Porcelaine Noire Vase & Ashtray Duo – Tapio Wirkkala for Rosenthal, 1960s

Rare pairing of Tapio Wirkkala’s Model 7156 vase and matching ashtray in black Porcelaine Noire. Rounded glossy bodies contrast with finely ringed matte surfaces, creating a precise interplay of reflection, texture, and shadow.

• Dimensions:
  
  • Vase: H 23 cm, Dia 16 cm
    
  • Ashtray: H 4.5 cm, Dia 14 cm
    
• Material: Porcelaine Noire, glazed and matte black porcelain
  
• Brand: Rosenthal Studio-Line
  
• Designer: Tapio Wirkkala
  
• Model: Vase 7156
  
• Color: Black
  
• Condition: Very good vintage condition; minimal age-related wear and no chips, cracks, or restorations
  
• Era: 1960s
  
• Origin: Germany
  
• Remarks: Set of two pieces; ashtray with removable ringed insert

The duo works well on a console, mantelpiece, coffee table, or low sideboard. Against dark walls, it creates a layered tonal effect; in a pale classical or contemporary room, the glossy black porcelain provides a crisp visual anchor.

For collectors, the pairing is especially appealing because the two pieces share the same material, surface treatment, and visual language. Together, they offer a more complete representation of Wirkkala’s work for Rosenthal than either object alone and are relevant to collections of Nordic modernism, postwar porcelain, and twentieth-century European design.

Tapio Wirkkala (1915–1985) was a leading figure in Finnish modernism, working across glass, porcelain, metal, and wood. His designs for Rosenthal are recognised for their disciplined forms, tactile surfaces, and close attention to material.

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.