Amphora is the name of a company and the astonishing art pottery it created. Located in Turn-Teplitz, Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), the firm was founded in 1892 by Eduard Stellmacher, his brothers-in-law Hans and Karl Reissner, and Rudolf Kessel. All these men were closely connected to Eduard’s father Alfred Stellmacher, who between 1876 and 1893 established himself as the foremost manufacturer of decorative ceramics in Turn-Teplitz. The Riessner brothers and Rudolf Kessel had married daughters of Alfred Stellmacher, so they formed part of Alfred Stellmacher’s family circle. Hans Riessner had also served as workshop head at Alfred’s porcelain manufactory, and Eduard had worked there as a designer. Thus it was with Alfred Stellmacher’s blessing that Amphora’s founders established themselves in one of his vacated manufactory buildings.

Although Amphora and several other firms--such as Artistic Ceramics Paul Dachsel, Eduard Stellmacher and Co., and Ernst Wahliss and Co--have long been considered part of the Teplitz ceramics industry, they in fact were located in the neighboring village of Turn. Together, Turn and Teplitz constituted a pottery production center, which is why the words Turn-Teplitz often appear on the bottom of Amphora ceramics. During Amphora’s heyday, Bohemia formed part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, so Amphora pottery is sometimes considered Austrian. For the sake of convenience, I also include the works of Paul Dachsel, Eduard Stellmacher and Co., and Ernst Wahliss and Co., under the general heading of Amphora.

One reason for the success of Amphora and other Turn-Teplitz companies was the abundant supply of kaolin in nearby riverbeds. Kaolin clay is an essential ingredient of porcelain, first produced in China, but coveted in the West for centuries. (The Meissen Factory of Saxony created Europe’s earliest porcelain in the 1710s.) By the late-1870s Alfred Stellmacher had developed “ivory porcelain,” a matte yellowish material that proved well suited to Amphora’s aim of manufacturing fine decorative ceramics. Malleable yet resistant to high temperatures, ivory porcelain enabled Amphora to combine complex forms with richly layered glazes, the result of multiple firings. When originally incorporated as Riessner, Stellmacher and Kessel, Amphora imitated the Orientalist and Neo-Baroque styles favored by Alfred Stellmacher. Thanks to skilled designers like Eduard Stellmacher and Paul Dachsel, as well as a host of decorators from the Special Ceramics School of Teplitz, Amphora quickly developed a unique genre of Art Nouveau ceramics. What unified Amphora’s output was an unparalleled concern for fine design and glazing. The firm’s stylistic diversity, combined with its unwavering standard of quality, made it a world leader among industrial manufacturers of art pottery.

Although it’s unclear when Amphora’s pottery was popularly known by that name, the word Amphora consistently appeared on pieces by the late-1890s. Furthermore, the firm was officially renamed “Riessner & Kessel Amphora” after Eduard Stellmacher resigned in 1904. Following Paul Dachsel’s departure in 1903, the loss of Stellmacher marked the end of Amphora’s golden age. Key series from that remarkable decade—1894 to 1904—feature these forms and motifs: plants (including applied flowers and fruit), animals, prehistoric/mythical creatures, Klimt- and Mucha-style portraits, biomorphism, and simulated jeweling. The incredible array of glazes that adorn Amphora ceramics defies brief description.

As a dealer, I only offer rare and desirable examples of Amphora pottery. That said, I firmly believe that collectors who limit themselves to pristine pieces will end up with minor collections. For this reason, I work closely with New York’s finest ceramic conservator, an individual who trained at Russia’s Hermitage Museum. Although most of the pieces in my collection are in perfect condition, I will gladly offer exceptional examples whose damage or wear have been sensitively restored. For over fifteen years I’ve helped build the finest Amphora collections, and can proudly say I've never heard a complaint (except, perhaps, about a price). So, whether you’re an experienced collector or an intrigued novice, you’ll find the finest selection of Amphora pottery at Jason Jacques Inc.