Rosenthal Figurines - Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Otto Koch and Hugo Meisel - Antique China, Fine China and Modern China Manufacturers Query

by Philip
(US)

Rosenthal Figurines - Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Otto Koch and Hugo Meisel - Antique China, Fine China and Modern China Manufacturers Query:- I am trying to find any info on some figurines I have - my father brought them home from Germany after the war. They are Rosenthal and on the bottom is stamped H. Meisel and the number 864.

They are signed Otto Koch and under that it looks like Wilhelm. they are Nubian servants carrying trays of food.

Can you tell me anything about them? I can't seem to find any info on the internet.

thanks

Phil

Reply from Peter (admin) below - just scroll down

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Reply by Peter (admin)

To:- Rosenthal Figurines - Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Otto Koch and Hugo Meisel - Antique China, Fine China and Modern China Manufacturers Query

Hi Phil

Wow, great query. This is just the sort of submission that gets my interest.

Can you send photos of your figurines for reference please? Just use another submission form. I'd love to see them. I am a big fan of Rosenthal. They have pure class. I have always been in awe of this company's history and integrity of artwork and quality of design.

Your father had very good taste indeed. The figurines are from a period of very rich artwork (we will forget the unfortunate fact that many leading Nazis were Rosenthal collectors of this period - you can't blame artists and artisans for who collects their work. Nazis loved Renaissance paintings too!)

Your figurine pottery marks sound like a who's who of important German ceramic designers. The marks on the bottom refer to Wilhelm Wagenfeld, Otto Koch and Hugo Meisel. Quite a combination of talents!

Otto Koch (1901 - 1974) worked for Rosenthal from 1920 to 1966 and was an important figure within their history. Koch was a sculptor and painter. In 1920 he became head of the art department of the factory Bahnhof, Selb which, at that time, was newly founded in Plößberg. In 1931 he was promoted to a senior position within that factory and in 1945 he became factory manager. Philip Rosenthal was quoted as saying about about Koch: "He would ever scrutinize to the last, but was especially open-minded towards his team of employees. The training of apprentices was a big issue for him."

Hugo Meisel (1887 - 1966) worked for Rosenthal from 1936 to 1937. Meisel was a porcelain "master-sculptor" (the same profession as myself) as well as bronze sculptor and so we can most likely attribute the actual sculpting of your figures to him. His figures are notable for what is described as a "restrained naturalism". An important figure, he was head of the Staatliches Museum of Heidecksburg from 1950 to 1959. Hugo Meisel created the famous "Mohren" figurines as well as "Vogel flieg" (bird flies) and "Pfeifer" (pipers).

Wilhelm Wagenfeld (1900 - 1990) began working with Rosenthal from 1936. Dr. Wilhelm Wagenfeld - a famous "Bauhaus" pioneer - was a forerunner in utilizing industrial bulk production into the ceramic design and make process. Rosenthal greatly benefited from his knowledge and skills. He is therefore justly famous as a pioneer of European industrial design and is a multi-award winning pottery production genius. A famous potter indeed! For Rosenthal he created the famous "Frucht- und Lichtschale" for the brand Thomas the form "Gloriana" inter alia.

Some of the famous potteries of Rosenthal of Selb include:

Selb Kunstabteilung factory
Bahnhof-Selb factory
Selb-Plossberg factory
Studioline factory
Bahnhof Selb Keramik factory

I feel your Rosenthal figurines may be valuable but I am not a qualified china appraisal expert.

To continue your online search yourself, see my 'China Replacement' page for instructions on how to price compare your items.

You can use my in-house search engine located on the home page (and on many other main pages) to check for answers to any other queries you may have.

Hope this information is useful.

Best regards,

Peter (admin)

p.s. The following page is a 'must see' if you are researching fine china - for value and identification:-

Researching the identity and value of antique and vintage fine china.

Keywords: rosenthal figurines OR figures +"h. meisel" OR "864" OR "otto koch" OR "wilhelm" OR "nubian servants"