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Rare StudioKeramik Vase Steinzeug Vintage Art Pottery Barbara Stehr 70s Germany
€270Bid from €220
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Private sellerBerlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 25 sales
Product description
Barbara Stehr – Studio Ceramic Vase
Germany, late 20th century
This sculptural studio ceramic vase is a refined example of German studio pottery, signed by Barbara Stehr, whose work is characterised by a quiet dialogue between form, material, and glaze chemistry.
The vase presents a compact, rounded body with a central aperture, resting on a subtly defined foot. Its proportions are carefully balanced, lending the piece a calm, almost architectural presence. The surface is dominated by a nuanced beige and ochre glaze, flowing organically across the form in layered tones—from warm sand to deeper brown—revealing the natural movement of the firing process.
The glaze application suggests a strong engagement with reduction firing and ash-influenced surfaces, techniques closely associated with post-war German studio ceramics, where material integrity and process were valued over decoration. The unforced transitions in colour and texture evoke geological strata or eroded landscapes, situating the piece firmly within the lineage of European ceramic modernism influenced by Bernard Leach, Hans Coper, and the Anglo-German studio pottery exchange of the mid- to late-20th century.
The underside bears a discreet impressed mark, consistent with individual studio production rather than industrial manufacture. Each firing would have resulted in subtle variations, making this vase a one-of-a-kind object rather than a serial design.
This work functions equally as a sculptural object and a contemplative vessel, appealing to collectors of German studio ceramics, modern craft, and Wabi-Sabi–informed European pottery.
Barbara Stehr was born in Weetzen near Hannover in 1936. She’s doing a study at the Werkkunstschule in Hannover, Germany between 1957 and 1958. She pursues her studies in art education and work teaching at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg (1958-1963), first art education and work teaching, painting, then ceramics at Otto Lindig and Liebfriede Bernstiel and from 1960 with Jan Bontjes van Beek. 1961-62 own workshop in Hamburg, 1963 in Tornesch-Ahrenlohe / Holstein. In 1970 design activity for the faience – and stoneware factory Søholm A / S in Rønne on Bornholm (Denmark). In 1981 guest professor at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Hamburg. 1987-2002 Professor at the University of applied sciences Rhineland-Pfalz, Setup and management of the Institute for artistic ceramics and glass in Höhr-Grenzhausen.
Details
• Artist: Barbara Stehr
• Origin: Germany
• Medium: Studio ceramics
• Glaze: Glossy, layered beige and brown tones
• Height: approx. 13 cm
• Diameter: approx. 16 cm
• Opening diameter: approx. 3 cm
• Condition: Very good vintage condition; no cracks or restorations. Minor firing traces consistent with studio work.
A restrained yet deeply tactile ceramic object—rooted in material intelligence, process, and quiet formal sophistication.
General Information
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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 goodColorsBeige, Brown, Multi ColorMaterialCeramicNumber of items1Height13 cmWidth16 cmDepth16 cm
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Seller information
About this seller
Private sellerBerlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 25 sales