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Richard Bampi Crackle Glaze Ceramic Vase Model 204 – Kandern Studio Pottery, Germany, Circa 1945–1955
€599Bid from €399
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Private sellerBerlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 25 sales
Product description
Richard Bampi Crackle Glaze Ceramic Vase Model 204 – Kandern Studio Pottery, Germany, Circa 1945–1955
A refined and architecturally restrained studio ceramic vase by Richard Bampi, executed in pale crackle glaze over a warm reddish earthenware body. Produced in the artist’s Kandern workshop during the mature post-war period, the vase exemplifies the quiet rigor and material sensitivity that positioned Bampi among the most important figures of modern German ceramics in the mid-20th century.
The form presents a disciplined ovoid silhouette with softly transitioning shoulders and a restrained cylindrical neck. Its elegance derives not from ornament, but from proportion, surface tension, and the subtle irregularities of hand-finished studio production. The intentionally pale crackle glaze creates a delicate network of fine craquelure across the entire surface, animating the vessel with depth, tactility, and shifting tonal variation.
Unlike more decorative contemporaries, Bampi’s work reflects a distinctly Bauhaus-informed philosophy: clarity of form, respect for material, and the reduction of gesture to essentials. The vase possesses an almost meditative stillness, balancing sculptural restraint with organic warmth.
Artist & Historical Context
Richard Bampi (1896–1965) studied within the Bauhaus environment under Walter Gropius before founding the Fayence-Manufaktur Kandern in southern Germany. He became a central figure in the development of modern German ceramics, bridging traditional craftsmanship and modernist formal language.
Bampi’s work rejected excessive ornament in favour of sculptural purity, nuanced glazes, and carefully balanced proportions. His ceramics are held in important museum collections, and the continuing Richard-Bampi-Preis commemorates his lasting influence on German studio ceramics.
This vase belongs to Bampi’s mature post-war Kandern period, during which he refined a language of quiet asymmetry, softened geometry, and surface-driven expression. Rather than relying on decorative embellishment, these vessels achieve presence through glaze, proportion, and subtle material tension.
Design Details
• Artist: Richard Bampi
• Manufacturer / Workshop: Fayence-Manufaktur Kandern
• Model: 204
• Date: Circa 1945–1955
• Origin: Kandern, Germany
• Material: Glazed earthenware
• Finish: Pale crackle glaze with intentional craquelure
• Colour: Pale grey-white with warm terracotta undertones
Dimensions
• Height: 23.5 cm
• Width: approx. 17.5 cm
• Opening diameter: approx. 10 cm
Mark
Incised RB monogram and impressed model number “204” to the underside.
Condition
Overall visually very good vintage condition from the supplied photographs. Intentional pale crackle glaze throughout. No obvious major restorations visible; minor firing imperfections and age-related handling wear consistent with studio ceramic production and age. In-hand condition report recommended prior to sale.
Why This Piece Stands Out
• Important example of post-war German studio ceramics
• Designed by one of the central figures of modern German pottery
• Bauhaus-influenced formal restraint and material clarity
• Beautiful pale crackle glaze with subtle tonal variation
• Strong sculptural presence despite minimal intervention
• Increasingly sought-after Kandern workshop production
This vase embodies a distinctly European modernist sensibility: restrained yet deeply tactile, intellectual yet warm. It functions equally convincingly as a sculptural standalone object or within a refined ceramic collection focused on Bauhaus, post-war German design, or studio pottery traditions.
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.
Specifications
ConditionVery goodColorsWhiteMaterialCeramicNumber of items1Height23 cmWidth17 cmDepth17 cm
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Seller information
About this seller
Private sellerBerlin, GermanyOn Whoppah since August 2023 • 25 sales