Book Cover

Goldscheider Ceramics: Company history and catalogue of works

The official book on Goldscheider Ceramics

This is the first book to cover the fascinating history and unparalleled production of the famous Viennese manufacturer Goldscheider. The company, renowned worldwide for its ceramics, faience, terracotta, and bronzes…

The official book on Goldscheider ceramics was presented to the public at the opening of the big Goldscheider exhibition at the Vienna Museum. With more than 4,000 models and 2,200 illustrations (on over 600 pages) it reveals many new aspects of the history of the Goldscheider family and their artistic works, incl. secret insights on Friedrich Goldscheider, Walter and Marcell as well as Arthur and the insane Camillo Goldscheider. The catalogue of works, list of artists (more than 500 biographies) and marks table (over 160 marks) are a reliable source not only for Goldscheider ceramics but for Viennese ceramics.

The fact that this monograph has been long overdue is itself a major factor for the sake of the book and its success. But it is the wealth of information painstakingly and systematically assembled by the authors, namely Robert Dechant, a professional librarian who has devoted years of his life to the subject, combined with valuable personal contacts of Filipp Goldscheider, that should guarantee this scholarly researched book an instant and wide popular appeal.

The book is bilingual in German and English.

Get your copy of the official Goldscheider book or get a signed copy directly from the author.

Goldscheider Exhibitions & Lectures

After the impressive Goldscheider exhibition at the Vienna Museum (2007-2008), the lecture in Prague at the Museum for Decorative Arts (2008), the exhibition at the LBI in New York (2009) and the lecture at the 10th Art Deco World Congress in Montreal (2009), the amazing exhibition at the Grassi Museum in Leipzig (2015) and Goldscheider exhibition at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) from 26.Oct-11.Dec 2016 in Vienna.

Further exhibitions are planned for Australia, Russia, France, Italy, Japan, South Africa and United Kingdom.

History of the Goldscheider Manufacture

The combination of the highest artistic quality, innovation and business acumen resulted in an enormously successful international production lasting well over half a century. Goldscheider succeeded in attracting both the famous, highly acclaimed artists just as the young innovative ones and is rightly regarded nowadays as one of the most remarkable and prolific manufacturers of the 19th and 20th century. Well-known sculptors and ceramists like Walter Bosse, Demètre Chiparus, Benno Geiger, Josef Lorenzl, Ida Meisinger, Michael Powolny, Susi Singer, Arthur Strasser, and many others designed and created most desirable models for Goldscheider throughout the periods of Historicism, Art Nouveau and Art Déco.

The „Goldscheidersche Porzellan-Manufactur und Majolica-Fabrik“ (Goldscheider Porcelain Manufacturer and Majolica Factory) was founded in 1885 by Friedrich Goldscheider in Vienna. Within a short period of time, Goldscheider earned wide international acclaim together with notable awards and established itself as a leading ceramic company, first in Vienna and soon throughout Europe. With international branches opening in Paris, Leipzig, Berlin and Florence, Friedrich’s sons Walter and Marcell were able to further expand the business in the 1920s and 30s.

Goldscheider was setting the standards and style for Art Déco ceramics with an enormous success all over the world – creating some of the most beautiful and striking models which continue to be very much in demand to the present day. Only the rise of Hitler and fascism could have halted the unique artistic and business achievements of the Viennese family. After the Aryanization in 1938, the progressive ceramic maker Walter Bosse, who learned the trade at Goldscheider, attempted to save the firm and run it under his name.

The Nazi regime however appointed its protégé Josef Schuster from Munich. His production depended mainly on the already well-established models that had only the manufacturer’s name changed. His small „original“ production could not be compared to Goldscheider by any standard and slowly spelled the end of a major European force in ceramics.

The Goldscheider family fled Austria, and settled in England and in the US, where they swiftly continued the production of ceramics. Marcell Goldscheider manufactured under the family name in Staffordshire, UK. Walter Goldscheider built a successful US business, but eventually returned to Vienna in 1950 to revive the Austrian company. The heritage of the war and Schuster’s failures could not have been overcome, and thus three years later Walter had to close down his family business. He sold the license for the worldwide brand name Goldscheider to the German company Carstens, which produced ceramics until 1963. Finally, almost 25 years later, Friedrich’s great-grandson, Peter Goldscheider, produced a limited amount of figures and applied art objects in Stoob, Austria. And that was also the last time that the public had a chance to buy original pieces made by the Goldscheider family.

Altogether, Goldscheider produced a staggering figure of more than 10,000 models. Its immediate and long-lasting worldwide success was due not only to professional management and international market orientation, but most of all to the timeless beauty and quality of many of the pieces. Goldscheider items are eagerly sought after by collectors and investors all over the world. They are sold by major auction houses including Sotheby’s, Christie’s, Dorotheum, Drouot and dozens of others ranging from the United States to the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia. Furthermore, eBay is playing a major part here with thousands of auctioned lots.

Contact

Feel free to contact me if you want more info on Goldscheider objects or artists. Just send an email to book@goldscheider.de, and I’ll be happy to answer your questions regarding Goldscheider ceramics.

SORRY, BUT: Due to the overwhelming amount of inquiries, I have to charge a small fee if you want detailed information on a Goldscheider object. The price varies between 10–100 Euros, depending on the object.

    I've read and agree to the Privacy Policy.*

    Information about the publication

    GOLDSCHEIDER
    Company history and catalogue of works
    Historicism, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, 1950s
    Robert E. Dechant / Filip Goldscheider

    The Company history with 548 mostly color illustrations, catalog raisonné with over 4,000 model numbers and more than 1,600 model illustrations in color and black and white, 163 brand illustrations.
    Over 500 artist biographies and signatures.

    640 pages
    22.5 x 31 cm hardcover with dust jacket.
    Text in German and English.
    € 149.80 (D) – CHF 260
    ISBN 978-3-89790-216-9

    You can order the book directly from: