A short, pencil-cup column vase from DÜMLER & BREIDEN—finished in the über-collectible Polar décor, with its characteristic, dueling contrasts of colors and textures. The off-white and black, dirty-snow glazes evoke the Arctic and suggest a “frozen” aesthetic. The central band of glossy, vivid orange is sandwiched between rougher, matte layers of “fat lava,” its unusual color recalling the brilliant autumn tundra. Adding to the vase’s appeal, its eccentric footprint has the swirling shape of the meteorological symbol for a hurricane: the wing points being the seams created during the slip-cast process, cleverly integrated into the design. From the 1970s. The base is incised with the model number and the “crossed-swords” maker’s mark, confirming authenticity. Two available.

DÜMLER & BREIDEN (aka D&B) was founded in 1883 by Peter Dümler (1860–1907) and his brother-in-law and childhood friend, Albert Breiden (1860–1926), in the town of Höhr-Grenzhausen, about 20 km northeast of Koblenz in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Located in the Westerwald region, the town is set within the Kannenbäckerland—the “potters’ land” or, more literally, the “jug-bakers’ land”—a centuries-old home to ceramics manufacture in central Germany and the site of the largest clay deposit in Europe.) In the early 20^th century, DÜMLER & BREIDEN was known mainly for producing beer steins and punch bowls in the typical blue-gray Westerwald style.

Following WWII, D&B gradually established itself as one of West Germany’s leading producers of art pottery. Unafraid to experiment, its potters crafted a vast and often whimsical universe of ceramics throughout the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s. They transitioned effortlessly from traditional folk patterns to the vibrant, rule-breaking motifs of pop art. Many pieces showcased a dazzling, sometimes flamboyant, display of glazes, with vivid reds oozing into electric blues, on quirky forms that felt as much like rebellious sculptures as they did decorative objects. Items produced within the Domino, Polar, and Saturn design series are among the most sought-after by collectors. DÜMLER & BREIDEN closed in 1992.

Notes on identification: D&B most often used white to buff clay, although red clay is seen in the Terra series and in other “klinker”-style items. Marks are almost always impressed and are usually made using a distinctive, square-cut font. A crossed-swords D&B symbol (with the lowercase initials “D” and “B” as stylized hilts) is often present on the base along with the form and size numbers; where the symbol is absent, the form and size numbers are stacked. If an origin is indicated, it is always simply “Germany”—with no “West” designation. The full text “DÜMLER & BREIDEN” replaces the D&B symbol from 1980 onwards. Relief and Studio pieces were marked on the base with the names of those series. Very few items have unmarked bases, and markings are only very rarely obscured by glaze. Factory stickers are most commonly found only on very early items and typically feature the crossed-swords symbol and the factory location, “Hohr.”

KEY DESIGNERS:

• Ernst Dümler, a cousin. (Joined after Peter’s son, Paul, was killed in WWI.)
• Paul Zimmerling (1927–2006)
• Rudolf Christmann (1928–1992)

DETAILS

Maker – DÜMLER & BREIDEN

Production Period/Year – 1970s

Designer – UNKNOWN

Design Period/Year – 1970s

Origin – GERMANY

Styles/Movements – MID-CENTURY MODERN

Materials – CERAMIC

Colors – ORANGE, BLACK, WHITE

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

Dimensions – 3 ¼" W × 2 ¾" D × 5 ¾" H