By Allison Zisko
Tabletop maker Rosenthal will celebrate 50 years of its Studio-Line division with a special 50-vase retrospective at the New York Tabletop Show this month.
Studio-Line is known for its avant-garde designs, and over the past five decades many artists have interpreted their own ideas about sophisticated and functional design into Rosenthal collections, the company said.
To celebrate the milestone, Rosenthal will feature a display of 50 vases, representing highlights from the past 50 years, beginning in 1961 with a vase by Tapio Wirkkala and ending with a new design this year by Christophe de la Fontaine. The vases are limited to one size per design and are available in either black or white porcelain, each in a combination of matte and glossy finish.
A wall of vases was first shown at the Ambiente fair in Frankfurt, Germany, in February, but this will be the first time many U.S. buyers will see the line, according to Kelly Ahern, director of marketing and public relations. The company’s goal is to increase brand awareness and “let people know we have beautiful product,” Ahern said. In addition to the vases, Rosenthal will launch Format dinnerware, a white porcelain pattern comprised of rounded geometric shapes inspired by an archival pattern, Form 2000. All products are manufactured in Germany, a promise made and upheld by Sambonet, the design-oriented Italian metals company that acquired Rosenthal a few years ago.
The collection will be unveiled in Rosenthal’s ground-floor showroom at Forty One Madison Avenue during the show, April 12-15.