The number 440-40 corresponds to the classic West German system. The 440 is the number assigned to the specific design or mold shape of the piece (a vase, planter, etc.), and the 40 indicates that the piece measures exactly 40 centimeters in height.
In 1892, brothers Christian and Ernst Carstens acquired a pottery factory in Rheinsberg (East Germany). Over the decades, the family business expanded drastically until they owned multiple porcelain and ceramic factories across the country, becoming one of Germany's largest distributors.
However, World War II destroyed almost everything. By the time the conflict ended in 1945, the vast majority of their plants had been reduced to rubble or were located within the Soviet occupation zone (East Germany). The new communist regime expropriated and nationalized all of the family's factories without compensation, renaming their main plant VEB Haldensleben.
2. Post-War Revival: "Tönnieshof" is Born (1946 - 1950s)
Stripped of their empire, Ernst Carstens and his son Christian refused to surrender and fled to West Germany in order to start from scratch.
In 1946, they founded a new company in the town of Fredelsloh. Since they did not have an actual factory, they established themselves on the lands of an agricultural farm called Tönnieshof. This is how the definitive name was born: Carstens Tönnieshof.
The iconic logo engraved on the vase—the twin houses with triangular roofs—pays direct tribute to those original farmsteads where the family restarted their industrial dream.
Mass production began in 1947. At first, driven by post-war shortages, they focused on tableware, plates, and utilitarian household items. It was a resounding success: by 1953, the company already employed more than 400 people and was opening new plants.
3. The Golden Age of Design and "Fat Lava" (1960s - 1970s)
With the economy stabilized, Carstens made the leap into purely decorative and artistic ceramics, becoming one of the "Big Four" manufacturers in West Germany. This success was due to the hiring of brilliant art directors and designers:
• Trude Carstens: Ernst's wife, she was the first formal art director. In the 1950s, she introduced highly elegant organic lines, slender shapes, and subtle gold detailing.
• Heinz Siery (1959–1967): Considered the firm's most famous designer. His designs applied the "golden ratio," creating vases with incredibly clean, sculptural shapes and perfect proportions (he created the famous Brasilia and Manila lines).
• Helmut Scholtis: Creator in 1963 of the Ankara decor, one of the most iconic and best-selling patterns in German pottery history, recognizable by its blue and earth tones using wax-resist techniques.
• Dieter Peter and Rudolph Christmann: In the late 1960s and early 1970s, they revolutionized the brand with the Luxus line. They designed pieces with a brutalist aesthetic featuring wild textures and the thick, frothy glazes of the Fat Lava movement, including the "reptile-skin" texture.
During this peak era, Carstens grew into an international giant, opening branches or signing licensed production agreements in countries as far away as Austria, Australia, Chile, Brazil, and Argentina.
Decline and Closure (1977 - 1984)
By the mid-1970s, the global ceramics market began to reach saturation. The trend of vibrant colors and Mid-Century volcanic glazes started to lose momentum to new decorative styles. Furthermore, poor business choices made by the family's younger generations and internal conflicts diminished the corporation's profitability.
In 1977, Carstens Tönnieshof officially declared bankruptcy. Following the collapse, a group of employees attempted to rescue the factory and continued production on a smaller scale under the name Kiel Atelier, but the initiative did not succeed, and it permanently closed its doors in 1984.
Logistics and International Shipping
We provide a comprehensive export service so that your only concern is enjoying your acquisition.
• Door-to-Door Service: Pieces located in our Argentina galleries are shipped directly to your address via air freight.
• Simplified Customs Management: We handle the processing of export permits and the payment of customs duties. You will receive your purchase without additional paperwork or surprise costs.
• High-Security Packaging: Following FedEx international standards, each piece is protected in custom-made wooden crates, designed to withstand 1-meter impacts and ensure the integrity of the object during transit.
• Note for shipments to the USA: To comply with shipping company regulations and ensure delivery at the destination, a valid tax ID (EIN, SSN, or ITIN) is required.
• Domestic US Shipping: For those pieces available in our United States storage, logistics are managed through 1stdibs.
Ceramic
We have specialized in the sale of Art Deco and Art Nouveau and Vintage styles since 1982. If you have any questions we are at your disposal.
Pushing the button that reads 'View All From Seller'. And you can see more objects to the style for sale.
Why are there so many antiques in Argentina?
In the 1880 – 1940 there was a grate wave of immigration encouraged by the periods of war that were taking place.
1st World War took place between 1914 and 1918
2nd World War took place between 1939 and 1945
The immigrants options were New York or Buenos Aires. Tickets were cheap and in Buenos Aires they were welcomed with open arms, as it was a country where everything was still to be done.
Argentina was the country of new opportunities, labour was needed and religious freedom was assured, in many cases the of the family travel first until they were settled and then the rest of the family members join them.
In the immigrant museum “Ellis Island Immigrant Building” in New York you can se the promotional posters of the boats that would take them to a new life.
Between the years 1895 and 1896, Argentina had the highest DGP (gross domestic product) per capita in the world according to the Maddison Historical Statistics index, this situation arose due to the large amount of food being exported to European countries, which were at war.
The Argentinean ships left the port of Buenos Aires with food, but they returned with furniture, clothes and construction elements, (it´s common to see this the old buildings of the historic neighbourhood of San Telmo, the beams with the inscription “Made in England)”, as well as many markets that were built in Buenos Aires, such us the San Telmo Market, whose structure was brought by ship and afterwards assembled in 900 Defensa Street.
