Helmut Schäffenacker - Vase - Earthenware - Studio ceramics

Brutalist ceramic vase – Helmut Schäffenacker, Germany, 1960s/70s – Brutalism

Prominent studio ceramic piece from the workshop of the German ceramicist Helmut Schäffenacker (1921–2010). The object displays the designer’s characteristic powerful formal language of the 1960s and 1970s and can be stylistically assigned to Brutalism and the expressive German studio ceramics of the period.

The tall, columnar form is capped by a strongly shaped, shell-like opening. Particularly characteristic is the surrounding decorative ring at the upper edge with geometrically incised symbol forms, which appear highly graphic and recall archaic signs or tribal motifs. The glaze shows a lively interplay of cream-colored, beige-gray and brown running glazes that flowed during the firing process, creating a natural, almost stone-like surface.

Inside, a dark glaze contrasts with the lighter exterior and reinforces the piece’s sculptural effect. The raw, almost architectural form and the restrained ornamentation correspond to the spirit of Brutalism, in which materiality, structure and craftsmanship are intentionally visible.

The base bears a model number as well as a dealer label from the furniture store Huppers, Heinhausen, which distributed high-quality design and craft objects.

Helmut Schäffenacker was one of the important representatives of postwar German studio ceramics. His works – frequently wall ceramics, vases and sculptural objects – combine modernist design with traditional craftsmanship and were distributed internationally.

Dimensions
Height: approx. 15 cm
Diameter: approx. 10.5 cm

Condition: good age-related condition with typical traces of handmade production and firing processes.

A decorative collectible of German studio ceramics from the 1960s/70s – ideal for mid-century, Brutalism, or vintage interiors.

Insured shipping with tracking and shockproof packaging is of course guaranteed.