Goldfeuer Vase Duo – Helmut Drexler for Rosenthal, 1970s–1980s

Hand-painted Rosenthal bottle vase duo in finest glazed porcelain, designed and decorated by Helmut Drexler, featuring one bold green and one burgundy-green vase with opulent gold detailing in the expressive, experimental Studio Line tradition of postwar German porcelain. 

• Dimensions: H 20 cm & 18 cm, D 8 cm
• Material: Glazed porcelain, hand-painted with gold
• Brand: Rosenthal
• Designer: Helmut Drexler
• Color: Green with gold; lilac-green with gold
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; no chips, cracks or repairs, minor wear consistent with careful age
• Era: Late 1970s–early 1980s
• Origin: Germany
  

For collectors of Rosenthal and 20th-century German design as well as statement everyday decor; ideal for mid-century, eclectic or contemporary interiors.

Helmut Drexler (1927–2016) was a German porcelain painter and designer who rose from apprentice at Rosenthal in Selb to master painter, then head of the decoration department. From the 1970s onwards he developed experimental surface treatments that transformed porcelain with complex metallic and marbled effects; Goldfeuer was one of his breakthrough décors, first shown at Rosenthal’s 8th Artists’ Days in 1985. By etching the glaze, applying gold in varying thicknesses and firing it under a marbling lacquer, Drexler achieved a controlled play of lilac tones and dense gold veins that has never been convincingly imitated, cementing his reputation as a technical and artistic innovator.

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.