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Manufacture & Dating
The backstamp — green script above crossed lines and a crown motif
reading “Rosenthal / SELB BAVARIA / DONATELLO” — places this piece among
Rosenthal’s Selb-made wares from the early 20th century. Stylistic and
typographic cues of the mark, combined with the hand-applied gilt and
floral treatment, point to production in the interwar decades, most
plausibly the late 1920s through the early 1930s.
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| Rosenthal Donatello Double Handled cup and Saucer 03 |
The cup’s body is high-kaolin (kaolinite) porcelain — the Chinese white,
fired at high temperature so the paste is fine, dense and slightly
translucent under bright light. Measurements you provided (cup height 4.6
cm; mouth Ø 7.9 cm; saucer Ø 14.2 cm) fit common bouillon/cream-soup or
double-handled tea models of Rosenthal’s tableware lines.
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Historical Context & Rosenthal Selb
Rosenthal, founded in the 19th century and with major production in
Selb (Bavaria), built its reputation on marrying industrial porcelain
manufacture with artist collaborations and refined decoration. By the
1910s–1930s the firm produced numerous named model lines (like
“Donatello”) that balanced classical proportions with contemporary
surface ornament.
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| Rosenthal Donatello Double Handled cup and Saucer 06 |
The Selb works were notable for technical control — consistent kaolin
bodies, reliable glaze fits, and a factory infrastructure that allowed
both decal and hand finishing. In the interwar period Rosenthal navigated
shifting styles: echoes of late-Victorian floral taste, Art Nouveau’s
drawn botanical curves, and the leaner geometry of early Art Deco could
all appear, sometimes within a single service.
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| Rosenthal Donatello Double Handled cup and Saucer 07 |
Form & Function
Visually, the Donatello double-handled cup has a softly rounded body,
short vertical profile and elegantly swept handles that emphasize
symmetry. The two handles serve both decorative balance and functional
ease — a bouillon or cream soup cup was often presented with two handles
so it could be raised and sipped without tipping.
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The proportions (low height, wide mouth) make the silhouette graceful on
the table; the saucer’s shallow well and raised ornamental ring echo the
cup’s concentric motifs, creating a composed set when assembled. The
thinness of the rim and the refined foot indicate a quality firing and
skillful trimming.
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Pattern & Decoration
The floral sprays are rendered in delicate, naturalistic hues — soft
rose pinks, warm orange-corals, violets and tiny blue fillers — arranged
asymmetrically but balanced around the cup and translated into a ring of
small bouquets on the saucer. The floral painting appears to be applied
with fine brushwork rather than crude decal stamping; petals show subtle
tonal gradation and tiny brush-strokes.
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| Rosenthal Donatello Double Handled cup and Saucer 10 |
The gilt border — a scalloped festoon with dotted pendants — is finely
executed and likely hand-applied. This Rococo-referencing gold ornament
gives a formal edge and pairs well with the loose botanical painting: the
gold frames the flowers without overwhelming them. The interior single
sprig on the cup (small cluster beneath the rim) is a point of refined
finishing, typical of higher-end services where even unseen interior
surfaces receive attention.
Taken together, the Rosenthal Selb Donatello double-handled cup and saucer
exemplify an interwar European porcelain aesthetic: technical excellence
(fine kaolin body and controlled glazing), an interplay of classical form
and decorative flourish (Donatello’s balanced profile paired with
Rococo-tinged gilt), and skilled surface work (delicate floral painting).
Its modest dimensions belie its well-resolved design language: every element
— handle profile, floral placement, and gilt motif — is calibrated to
produce a quiet, elegant presence on the table.
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