Porcelain Vase Trio “Eosin” – Johan van Loon & Helmut Drexler for Rosenthal, 1980s

Expressive trio of Rosenthal Studio-Linie vases with flowing Johan van Loon forms and Helmut Drexler’s satin-iridescent eosin decor that moves between gold, violet, green and soft rose, giving each piece a quiet glow that shifts with the light. Three different silhouettes – soft folded, slim obelisk and wide body – read as a cohesive colour story in fine porcelain.

• Dimensions:
  • Vase 1 (folded form): H 22 cm, W 14 cm, D 8 cm
  • Vase 2 (slim obelisk): H 26 cm, W 6.5 cm, D 6.5 cm
  • Vase 3 (broad form): H 14.5 cm, W 21 cm, D 9 cm
• Material: Fine porcelain with satin-iridescent eosin glaze
• Brand: Rosenthal Studio-Linie
• Designer: Johan van Loon (forms), Helmut Drexler (decor)
• Color: Iridescent mix of gold, violet, green and rose on light ground
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; no chips, cracks or restorations, light age-appropriate patina only
• Era: design late 1980s, marks dated back to 1992-1995
• Origin: Germany
• Remarks: sold as a curated trio of three

Ideal for design-led interiors that favour a few strong pieces: group the trio on a sideboard or low cabinet as a colour-shifting focal point, with the tall vase at the back, the wide one anchoring the arrangement and the smaller form pulled slightly forward. They also work beautifully on a deep windowsill or mantel where daylight can skim the eosin glaze.

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.

Johan van Loon (1934–2019) was a Dutch ceramic and textile artist trained in textile design in Amsterdam, later turning to experimental ceramics. From 1980 onward he created sculptural, pleated and folded porcelain forms for Rosenthal in Selb, bringing a textile-like, architectural language into their Studio Line collections.

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.