Thomas Germany, Eclipse

This very smart modernist op-art design is “Eclipse”, made by Thomas of Germany c1970s. (Part of the Rosenthal group) . The bold, crisp design was created by H.T. Baumann & Barbara Brenner for Thomas/Rosenthal.

Barbara Brenner worked for Rosenthal from 1960 to ?. Her “Scenario Metropol” and its strong “Memphis” style pattern, has become known as  her signature design.

Eclipse was one of several designs at Thomas during this era which had these typically white ground minimalist designs decorated with very bold and striking “op-art” patterns .

Thomas Germany, Eclipse Design

Thomas Germany, Eclipse Design

Thomas Germany, Eclipse Design

The following background on H. T. Baumann was kindly sent to me by Christine in the U.K. :

Hans Theo Baumann (b. 1924 in Basel, Switzerland). He trained in Textile Engineering in Switzerland and obtained a degree at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts (1943-46), “Teddy” Baumann went to Basel where he studied Graphic Design and Interior Design at the Gewerbeschule/ Schule für Gestaltung.

In 1953 he spent some time working with Egon Eiermann in Pforzheim, before opening his own studio in 1955. He was one of the co-founders of the Association of German Industrial Designers (VDID) in 1959. He also worked jointly with the architect Egon Eiermann, whose buildings came to epitomise the young German Federal Republic.

Baumann joined Philipp Rosenthal in 1954 and worked at the Rosenthal factory into the 1970s as a freelance designer. In 1969 he was appointed to the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad, India, and in 1985 he became a professor at the Berlin University of the Arts.

His prize-winning designs were a strong influence on the German design scene. His work is typified by clear-cut, timeless shapes, with high functionality. In addition to Rosenthal and Thomas, he produced designs for Arzberg, Schönwald, Hutschenreuther and KPM Berlin and Fukagawa Japan amongst others.

You can find a complete history of the Thomas factory with all the backstamps and dates on THIS reliable Porcelain marks site.

Thomas Germany, Eclipse Design