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Prof. Fritz Klee Königlich Bayerische Fachschule Antique Unique Jugendstil Vase
€720Bid from €599
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Berlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 20 sales
Product description
Königlich Bayerische Fachschule für Porzellanindustrie, Selb – Large Experimental Vase (c. 1910–1930) Attributed to the Fritz-Klee Circle · Rare Copper-Red / Celadon-Green GlazeA striking and exceptionally rare studio vase associated with the Königlich Bayerische Fachschule für Porzellanindustrie Selb (Royal Bavarian Technical School for the Porcelain Industry), one of the most influential training institutions in German ceramic history. Pieces of this scale, glaze complexity, and artistic ambition seldom appear on the market.
The vase stands an impressive 39 cm and features a dramatic, painterly surface where copper-red, iron-rich oxblood tones (Flambé / Kupferrot) cascade over fields of celadon-green flux, creating a molten, volcanic chromatic landscape. This vivid glaze language — technically demanding and strongly influenced by Asian high-fire traditions — is characteristic of the early 20th-century experimental kilns in Selb, where students and masters investigated new glaze formulas under the direction of ceramic visionary Fritz Klee (1880–1957).
Historical Context — The Selb School & Fritz Klee
Founded in 1907, the Royal Bavarian Porcelain School Selb became a centre for avant-garde ceramic research, feeding talent directly into factories such as Rosenthal, Hutschenreuther, and Zeh-Schertag.
Under Fritz Klee, the school developed a reputation for glaze innovation: crystalline glazes, copper reds, “Flambé” effects, oxide-rich running glazes, and experimental firings inspired by both East Asian Song/Yuan ceramics and contemporary Jugendstil material exploration.Klee’s students worked in a pedagogical environment where chemistry, form, and artistry were inseparable. Many early pieces — particularly those marked only with the § workshop stamp — were non-commercial study objects, prototypes, or exhibition works produced in very small quantities.This vase belongs firmly to this tradition: a large, sculptural form used as a carrier for glaze research, expressing the School’s dual identity as both scientific laboratory and artistic workshop.
Design & Glaze
• Form:
A classic ovoid studio shape with an elegantly flared neck, designed to maximize glaze movement and depth.
• Glaze:
A spectacular high-temperature glaze layering:
– Copper red (Kupferrot / Flambé) — notoriously difficult to fire, requiring a precise reduction atmosphere.
– Celadon-green pooling where the glaze thins, allowing iron oxides to shift hue.
– Areas of opalescent sheen, speckling, and subtle crater effects reveal the complexity of the melt. The surface displays the kind of expressive unpredictability prized in experimental kilns — no two pieces are ever alike.
• Mark:
The underside bears the § (Paragraphen-Zeichen) stamped in green — the historically documented workshop mark of student / training production pieces originating from the Selb School.
Attribution
Based on:
– the glaze combinations,
– the form typical of Selb School training vessels,
– and the use of the § mark,
this work can be confidently attributed to the Fachschule Selb during the Klee period (c. 1910–1930), likely executed by advanced students working under his influence.Klee’s documented role as director and glaze innovator (source: Porzellan-Selb.de) supports this contextual attribution.
Dimensions
Height: 39 cm
Diameter (max): 25 cm
Foot Diameter: 13 cmA monumental presence.
Condition
Vintage condition with visible glaze cracks and firing-related lines, typical for early experimental copper-red firings.
Structurally stable. No restorations.
Surface irregularities are part of the original glaze behaviour and contribute to its authenticity and charm as a kiln-trial piece.
Collector’s Note
This is not a factory product — it is a true studio artifact from one of Germany’s most important ceramic schools.
Comparable early Selb School pieces appear in:
– regional museum collections,
– Fritz Klee retrospectives,
– archives documenting pre-Rosenthal modernist experimentation.
Such works rarely surface and are increasingly sought after by collectors of German Jugendstil, early modern ceramics, and experimental glaze history.
A museum-worthy object with exceptional sculptural and historical value.
General Information
Please explore our profile for more vintage vases!
International buyers: import duties or taxes, if applicable, are the buyer’s responsibility.All items are photographed and described with care. Vintage pieces may show minimal traces of age; any significant flaws will be clearly mentioned.
Private sale under law: no returns, refunds, or warranties.
Specifications
ConditionVery goodColorsGreen, Red, Multi Color, CremeMaterialPorcelainNumber of items1StyleVintageHeight39 cmWidth25 cmDepth25 cm
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Seller information
About this seller
Berlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 20 sales