Gräfenthal by Reichenbach Figurines - from Birds bemalt to TwentyTwentyone

In the period of bloom of

the Porcelain at the middle of the 19th century in Thuringia were more than 400 porcelain manufactures. In opposite to the big principalities as for example Sachsen, the reason for these foundations of porcelain manufactures were in Thuringia was the entrepreneurial spirit of the founders, Thuringia was split in many small dukedoms at that time. While Johann Friedrich Böttger invented the porcelain in Saxony for the King Augustus II the Strong, the manufacturer Georg Heinrich Macheleid invented the porcelain in 1760 for Thuringia. And the production of glass and porcelain products is in the region at the foot of the Rennsteig, a big tradition. And only the delicacy of the sculptural and picturesque elaboration of the figurines of Gräfenthal is the reason that this art have outlasted decades and centuries since foundation of the 'porcelain factory' and still today are sought-after pieces.

And you will realise that the

porcelain figures are veritable small statues, small pieces of art. Decorated with the colours of the porcelain painters which add the natural appearance to the figurines. In the centre of our choice of Gräfenthal by Reichenbach figurines are the figures of animals: Birds, dogs and animals from field and wood. And of course the hares and lambs should not be missed for Easter and also, at Christmas the angels or crib figurines. Since the porcelain manufacture form the east of Thuringia continues the brand Gräfenthal Porcelain, unusual and modern decors on the statuettes of this manufacture had been created in cooperation with porcelain designer Gerd Sommerlade. Beside the classically coloured and decorated animal figures: figurines with a pure gold or silver cover, or simply in unglazed bisquit porcelain. A stag beetle also may be golden, a hare even black or silver. Quite a special object is the ensemble PEACE which originated on the statuettes of soldiers!

All these new creations – relaunches

- are penned by Gerd Sommerlade who created the series Colour for Reichenbach Porzellan. Gräfenthal Porzellan encloses a fund of figurine of more than 10,000 single items, from human and animal. Unfortunately, on these pages we are not able to show the whole extent of the creativity of this brand. Since again and again there is something new to discover: vividly and in the highest quality of form and painting.

Quite a special liveliness

and a fine painting characterize the figurines of Gräfenthal by Reichenbach.

Founded more than 160 years ago

in Gräfenthal, a small town at the foot of the 'Rennsteig' in the Thüringischen Schiefergebirge(Thuringian Slate Mountain Range ), the company arised from small house paintings and was soon specialized in figurines of Porcelain. Thuringia was split in many dukedoms and at the middle of the year 19.th century several such 'factories' were originated, which devoted themselves to small, but very high-quality objects. These got by with little material and transport expenditure, required however a high level of craftsmanship and big expenditure of human labor . Thuringia of the 19th century was a perfect matrix for the production of luxurious porcelain figurines. And Gräfenthal is one of few names which have outlasted till nowadays.

The figurines which we introduce

on these pages are mainly recreation of Gerd Sommerlade which allow to shine on the old figure forms new colors and surfaces which lend a new character to the figurines. Now the traditional figurines are wearing an outfit of gold or polished silver or are decorated with a pen-and-ink drawing - which maybe they did not have originally at all. Besides Besteckliste shows a whole series of traditional figurines which are still produced as they were created originally: with a bright coloured painting, well elaborated and a big richness of detail . In the nineties of the 20th century the decline of the brand was prevented by the takeover of the porcelain manufacture Reichenbach, also from Thuringia.

Since then the old forms and

colours are continued as the brand Gräfenthal by Reichenbach furthermore. And also the redesigns of Gerd Sommerlade are to be owed to the cooperation with Reichenbach Porzellan, who created a big series in coloured porcelain, the model 'Colour' for Reichenbach. On the one hand we would like to attract your attention particularly on the pureness of the figurines in white biscuit porcelain: in this variation the richness of details can be seen best: the fur of the dachshund or the plumage of the parrot to name only some. On the other hand - with all love to the pure design: even we North Germans fell in love with the colourful painted birds of Gräfenthal by Reichenbach.