Ceramics and Pottery Arts and Resources

 

Fat lava vase by Strehla, E.Germany  60s – 70s

 

 

Lava glazes that amaze

 

The Lava glaze ceramics of the 60’s were an extension of the Bauhaus design concept of creating affordable decorative arts for mass consumption during the middle of the 20th century. The manufacturing process was simplified with the use of pottery casting molds and the application of a diverse variety of glazes by the enamelers and glaze technicians. This was combined with applying integrated craft procedures to produce large numbers that maintained an aesthetic appeal of high quality. The first “lava”glaze appeared in 1967, coinciding with the sixties “summer of love”, so the bold colors, textures and vivid abstract styles were really in harmony with the spirit of the era.
The repetitive pottery forms of the mold created industrial vessels were given more distinctive features by the enamelers, who were encouraged to be adventurous and experimental with their decorations, particularity after the introduction of the foamy, dripping, rich textural Fat Lava glazes in the early 70’s and was instrumental in helping to redefine the vase in a modern, sculptural context. The Fat Lava glazes at this time, in French Vallauris, became a sublime match with the studio hand built, ‘free form’ modernist ceramics.

 

Walter Gerhards red glaze vase with brutalist Fat Lava motif

Fat Lava Wadersloh – flickr

 

This remarkable era of design freedom unleashed structural geometric reliefs, contrasted with smooth glazes in black, blue and red, providing a vibrant decorative language for  the abstracted modernist forms. An exotic plethora of other imaginative combinations of textures and colour were also abundantly evident. The use of lava glazes heralded the emergence of a more eccentric aesthetic along with other forays into  reactive, evocative ceramic designs. The rugged surface craters that appeared in the glazes were symbiotic with the lunarscapes of the sixties space exploration and lava clad Sputnik shapes were even created by the German designers. This flamboyant Mid Century phase of ceramic art spurned a wave of affordable modern decor designs which also included inspiring contributions from Italy, USA, Spain, UK and Scandinavia.

 

 

Ingvil Havrevold lava glaze pottery vessel

 

 

Ruscha ‘Pompeii’ lava glaze vessel

 

 

West German fat lava ribbed Vase

 

 

 Tall Lava Glaze Vase with Relief Bull and Volcano’s  –  Scheruich

Assemblage , Chicago

 

 

 

Scheurich 291-20 Lora Fat Lava Vase

West German Pottery

 

Mid Century lava glaze Vase-–-Bay Keramik

1950’s

 

 

Scheurich 517-45 Fat Lava glaze Floor Vase

Fat Lava Wadersloh – flickr

 

Gerda Heuckeroth Carstens Atelier handle vase

 

 

 

Scheurich  520-28 red drip lava glaze vase

60’s

 

 

 

Ruscha ceramic panel wall art

 

 

 

Fat Lava glaze planter

 

 

Large Lava glaze colorful Ceramic table or floor lamp by Melior

Height 28 inches

 

 

Fat Lava Ceramic Owl Table Lamp – 70s

1st Didbs — 24inches height

 

 

Large Avacado Green Lava Glazed  Pottery Floor Vase by Carstens

1970’s  West Germany

 

 

Red and Yellow ovoid pottery drip glazed vase shape table Lamp

 

 

Ettore Sottsass ceramic tableware for Bitossi

 

 

Vintage sgraffito lava glazed pitcher – Fratelli Fanciullacci, Italy

 

 

Helmut Schäffenacke lave glaze vase

 

 

 

West German Bay-67-17 fat lava vase

 

 

Bay – Vase model 102 18-Fat lava Mid-century

West Germany

 

Lava glaze Vase by Marius Bessone

Vallauris 12inches – 1stDibs

 

 

Carstens 1960s Large relief  fat lava Floorvase-–-Mid-Century

Everglaze

 

 

Vintage Carstens ‘Luxus’ Vase designed by-Peter Dieter

 

 

Carstens Tönnieshof vase – 7607-20

 

Ceramano 229—219—Decor Syrakus ceramic lava glaze jugs

 

 

Ceramano ‘Koralle’ Fat Lava Vase

West German Pottery

 

 

Chocolate lava cups Mid Century

 

Vallauris modernist vase – lava drip glaze

France

 

 

Fat lava ceramic bottle – Emons & Sohn Keramic

West Germany, 1960’s

 

 

ES Keramik

70’s West German Pottery

 

 

Fat Lava Vase-–-Jopeko-404-12-–-Green White with Thick Crust

Everglaze  – 1950’s – 1960’s

 

 

 

Brutalist Style Fat Lava Vase – VEB Haldensleben Label – ocean green white black & brown

1960’s – 1970’s – East German Mid Century Pottery

 

 

French Ceramic Vase by Marius Besson

Vallauris

 

 French Cyclope Emaux Des Glacier, lava glaze pitcher

Gallery Hero Il_Fullxfull

 

 

Glazed Lava bottle geometric motif vase by Scheurich Keramic

IstDibs

 

 

Lava fountain eruption of Mt Etna volcano, Italy

 

 

 

Jopeko Modernist  Space Age Fat Lava Vase. 11 cms

70’s West German Pottery

 

 

Jopeko Modernist  Fat Lava Vase

West Germany

 

 

 

Red and black Marei Fat Lava vase

 

 

Jopeko Keramik West German Pottery Fat Lava vase with handle

 

 

Lava glaze abstract motif mid century vase

Lapid Pottery, Israel

 

 

Large San Marino Italian Art Pottery Raymor Vase

1960’s

 

 

Tall and elegant Vase by the La Roue studio Vallauris. Glazed with a Lava type Glaze and enameled floral decor.

 

 

Jean Besnard Earthenware Vase

circa 1937

 

Scheurich large lava vase West Germany

 

 

Scheurich fat lava vase, yellow with black stripes

 

 

Scheurich-420-54—21 vase with handle,  Black lava glaze leaves on on red

Fat Lava Wadersloh – flickr

 

Scheurich 70’s Vintage West German Fat Lava Floor Vase.

Height 30 cms.

 

 

Scheurich lava glaze vase with horses motif

 

 

Pair of vintage table lamps with lava glaze patterns

1st Dibs

 

 

Marius Giuge huge and heavy classical style vase with drip lava glaze

Vallauris

 

 

Marei lava glaze bottle

2003

 

 

Scheurich baluster lava glaze vase — West-Germany

 

 

Vallauris Fat Lava glaze vases

 

 

Faceted Turquoise lava glaze lamp base

Vintage Lab

 

 

I had one of those “whoa” moment when I saw this abandoned 60’s lava relic perilously perched on top of a junk bin at a home reno in my neighborhood. It’s still in superb condition, and has now been retired to my balcony.

 

 

 

Kreutz Keramik German jug vase ceramic lava 60s – 70s mid-century

Designclassics

 

 

Vase in Brown with a Light foam Glaze by Jørgen Mogensen

1960’s

 

 

 

Vallauris ecume de mer glaze vase – 1960’s

LCT Home

 

 

Vintage 60s –  70s Mid Century Modern Drip Lava Glazed Ceramic Table Lamp

by Maurice Chalvignac  ( see comment below)

etsy 120O9

 

 

Vintage West German pitcher vase by Jasba

RetroMungo – Etsy

 

 

Walter Gerhards swirly portal Lamp Base

 

 

ES Keramik 70’s West German Pottery Modernist drip Fat lava Space Age Vase

 

 

 

Awaji Pottery Manipulated Jar with Crawling Lava Glaze – circa 1930

1st Dibs