W 11 cm, D 11 cm
    
  • Ashtray: H 5 cm, W 17 cm, D 17 cm
• Material: Glazed porcelain
  
• Brand: Rosenthal
  
• Designer: Dorothy Hafner
  
• Series: Flash
  
• Color: Ivory with multicoloured geometric decoration
  
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition with minor age-appropriate signs of use; no chips, cracks or restorations
  
• Era: 1980s
  
• Origin: Germany
  
• Remarks: Three-piece set comprising two vases and one matching triangular ashtray

The trio works well together on a sideboard, console or coffee table, while the ashtray can also be used as a small catchall. It is particularly suited to Postmodern and contemporary interiors that benefit from a concentrated graphic and colour accent.

Designed by Dorothy Hafner in 1982 and introduced by Rosenthal Studio-Line in 1984, “Flash” received numerous awards and citations for its innovative approach to tableware. Examples of the series are held in the permanent collections of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum and the National Gallery of Victoria, confirming its significance within 1980s Postmodern design.

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.

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.