Press release -
From talisman to small sculpture - Animal love made of porcelain
Rosenthal Murphy Collection/Design: Sebastian Herkner
Following on from the Rosenthal pet pig RORO, which was made available as a porcelain figure in 2016 to mark the 100th birthday of Philip Rosenthal, designer Sebastian Herkner has come up with a decorative miniature porcelain sculpture to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Dog. Straightforward, faithful, affectionate – the design fully embodies these canine characteristics thanks to its simple form and proud, upright posture. A historical detail adds special significance to the piece: Murphy is named after the trusty family dog who accompanied the Rosenthal family for many years.
The Murphy collection is available in three colours (white, brown and black) and two sizes (12.5 cm and 22 cm).
Sebastian Herkner (born 1981) skilfully combines craftsmanship and high-tech elements in his designs. For him, good design means “combining a unique idea with function and top quality”. Born in Bad Mergentheim, Herkner has already designed pieces for Moroso, Carl Mertens, Very Wood by Gervasoni and ClassiCon,including probably his best-known design, the Bell Table, for which he was honoured with the Red Dot Design Award in 2010.
Zodiac collection Year of the dog/Design: iSHONi
In the Chinese Zodiac, the dog represents elegance, joy and friendliness. Mainly, however, it’s a family pet, characterised by devotion, loyalty and attentive communication. Based on these properties, the iSHONi Design Office has created a harmonious star sign plate for Rosenthal in vibrant orange. The playful side of the dog is depicted in the shape of an amulet made of natural wooden pearls which he proudly wears around his neck as a jewel, together with the golden key of wisdom. The water blue and turquoise leather straps are reminiscent of the interaction between natural forces such as wind and water. Decorative symbols around the edge such as a triple spiral or the tree of life make a direct connection with creation and the unfathomableness of life. They also symbolise the belief in the good in people which is one of the dog’s characteristics.
Rosenthal RORO Collection/Design: Sebastian Herkner
Fortitude, prosperity and fortune – the pig has always been seen as an ancient and symbolic animal. For the 100th birthday of Philip Rosenthal (1916–2001), designer Sebastian Herkner has created the minimalist design pieces RORO, based on the most striking part of a pig – the snout. The inspiration for the pieces was Rosenthal's pet pig RORO, for whom in 1967 Philip Rosenthal wanted to build a sty in Bauhaus style. The pig sty was designed by none other than architect Walter Gropius after he lost a bet.
Today, Herkner's pieces are a wonderful tribute to the legendary friendship between two great designers. They also represent the exact symbolic attributes associated with the pig. As a symbol of luck, the 9-centimetre-high figure that fits into the palm of your hand is a perfect gift, the 17-centimetre money box will herald coming windfalls and the 50-centimetre-high piece in white porcelain, which is limited to 100 copies, represents energy and strength. The small and medium-sized figures are available in black, white, gold and pink.
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Rosenthal may have one of the longest traditions of Germany‘s companies, but is also one of the most modern. Just as we did when we were originally founded over 135 years ago, Rosenthal develops products equally for discerning end customers and for exacting professional clients from the restaurant and hotel trade. Our products stand out with exceptional form, function, quality and craftsmanship and represent a cultural asset “made in Germany”, never ceasing to combine innovation and creativity. With its award-winning porcelain design, trendy lifestyle collections and modern, elegant classics, the Rosenthal brand raises the bar time and again for aesthetics and individuality.
Established figures from the worlds of architecture, design and art, but also the hottest newcomers and talents design avant-garde dinner table collections, foster a joy of giving and create sophisticated furnishings. The collections are manufactured in the Rosenthal porcelain factory in Selb and the “Thomas am Kulm” porcelain factory in Speichersdorf, which offer some of the porcelain industry‘s most advanced production facilities anywhere in the world and deliver sustainable manufacturing with careful use of resources thanks to the forward- looking investments that have been made. New interior collections and accessories enrich the Rosenthal world by adding designer objects that go far beyond the limits of a conventional table setting and round off the huge product variety.
