Herman A. Kahler (1846-1917) Danish, Antique Floral Ceramic Vase. Beautiful classic shape and imagery with swooping leaves and flowers across it. Rolled up paper with biography of art teacher and ceramicist Kurt Wild (1931-2011) taped to interior rim, indicating it likely came from his personal collection. Marked "Denmark" on the bottom, signed "HAK." 

Condition: Commensurate with age. 

Size: 10 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 12 in. 

Herman August Kähler was born on March 6th, 1846 in Næstved, Denmark. His father was Joachim Christian Herman Kähler (1808-1884) from the Duchy of Holstein who established a pottery workshop in Næstved in 1839. Herman attended the Technical School in Copenhagen in 1864 while studying privately under Herman Wilhelm Bissen. In 1865 he travelled to Germany, Switzerland, and Paris to study various sculptural forms and techniques, returning to Næstved in 1867. Together with his younger brother Carl Frederik Kähler he took over the running of the factory in 1872. Carl became responsible for producing faience while Herman specialized in manufacturing tiled stoves. In 1875, after Carl left the company to strike out on his own, Herman built a new factory on the town’s outskirts where he produced both stoves and original art pottery. As a result of his collaboration with the artist Vilhelm Klein, Kähler became interested in obtaining the red lustre glaze known as maiolica which had first been produced in Gubbio, Italy, in the 16th Century. In 1888, after much trial and error, he succeeded, developing a ruby glaze that became known as Kähler Red. The designer Karl Hansen Reistrup (1863-1929) joined his company, assisting in the production of artistically decorated items, especially vases. Their collaborations achieved considerable success both at the Great Nordic Exhibition held in Copenhagen in 1888 and at the Exposition Universelle held the following year in Paris. A number of other artists began to design items for the Kähler factory, including Thorvald Bindesbøll, H. A. Brendekilde, L.A. Ring, and Svend Hammershøi, bringing the company international attention. Kähler died in Næstved on November 16th, 1917. His son Herman Hans Christian Kähler (1876-1940) who had taken over management of the factory in 1901 continued to run the enterprise until his death, and today the company is still producing new works, now as a trademarked brand of the Rosendahl Design Group.

Commensurate with age.