174th Auction - Special Auction Karlsruhe Majolika

Previewing and auction will take place in the premises of the manufactory

in Karlsruhe:

From Saturday March 15th, 2025 to Tuesday March 18th, 2025,

each from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Staatliche Majolika Keramik Manufaktur

Ahaweg 6-8

76131 Karlsruhe

Dear ladies and gentlemen, esteemed art lovers,

With this auction, an era comes to an end. The oldest art ceramics factory in Germany, Majolica Karlsruhe, has created artisanal masterpieces for decades that have captivated collectors and enthusiasts around the world. Now, with the closing of this time-honored workshop, you have the rare opportunity to delve into the impressive variety of these unique ceramics for one last time. Each piece in this catalog tells a story of artistic ceramics, of innovative design, and of the distinctive hand of artists who transformed clay into timeless art with passion and dedication. These are works that not only preserve the legacy of a factory but also reflect the cultural heritage of a history spanning over a hundred years.

This auction is more than just a sale—it is a tribute to the craftsmanship and life's work of many creative hands. We warmly invite you to be part of this special moment and to take home a piece of this unique history.

Save it! Place it!! Be a part of it!!!

Martina Kistner-Bayne, former artistic director of the Majolica Factory

The History of the Majolica Factory

The Majolica Ceramic Factory was a cultural beacon of the fan-shaped city. Founded in 1901 by Grand Duke Friedrich I of the former Grand Duchy of Baden, this prestigious, traditional art workshop quickly became known worldwide. The artistic initiators were Hans Thoma and Wilhelm Süs. Over its 120-year history, "the Majolica" experienced periods of great splendor. Its distinctive products were soon sought after and cherished around the world. "Ceramics are a passion. Once it has seized someone, it never lets go, " shared Hans Thoma, a sentiment still echoed by artists, collectors, and long-standing international customers and Majolica fans up until its closure.

The graphic artist and painter Thoma, together with Süs, shaped the face of the Majolica. His trademark designed in 1901 remains essentially unchanged to this day and continues to be a seal of quality for art in ceramics: it features the Baden coat of arms with the Grand Ducal crown and a double "M" for Majolica Factory. "M" as in Museum—there is one on the expansive grounds, which carries a great responsibility to preserve and display the unique artistic creations that have emerged over a century at the Majolica. It presents a magnificent artistic and cultural-historical journey in words, pictures, and countless objects through the history of the Ceramic Factory and the artists who have worked there since its founding.

The Majolica bears many signatures: famous artists of both regional and international renown, such as Stephan Balkenhol, Markus Lüpertz, Elvira Bach, Anna Lea Hucht, have shaped the character of the factory and its products for decades. As artists in residence, they worked in specially designed studios and workshops in cooperation and dialogue with ceramic masters and ceramic painters. Under their designs, masterful ceramics were shaped, cast, retouched, and painted. This synergy was a constant impulse for innovation and a passion for the creation and completion of ceramic art with heart, soul, and high expertise, from valuable unique pieces to famous replicas to small and large series. The significant importance of a factory for ceramic art arises not only from preserving the tradition of a great artistic past but also from the constant engagement with contemporary artistic currents. This engagement has been successfully mastered by the Majolica Factory over the decades with much passion and many difficulties, up to the development of ceramic 3D printing, which has created possibilities for previously unthinkable new shapes and designs.

Unfortunately, the wonderful story of the Majolica Factory in Karlsruhe was concluded in December 2024 after 123 years.