SIEGFRIED GRAMANN FOR TÖPFERHOF GRAMANN (GDR)

A beautiful hand-formed teardrop vase with a distinctive granular violet glaze designed in the 1960s by Siegfried Gramann for TÖPFERHOF GRAMANN of Römhild, Germany.

TÖPFERHOF GRAMANN (aka GRAMANN RÖMHILD) traces its roots back to 1720 when a furnace builder from Marbach in southwest Germany decided to open a pottery in the small town of Römhild, in the east-central German state of Thuringia, for the production of tableware. The concern has been in the family for generations since—as journeyman's letters, passports, and other historical papers in the family's possession attest. With descendant (and trained sculptor) Karl Gramann's takeover of the company at the beginning of the previous century, the artistic components of the business assumed pride of place, and TÖPFERHOF GRAMANN's rationale became less about the fabrication of pedestrian goods and more about the beauty of its individual designs. This shifting focus coincided with growing commercial success for the company

At the end of WWII the town of Römhild found itself within the borders of the GDR, and TÖPFERHOF GRAMANN along with it. In 1948, Karl's son Siegfried Gramann (1924–1991) completed his apprenticeship and assumed management of the family firm. He continued its expansion, transforming the workshop into a modern manufacturing facility. Siegfried Gramann's work always had an unmistakable character, and his attractive designs developed into "export hits" for the GDR, ever hungry for foreign exchange. Thanks to these successes, the firm became a leader in East Germany's "Artisan Ceramics" product group and achieved significant fame throughout the country. The use of the latest production techniques, innovations in employee relations, and the artistry and leadership of Siegfried Gramann assured the company's prosperity. TÖPFERHOF GRAMANN soon had the distinction of being Europe's largest hand-turned pottery company, with as many as 60 freehand turners and a like number of ceramic painters employed there at any given time. Free-shaping at the wheel and the individual character of the decorations ensured a level of artistry that belied serial production.

Following a transfer to public ownership in 1972, the company operated under the name VEB Töpferhof Römhild. Siegfried Gramann stayed on as director and manager and continued to develop the business. By the beginning of the 1980s, after several further expansions, the firm had more than 300 employees. Nevertheless, the studio remained the heart from which new innovations in shape and color sprang. In 1976, Siegfried Gramann was awarded the title of engineer in the field of sintering technology (the process by which ceramics are densified for use in high-performance applications under extreme conditions) by the engineering school for glass technology in Weißwasser. Throughout the course of his life he would receive numerous awards for artistic, ceramic, and entrepreneurial achievement.

With the 1990 reunification of Germany, the company was returned to the family. The economic upheavals of the decade and the dawn of globalization both took their tolls. Another blow came in 1991 with Siegfried Gramann's death, at which point his daughter, Christina Gramann, assumed the reins. Even under these difficult conditions, the production of high-quality, tasteful ceramics continued. A new operating strategy would focus increasingly on the production of individualized art products. When Christina Gramann died in 2008, management of the family business fell to her son. The company still exists today in its original location in Römhild.

DETAILS

Maker – TÖPFERHOF GRAMANN

Production Period/Year – 1960s

Designer – SIEGFRIED GRAMANN

Design Period/Year – 1960s

Origin – EAST GERMANY

Styles/Movements – MID-CENTURY MODERN; BAUHAUS

Materials – CERAMIC

Colors – VIOLET

Condition – Excellent vintage condition; no damage. May show some signs of previous use.

Dimensions – 6" DIAM. × 8" H