Featured MCM Brutalist Pottery Vase, signed "Rosenthal"

Hi everyone,

I'm a very new member, joined only an hour ago.

I have many unidentified potteries in my cabinet. I will be posting threads one by one, perhaps every week.

Mystery pottery #1. A heavy, large MCM pottery. Intriguing shape. Unfortunately the signature on the base is very light and does not show clearly on the photos. It is signed "Rosenthal" (all capital letters) and one letter or mark under that. The letter looks like disfigured H but could be K or N.

The only Rosenthal I can find are either "Rosenthal, Germany" or "Rosenthal Netter" from Italy. I cannot find any hand built pottery associated with German Rosenthal. All pottery pieces by Rosenthal Netter are colorful ones, and my vase does not fit his style at all.

The original owner purchased it from a gallery in Vancouver, BC, Canada, in 70's.

Please help me identify the potter.

 

So far I can’t help with the ID. Funny thing though, your first photo right away I thought it was an owl. (Of course other pics show otherwise) Then the first searching was Rosenthal Netter Italy, as you mentioned, was an owl. Very different style and very colorful. Will keep looking.

 

Please go back and edit your photos to "Full Image". Then they will show up in the body of the text, much easier for viewing!

Also we might need a better photo of the signature if possible. No guarantee this piece will get ID'd -- there are so many studios out there, but a clear photo, straight on of the signature might give you the best shot.

Hello, and welcome!

 

Welcome to the forum
Probably a local potter, or at least one from BC. Maybe check with the Potters Guild of BC to see if they recognize the work or signature
https://www.galleryofbcceramics.com

 

The problem with studio pottery (which this appears to be) is that there is very little documentation about the vast majority of the potters producing such pieces. They are usually only "known" in the immediate area in which they work(ed.) They sell (sold) through "local artist" galleries, collectives or shows mostly, so if the original owner bought it in Vancouver, is would not surprise me at all if this "Rosenthal" was from that area.

We get tons of studio pottery here and very few are ever linked to a known potter.

 

Try rubbing a little powdered sugar or cinnamon in that signature. I agree its studio pottery,but I personally love it! I get a Viennese secessionist feel ,maybe it was influenced by that.

 

could be Miss Rosenthal.....but we'll never know.

 

Hi cxgirl,

Thank you for noticing my thread. Last night I followed one of your posts and found this site like Alice followed the rabbit. I have many local potteries I need to ask questions. I hope you can help me with them, too.

 

lol, yes, I've followed that rabbit down many a hole on-line
I'm not very good with pottery, but post away, lots of folks on the forum that are always looking to help out!

 

That is an excellent trick! With some cinnamon powder, I re-took more photos. Is this better?

 

Ive read that Rosenthal Netter imported italian ceramics,and also commisioned a lot of them,so Im wondering if this could be a vase they commissioned then decided not to produce ? I believe thats a "71",not a letter.

 

Hi Johnny,
Thank you so much for your tip. I think you are right about 71, perhaps the year this pottery was made. I still hesitate hoping for any connection with Rosenthal Netter because this piece and his potteries are very much opposite ends of mid century pottery range.

One thing bothering me was that why his signature looks so hard and crumsy. Most potters sign their potteries before firing. Therefore their signatures are as smooth as signature with a pen. But this signature looks like carved with a nail after firing. I started to doubt that it was artist's signature. Someone else carved it after firing, so I thought.

Today I found a possible clue. These are an abstract metal sculptor, Bernard (Tony) Rosenthal's signature on 2 metal sculptures. His art works are all metal -- bronze, steel, etc. I cannot find one piece of pottery yet. But his signature look similar enough to me. Even the way he put the year under his signature. It makes sense that his signature looks carved if he normally signed on metal. I always thought this pottery is more sculptural than common potteries.





Personally I now believe my vase is his work. I do not wish to spend money to get certification, but would be nice if I can ask his family or a collector of his art works if they agree with my view. Does anyone have a suggestion how I can do that? The artist passed away many years ago.

 

You’re a great detective!

 

Please ignore my last request.
I found his official site and am going to contact his gallery. Will post whatever the answer I receive.

Cheers,

 

http://www.tonyrosenthal.com/Biography.htm
Did you look here, or you can Email.

 

Crossed message, glad you found it.

 

Not trying to put a damper on your research efforts (pretty good!), but I still think this is studio pottery.

 

Oh, it is a pottery for sure. I do not know the definition of studio pottery you mean by. A hand built pottery-- yes. No doubt. Pottery made by a professional potter who belong to a studio? I have my doubt whether a sculptor can make the mouth like that, too. But I'd like to wait for a reply from the gallery.

According to the biography of the official site, Tony Rosenthal sculpted with many different medium other than metal, but nothing was mentioned about pottery. I may be totally off.