“Lamina Grün” Vase Pair – Hans Wohlrab & Helmut Drexler for Rosenthal, 1970s

Two satin porcelain vases in Rosenthal’s rare “Goldfeuer Lamina Grün” décor, combining Hans Wohlrab’s clear 1950s form language with Helmut Drexler’s richly layered green-and-gold metallic finish. The calm geometric silhouettes contrast beautifully with the atmospheric lamina glaze, whose surface recalls oxidized bronze, patinated copper, and mineral-like gold deposits.

• Dimensions:
  
  • Vase 1: H 18 cm, Dia. 9 cm
    
  • Vase 2: H 16 cm, Dia. 6 cm
• Material: Porcelain with metallic lamina glaze
  
• Brand: Rosenthal
  
• Designer: Hans Wohlrab & Helmut Drexler
  
• Color: Green, yellow, gold
  
• Condition: Very good vintage condition
  
• Era: 1970s–1980s
  
• Origin: Germany
  
• Remarks: Model of the Vase 1 is 2698, documented 1955 Wohlrab's form. The cylindrical vase shows minor glaze wear to the upper rim, but there are no chips or cracks.

A strong pair for collectors, but also very effective in everyday interiors. They work especially well on a console, shelf, or sideboard, styled together with brass, smoked glass, dark wood, or stone, and suit modern, 1970s-inspired, or quietly eclectic spaces.

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.

Hans Wohlrab (1911–1970) was a German designer whose porcelain forms for Rosenthal are known for their calm proportions and disciplined modernist clarity. Helmut Drexler (1927–2016) was one of the key artistic figures behind Rosenthal Studio-Line’s most experimental surface décors, developing metallic finishes that pushed porcelain beyond traditional ornament. Rosenthal Studio-Line, launched in 1961, became the company’s design-led line, known for collaborations with important international designers and artists.

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.