MINI ONION VASE Nr. 117 FROM CERAMANO KERAMIK WITH ‘ÄGINA’ DÉCOR

A palm-sized vase produced in the mid-1960s by CERAMANO KERAMIK, finished with Hanns Welling’s famous Ägina décor. The subtle, fat-lava texture of the creamy-brown glaze was enhanced by various sgraffito and wax-resist techniques, creating a wide necklace of hand-cut dots. The incised base bears the model Nr. 117, the country of origin, and the remains of a paper label. The Ägina line drew inspiration from ancient Mediterranean art, with motifs of stylized figures and geometric patterns, its name referencing the Greek island (or perhaps its mythological namesake).

HANNS WELLING (1924-?) was responsible for some of the most inspired post-war German art-pottery designs ever produced. Born in 1924, his studies in painting and graphics at Düsseldorf’s Academy of Fine Arts commenced when he was seventeen, but were interrupted after two semesters by military service. Following his 1947 discharge, he resumed academic pursuits, and, after further training abroad in France and Italy, he graduated in 1951. The next year, Welling joined the Kettiger Clay Works (aka Keto) in Lantershofen, south of Bonn, assuming leadership of its newly established art department. He notably took charge of the production of the company’s beloved engobe ceramics, which typically featured bold, hand-painted designs on black, matte backgrounds.

Welling left Keto in 1956 for a short stint with Ruscha Keramik in nearby Rheinbach, as a décor designer and head of the painting department. Two years later, he received an offer from Jakob Schwaderlapp, the owner of Jasba Keramik, to help him establish a new company that focused exclusively on manufacturing high-quality ceramics with a handcrafted aspect. The company’s program was presented in 1959 under the brand name CERAMANO. In addition to shapes and décors, Welling was responsible for the firm’s external presentation (catalogs, advertising photos, exhibition stands, etc.). This level of involvement in the nuts-and-bolts development of the entire character of a ceramics factory was unique in the industry. Many famous CERAMANO décors are ascribed to Welling: Pergamon, Koralle, Minerva, Ceralux, and Tundra. He retired from CERAMANO in 1961 but continued to provide designs as a freelancer well into the 1970s.

Hanns Welling’s creative range was vast. His experimentation with surfaces and glazing encompassed wax-resist and sgraffito motifs, volcanic “fat-lava” surface glazing, applied “knob” patterns, as well as dusty finishes that attempt to mimic the look of vessels unearthed at archaeological sites. An artist of international standing in all areas of the field, among Welling’s diverse contributions to the German ceramics industry were designs for Cortendorf, Schloßberg, W. Goebel-Porzellanfabrik, Steingutfabrik Staffel, Hutschenreuther, and Rosenthal, as well as a twelve-year collaboration with the Staatliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin.

CERAMANO was the brainchild of Jakob Schwaderlapp, the founder of Jasba Keramik. He set up the sister company in 1959 to produce high-end ceramics that would complement Jasba’s mass-produced lines and respond to the growing demand for innovation in the decorative arts. The manufacture of more artistic and experimental items had hitherto been the province of small workshops; Schwaderlapp had the idea to replicate the look and feel and the creativity of artisanal work using modern factory methods. CERAMANO went public with the debut of an extensive product range at the Frankfurt Trade Fair. The celebrated Hanns Welling was introduced as the man in charge, responsible for the company’s marketing as well as for all of its shapes and décors (glaze and pattern combinations). Welling remained at the helm until 1962, when the position of head designer was handed off to Gerda Heuckeroth (1920–?), later known for her amazing body of work at Carstens.

To achieve its goals, CERAMANO employed many of the top ceramic artists of the day, notably (in addition to Welling and Heuckeroth) the Hungarian designer László Dudás. Unsurprisingly, the items it produced were generally of high quality and a varied nature. Many of the more expensive pieces were completely handmade on a wheel; most vases were built using the company’s signature reddish-brown clay. Compared with other German ceramics firms, an unusual amount is known about the décors of CERAMANO owing to its practice of listing their names on vessel bottoms. Top décors include Rubin, Toscana, Stromboli, and Pergamon, plus rarities like Saturn, Achat, and Incrusta. Along with the décor name, bases were generally engraved (by the décor artist) with the model number and the artist’s initials. This practice enhanced the “studio” semblance of CERAMANO’s pieces. Willi Schwaderlapp (b. 1927), Jakob’s son and partner, took over the company in 1964, after which it was split off from Jasba entirely.

Note: CERAMANO’s model (shape) numbers usually have three digits. They are sometimes followed by a slash (virgule) and a second number, ranging from one to six, that denotes the piece’s relative size. Whether or not and how much text is included on the base seems to depend on the size of the vessel in most cases. “Handarbeit” (handmade) is also a common marking. Vases from later periods were provided with paper labels.

CERAMANO continued to develop economically with the takeovers of Waku Feuerfest and Steinzeug und Mosaikplattenfabrik in the 1970s, which allowed for expansion into the production of, respectively, tableware and architectural tiles. The company’s export share slowly increased for a time, but the gambit ultimately proved unsuccessful. As the 1980s progressed, interest in art pottery waned sharply. CERAMANO finally closed its doors in 1989. (Jasba is still in operation, producing industrial tiles exclusively.)

KEY DESIGNERS:

• Hanns Welling, 1959–1961
• Gerda Heuckeroth, 1962–1964
• Dudas Laszlo, 1960s

DETAILS

Maker – CERAMANO

Production Period/Year – 1960s

Designer – HANNS WELLING

Design Period/Year – 1960s

Origin – WEST GERMANY

Styles/Movements – MID-CENTURY MODERN

Materials – CERAMIC

Colors – OFF WHITE, CHARCOAL

Condition – Excellent vintage condition. May show minor signs of previous ownership and use.

Dimensions – 3 5" W × 4 5" D × 7 25" H