With the great influence of European immigrants living in the country, the children of the upper classes travelled to study in France, resulting in the inauguration of “La Maison Argentinienne”, on 27th of June 1928, in the international city of Paris, which hosted many Argentinians that were studying in Frace.
It´s the fourth house to be built after France, Canada and Belgium, being the first Spanish-speaking one. Still in place today (17 Bd Jourdan, 75014, Paris, France). Many of the children of these wealthy families who attended international art exhibitions, museums and art courses abroad, took a keen interest in the European style. This is why Buenos Aires was at the time referred as “The Paris of South America”.
Between the years 1890 and 1920 more than a hundred Palaces were built on Alvear Avenue the most exclusive avenue in Buenos Aires. Today some of these palaces have been transformed into museums, hotels and embassies.
In the year 1936, the Kavanagh building was inaugurated, it was the tallest reinforced concrete building in South America.
During 1994 the American Society of Civil Engineers distinguished it as an “international engineering milestone”, and it´s now considered a World Heritage of Modern Architecture.
At the time was common to hire foreign architects such as Le Corbusier, who visited Buenos Aires/Argentina in 1929 and in 1948 he drew up the blueprints for a house built in La Plata City (which was declared a World Heritage Site).
In 1947, the Hungarian architect Marcelo Breuer designed “Parador Ariston” in the seaside city of Mar del Plata. After an Argentinean student at Harvard University convinced him to come to Argentina. He worked on an urban development project in the Casa Amarilla, area of La Boca.
The Ukrainian architect, Vladimiro Acosta, arrives in Argentina in 1928 and worked as an architect until que moved to Brazil.
Antonio Bonet, a Spanish architect who worked with Le Corbusier in Paris, arrives in Argentina in 1937, where he carried out several architectural works and in 1938 designs the well-known BFK chair.
Andres Kálnay, of Hungarian origin, made around 120 architectural masterpieces, among which the former Munich brewery stands out, he even made the furniture’s design.
The German architect, Walter Gropius, director of the Bauhaus, lived in Argentina, where he wrote articles for “Sur” magazine and founded in Buenos Aires, an architectural firm with Franz Möller, who was also an architect, where he built two houses.
At the same time several famous designers decided to immigrate to Argentina, among them we can find the well-known French designer, Jean-Michel Frank, who arrived in the country in 1940 and also worked for the Rockefeller family.
Special pieces were made, which were sold exclusively in the country, such as the well-known German company “WMF”, who sold their products by catalogue, which were chosen by the ladies of High Society in the list of wedding gifts, as well as the pieces designed by Christofle.
The Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti, made special pieces for Argentinean mansions.
In 1904 the first Jansen branch outside Paris was established in Buenos Aires, as the Argentinean clientele demanded a large amount of furniture, from the end of the 19th century to the mid-20th century.
In 1970, the brand Rigolleau Argentina made pieces authorised by Lalique.
The brands Maple and Thompson also set up shop in the country.
The French plastic artist, Marcel Duchamp moved to Argentina in 1918-1919.
Glass signed Gallé, Charder, Leverre, Schneider, Muller and other French firms. They were bought in flower shops and were given to ladies with beautiful floral arrangements.
Some furniture manufacturers travelled to international fairs and bough the patterns to produce the furniture in Argentina, such as the furniture firm Englander and Bonta, who bought the patterns ins Italy.
It is worth mentioning that in Argentina we have the largest Community of Italians outside of Italy, as it is estimated that 70 percent of the inhabitants have at least one Italian descendant, followed by Spanish immigrants.
The most Important furniture stores in Argentina:
Comte is founded in 1934 (under the direct management of Jean Michel Frank in 1940).
Nordiska (Swedish company established in 1934).
Churba in 1960, a company that brought foreign designers to present their furniture in the country:
Denmark: (Arne Jacobsen, Finn Juhl, Bender Madsen, Ejner Larsen, Poul Kjaerholm, Hans Wegner)
Sweden: (Hans Agne Jakobsson, Gustavsberg)
United States: (Herman Miller)
Finland: (Lisa Johansson, Folke Arstrom, Tapio Wirkkala, Alvar Aalto, Timo Sarpaneva)
Swedish Factory: (Orrefors)
Italy: (Littala, Vico Magistretti, Emma Gismondi, Gae Aulenti, Angelo Mangiarotti, Elio Martinelli, Gianna Celada, Angelo Mangiarotti, Mario Bellini, Carlo Scarpa)
Finland: (Olivia Toikka)
Plata Lappas (Lappas Silver): a goldsmith shop founded in 1887 in Argentina by Alcibiades Lappas of Greek origin.
In 2019, in Argentina took place “the Art Deco world congress”, in which we participated as hosts invited by Geo Darder, founder of the Copperbridge – Foundation, in which prominent people from all over the world attended to learn about Art Deco in Argentina.
Argentina currently has more than 100 Art Deco buildings and another 90 Art Nouveau buildings throughout the city of Buenos Aires.
Argentina is a country that has not been involved in many wars, which is why it has been a refuge for works of art and antiques from different periods of time, unlike European countries. That is way many collectors, museums and antique dealers from all over the world visit it, you should not miss the opportunity to visit this great country.
Laura Guevara Kjuder, architect.
