We love vintage like nobody’s business. To that end, we’re talking to some of our very favorite vintage sellers on how they get the job done — with a tour of a few of their best pieces. We kick off the series with Steph of DekorFurore — just check out her gorgeous, mostly mid-century, and mostly German, ceramics and porcelain.
Shop: DekorFurore
Location: Hamburg, Germany
Our pick: This incredible mid-century tea set (and I don’t even like tea!!)
How would you describe your shop?
DekorFurore sells mostly smaller ceramic and porcelain items that are not only decorative but want to be used in a household. From my perspective the dishes are little “stars” from former times. I love to see how the goods fit together [within my Etsy shop], although they were manufactured in different times and by different companies.
What’s the best thing you’ve ever found while buying for your shop? Did you keep it for yourself or sell it?
Some things I find stay a while in my flat. Most of them are made by Melitta. I cannot say what is best — it depends on my search “goals”—but four years ago, I found a teapot and two cups with TinTin on them. They were manufactured by Axis Paris, and I did not know how precious and rare they were. It made me very happy selling them to an older man who came in person to my office. He had an old briefcase and some wrapping paper. He was so happy he found these dishes. There are so many “best” things, but I like it more when I’d able to make people happy—that’s why I’ll often put some ceramic extras in the clients’ parcels.
Is vintage your full-time job or do you do other sorts of work as well? If so, what kind?
I am a freelance still life stylist, and I’ve been doing this job now for over 28 years. I hope that my online shop will become a bigger part of my earnings, but I’m taking my time.
What makes vintage pieces where you’re from special?
Germany has a really significant porcelain and ceramic tradition. Most of the companies no longer exist — only the big ones, like Rosenthal, are still on the market. In my opinion, most of their newer products are boring! I miss the pretty, filigree and illustrational patterns of the 1950s and ’60s — this era of prosperity and consumer consumption after World War II.
My second special interest and big love belongs to Melitta Porcelain. They produced so many still modern designs by Liselotte Kantner and Jupp Ernst, and they were one of the prominent companies in northern Germany, where I live and was born. The products were Nordic in spirit, with a touch of Scandinavian simplicity. In my opinion, they were absolutely comparable to Scandinavian companies like Arabia, Rörstrand, and Figgjo.
Is there anywhere you enjoy traveling for vintage shopping? If so, where and what do you look for?
I usually buy in Hamburg and don’t travel to special places in Europe — this makes sense, since I concentrate on German ceramics and porcelain, and it’s a plus for keeping my CO2 output in balance.
If I did go somewhere to buy vintage items, I would prefer Denmark’s private garage sales, and non-profit organization shops in Norway and Switzerland. Antwerp is also a nice place for searching old things!
If I am on holiday I usually avoid vintage hunting. It’s my holiday!
Especially for Melitta porcelain, there’s nothing better than online research, because some stuff is so rare, and the quality is usually better. I am also very picky. I am sure I would have never found most of my Melitta stock in flea markets.
Do you have a favorite era? I see many beautiful pieces from the 1970s.
At the moment, dishes and ceramics of the 1970s and ’60s are in abundance. But my taste is not static, and I started flirting with the ’80s and ’90s a few weeks ago. I suppose that the focus is already shifting toward these later decades. Me
Personally, I’m surprised by what I’m liking now — pieces that would not have been interesting to my eye last year. So my shop is constantly changing, as my preferences change, too.