White Bisque Vase “Wave” – Martin Freyer for Rosenthal, 1960s-1970s

Tall vintage Rosenthal Studio-Linie vase in matte white bisque porcelain with Martin Freyer’s flowing “Cascade/Wave” relief – a slim mid-century form where soft vertical waves create a calm, graphic play of light and shadow. A classic example of Freyer’s Op-Art inspired surface work for Rosenthal, reduced to pure texture and form in porcelain.

• Dimensions: H 30 cm, W 9.5 cm, D 9.5 cm
• Material: Bisque porcelain, matte unglazed exterior, glazed interior
• Brand: Rosenthal
• Designer: Hans Martin Freyer
• Color: White
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition; no chips, cracks or restorations, only minimal signs of age
• Era: 1960s-1970s, vase dates back to 1981
• Origin: Germany
• Remarks: Shape Nr. 2921

With its height and slim footprint, it’s ideal on a sideboard, mantel or windowsill where side light can skim the waves: stand it next to a small stack of books and a candle, and use just one or two simple stems (grasses, branches) so the white relief and gentle shadows stay in focus. It also works well in a small “family” with other textured white vases from your collection, giving a quiet, graphic rhythm rather than a loud colour moment.

Hans Martin Freyer (1909–1975) was a German painter, graphic and industrial designer whose work ranged from architecture and stage design to textiles and product design. Best known to the wider public as the creator of the refined Volkswagen VW logo in 1938, he later worked as a freelance designer of patterns, structures and reliefs. From 1964 to 1974 he designed for Rosenthal, developing sculptural relief decorations for glass and porcelain in the studio-line – most famously the Plissée vases, whose pleated, fabric-like white or black bisque surfaces remain icons of mid-century and Op-Art influenced German porcelain design.

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.