Introduction to West German Pottery
A Brief History of the Ceramics and Collecting Guide
Jan 31, 2009
Many people have heard of West German pottery, but information is still difficult to come by, especially in English. The art itself covers such a wide range that it defies simple definition or categorization, but there are some basic concepts and bits of information for those who want to understand this young collecting field.
Defining W. German Pottery
The term W. German pottery has come into general use because that is often the most specific designation on the bottom of the pottery, even causing some people to think that it’s a company name. Unfortunately, most of the companies only used permanent marks rarely, relying on labels instead, but more and more of the companies have been identified, and certain shapes and glazes are being attributed to the proper company and designer.
In political terms, West Germany existed from 1949 until 1990, and there was excellent pottery produced all during that period, as well as long before and since. However, the golden age lasted roughly from 1954-75, and it was during that time that companies produced a body of work whose full range has yet to be properly understood and may have never been equaled for variety of design. It was as if all the work from that period plus all the work that had been repressed by the Nazi regime for years before WWII got squeezed into one great age.
Unofficially, this age begins with the introduction of Ruscha shape 313, an exaggerated pitcher form that is both whimsical and elegant and which was produced for over 30 years in perhaps as many as 100 different decors. The shape was designed by Kurt Tschörner and stands as one of the most successful pottery forms of the 20th century. By the early 1970’s, production and creativity was giving way to artistic entropy, but it was primarily the difficult financial conditions around the world that forced many companies to close, while others survived by turning to more utilitarian production. Some fascinating work continued, especially by studio potters, and such work is being made today, but the glorious frenzy was over by 1975.
Where Do Collectors Find It?
West German pottery started showing up in US antique malls when such malls swept the country in the early to mid 90’s. However, items available were mostly smaller, lesser quality tourist items because the pottery was never actually exported to the US. Items here were those brought back by military personnel and tourists. It’s only been since the late 1990s that US buyers were able to take advantage of the internet to buy the pottery directly from sellers in Germany.
In 2008, the number and quality of W. German items listed on eBay went downhill by a significant margin, but the number of items on websites and in shops or shows has gone up. So have many of the prices, but information and understanding remain low, resulting in common, lesser quality items being often being over-priced, while some bargains remain on the better quality items. The only publication available in English is Fat Lava, the exhibition catalog by Mark Hill, but it’s now out of print. For those who read German, there is Deutch Keramik und Porzellan der 60er und 70er Jahre by M. P. Thomas, and several hard to find books by Horst Makus.
How Do I Learn More?
Kevin Graham has been collecting information, and his first volume is scheduled for publication in March, 2009 (ISBN not available as of this writing). This will be the first full sized book in English and will include information on dozens of companies plus sections on designers. This will also be the first book to include information on pricing and relative values. Graham already has other volumes underway.
For more information, you can find several essays plus marks and a gallery of pictures to help with identification at GinFor’s Odditiques. A good starting point is:
Collecting West German Pottery
You can also view several threads about W. German pottery on this forum:
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