Nautica Porcelaine Noire Duo – Jan van der Vaart for Rosenthal, 1980s

A refined black porcelain pair with strong visual contrast. The tall vase brings calm vertical balance, while the Nautica bowl introduces a directional curve. Matte and glossy surfaces give both pieces depth, clarity, and quiet tension.

• Dimensions:
  
  • Vase: H 20 cm, Dia. 23.5 cm
    
  • Bowl: H 9 cm, Dia. 22 cm
• Material: Porcelaine Noire, porcelain with matte and glossy finish
• Brand: Rosenthal
• Designer: Jan van der Vaart
• Color: Black
• Era: Late modern, 1980s
• Origin: Germany
• Condition: Very good vintage condition; no chips, cracks, or restorations. Minimal signs of handling consistent with age.
• Remarks: Set of two.

This pair has a disciplined, gallery-like presence, but it still feels warm in a room. The wide vase creates a stable anchor, while the bowl adds a more fluid note. Especially effective on a long console, a stone pedestal, or in a room with soft natural textiles and muted tones.

Jan van der Vaart (1931–2000) was a leading Dutch ceramist, known for his strictly geometric, modular vessel forms and for elevating serial, cast pieces to collectible design. As professor at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam he shaped a generation of ceramic artists, and his works are held in major museum collections such as the Stedelijk Museum and Princessehof.

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.