West top German Scheurich Keramikfabrik Floor Vase 553-38 Art Pottery Bauhaus Style Design Oswald Kleudgen A. Seide Kleinheubach 1960s-1970s
West German Scheurich Keramikfabrik Floor Vase 553-38 Art Pottery 1960s-1970s
This floor vase is one of the Scheurich classics representative of the distinctive West German art pottery style from 1960s-1970s era. An elegant minimalistic silhouette is reminiscent of timeless Bauhaus and European Modernism.
A raised motif of intertwining stripes in speckled rich brown glaze is moulded against a vivid white and oatmeal background.
The vase was made at Scheurich Keramikfabrik KG in Kleinheubach, Germany, in the 1960s-1970s. Glazes and décor are designed by Oswald Kleudgen and the shape - by A. Seide.
The three digit form number '553' followed by hyphen and height '38' in cm, and 'W.GERMANY' are embossed on the base.
Condition
This West German Scheurich floor vase 553-38 is in excellent condition. There is a small spot of white glaze on the inside of the rim not overglazed in brown (please see the pictures).
Dimensions and Weight
• Height: 38.0 cm (14.96 in)
• Diameter (at the base): 17.7 cm (6.97 in)
• Diameter (at the top): 11.5 cm (4.53 in)
• Weight: top 2275.0 g
Provenance
Private Art Collection.
About Scheurich Keramikfabrik
In 1928 Alois Scheurich and his cousin Fridolin Greulich founded a wholesale company in Schneeberg trading in glass, porcelain and ceramics. The business was relocated to Kleinheubach in 1938.
They started their own production of household ceramics in 1948 under the name 'Scheurich & Greulich'.
In 1954 Alois Scheurich founded 'Scheurich Keramikfabrik KG' and continued to produce ceramics on his own. The wholesale business Scheurich & Greulich operated until 1968 and probably sold Scheurich wares under its own name.
In 1955 Scheurich employed an experienced designer Heinz Siery who developed and introduced new production methods and created a large number of relatively simple shapes. Depending on popularity, each shape could be decorated with dozens, and in some cases even hundreds, of different patterns and glazes. The vase form 271-22 was made in over 250 various décors.
Scheurich also had a common practice of reusing a form number on up to three variants of a particular vase, often the shape would be redesigned completely. The designs were reviewed twice a year to adopt to a changing taste of customers.
These strategies proved to be very successful and Scheurich became one of the largest ceramic manufacturers in Germany during the 1960s-1970s period. The company exported more than any of its competitors.
In the 1990s production of art pottery gradually ceased but thanks to implementing the highly automated manufacturing lines with robots and state-of-the-art kiln systems and coating machines the family business grew into a European market leader for indoor pots and accessories for flowers and plants.
In the 1960s-1980s Scheurich Keramik was making floor vases in limited additions of 500 or fewer pieces which puts them in a higher priced category among art collectors. The vase 553-38 with a raised brown stripes décor is rare to come by and with growing interest in West German art pottery it has become even more desirable and sought-after.
Every effort has been made to provide an accurate and comprehensive description and quality photographs, but if there are any questions please do not hesitate to inquire.
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