Hi Chris,

Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.

German porcelain manufacturer Rosenthal was founded in 1879 by Philipp Rosenthal in Selb, Bavaria, a region synonymous with elite porcelain production. What really sets Rosenthal apart is that it treated porcelain as a design object, not just a craft. Over the 20th century they collaborated with Bauhaus founder Walter Gropius, Raymond Loewy, Tapio Wirkkala, Björn Wiinblad and Andy Warhol, among others; this made Rosenthal a bridge between fine porcelain and modern art.

Your coffee and dessert service was from Rosenthal Studio-Linie, which was revolutionary in that it used contemporary artists to design tableware for everyday use. Clean modernism, bold graphics, and sculptural forms—all became very collectible through this line, which featured hard white porcelain, precision firing and glazing and the willingness to experiment with shapes others wouldn’t risk commercially.

The presence of larger plates, which would have been used for cake, distinguishes this service from tea services (with smaller cups and coffee services, which would not have included plates); the pot could have contained either tea or coffee.

Cake services became popular in the late 19th and early 20th Century, particularly in Central Europe among the middle class.

Other Rosenthal services of similar size and age that have come to auction in recent months have sold for between $125 and $175.

Based on the photos and information provided, and subject to examination, this is:

A vintage 38-piece Rosenthal Studio Linie parcel gilt cake service
made in Germany, 1960s
Gala pattern, comprising:
12 cake plates
11 cups with
12 saucers
1 coffee or tea pot
1 cream pitcher
1 covered sugar bowl
CONDITION: This service appears to be in good condition
PROVENANCE: Inherited
$125-175 for the set*
*represents a fair-market value for auction purposes; retail or asking price may vary.

Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia