Structura Bisque Porcelain Duo – Elsa Fischer-Treyden & Margret Hildebrand for Rosenthal, 1970s

A sculptural Rosenthal Studio-Line duo from the Structura series, designed by Elsa Fischer-Treyden and Margret Hildebrand in 1970s Germany. One vase is finished in deep matte black, the other in soft white bisque, both defined by a densely ribbed relief that turns porcelain into a study of texture, rhythm, and light. Compact and architectural in silhouette, the pair reflects Rosenthal’s radical surface experiments of the period, where ornament gave way to structure and porcelain was treated as a distinctly modern sculptural material.

• Dimensions:
  
  • Black vase: H 23 cm, Dia. 17 cm
    
  • White vase: H 22.5 cm, Dia. 17 cm
• Material: bisque (matte) porcelain
  
• Brand: Rosenthal
  
• Designer: Elsa Fischer-Treyden & Margret Hildebrand
  
• Color: Black, white
  
• Era: Mid-century modern, 1970s
  
• Origin: Germany
  
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; no chips, cracks, or restorations observed. Minimal age-related traces consistent with careful preservation.
  
• Remarks: Set of two

This duo has the kind of quiet authority that makes a shelf or console feel instantly more considered. The ribbed surface gives both pieces a strong sculptural cadence, while the contrast of matte black and white bisque creates a tension that feels both graphic and architectural. They suit interiors with a restrained palette especially well, bringing depth through texture rather than color — ideal on travertine, dark lacquer, smoked glass, or against a limewashed wall where the relief can fully come alive.

Elsa Fischer-Treyden (1901–1995) was a Russian-born German product designer and one of Rosenthal’s key postwar creators, working for the company from 1952 and shaping its modern design language across porcelain, ceramics, and glass. Best known for the “Fortuna” program (glassware and porcelain) and later the “Favo” ceramic line - and for award-winning glass designs such as “Fuga”- her clear, sculptural forms are represented in major museum collections and remain highly collectible today.

Margret Hildebrand (1917–1997) was a German designer best known for textile design, but her work also extended into interiors and selected design objects. In the Rosenthal context, her name is linked to postwar pieces that share the era’s preference for reduced form, surface clarity, and a more quietly modern decorative language.

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.