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Notes to the history of the coffeepots

Lindig developed the larger (L16) and the smaller (L46) coffeepot as well as the coffee cup (L12) and its saucer (L13) as early as 1923, when Gerhard Marcks, the sculptor, still was in office as the art- director or `Master of the Form` of the ceramics- department of the Bauhaus. Since the early twenties Otto Lindig labelled all pieces made from plaster forms “L/….” (see “Otto Lindig der Töpfer” [Otto Lindig the potter], Museen der Stadt Gera, 1990, ISBN 3- 923132- 17- 4). Marked thus, customers were able to find them in workshop catalogues and order accordingly.
1924 these forms were produced by the Volkstedter Porzellanfabrik (porcelain factory) as a standard- example- series for the Leipzig Spring Fair for the arts and crafts. However, as the technical quality of this production did not match with Lindig`s expectations, he and Bogler, who at that time was the commercial director of the Bauhaus- Pottery- Department, tried to reach an agreement with the KPM, the porcelain- manufacture in Berlin. Yet, it is not likely that these forms have been produced there serially.
The third coffeepot, a mokkapot, Lindig designed 1958/59 at the Hamburg Academy for Fine Arts, and I presume that the so called `Kuchenteller`(plate for cake) originates from that same time.
Lindig mainly made use of three kinds of glaze for these forms: a dull black, a cocoa- brown and an eggshell- white.
All plaster forms mandatory for L16, L46, L12, and L13 as well as those for the mokkapot and various formulas and recipes for his glazes Lindig gave to Liebfriede Bernstiel, when he retired from his office at the Academy in 1960. In 1998 I, Christiane Bernstiel, inherited my father`s plaster forms and the glazes from my mother.

 

 

The three Otto -Lindig-coffeepots:
moccapot,1950s, dull black glaze;
small coffeepot, 1920s,
eggshell-white glaze;
big coffeepot, 1920s,
cocoa-brown glaze

Signature of Otto Lindig ( worked in bottom of plasterform for the three coffeepots; here : moccapot)

Signature of Otto Lindig  (worked in bottom of plasterform for the three coffeepots;  here: moccapot)

Signature of Otto Lindig ( worked in bottom of plasterform for the three coffeepots; here : moccapot)

Signature of Otto Lindig  (worked in bottom of plasterform for the three coffeepots;  here: moccapot)

Moccapot, 1950s, height : 17,5cm, 0,5ltr. / 5 cups, glaze : black ( matte) on white stoneware

Moccapot, 1950s,
Height: 17,5cm, 0,5l /5 cups, glaze: dull black on white stoneware

Snout cast and mounted on moccapot, 1950s

Snout: cast and mounted on  moccapot,  1950s

Handle : cast and mounted ( moccapot 1950s )

Handle: cast and mounted (moccapot 1950s)

Coffeecup, 1920s, height : 6.5cm, diameter : 9cm, saucer, diameter : 15cm glaze : cocoa-brown , inside white / transparent on white stoneware

Coffeecup, 1920s, Height: 6.5cm, Ø: 9cm,
saucer, Ø: 15cm  glaze: cocoa-brown,
inside white/transparent on white
stoneware

Coffeecup on saucer with plate, 1920s, glaze : cocoabrown, cup : inside white/ transparent on white stoneware

Coffeecup on  saucer  with plate, 1920s,    glaze:  cocoa-brown,    cup: inside white /transparent on  white stoneware

Plate, 1920s, from above : with a small rim, from below : with two rings ( for a good stand ), diameter : 18 cm, glaze : cocoa-brown on white stoneware

Plate, 1920s, from above: with a
small rim, from below: with two
rings (for a good stand),
Ø: 18 cm, glaze: cocoa-brown on white stoneware

Large coffeepot, 1920s, Height : 23cm, 1,5ltr. / 12 cups, glaze : cocoa -brown on white stoneware

Large coffeepot, 1920s,
Height:  23cm,
1,5l /12 cups,
glaze: cocoa -brown on white
stoneware

Snout cast and mounted on big coffeepot, 1920s

Snout: cast and mounted on  big coffeepot, 1920s

Handle : cast and mounted ( large coffeepot, 1920s )

Handle: cast and mounted (large coffeepot, 1920s)

Small coffeepot, 1920s, height : 19cm, 0,75 ltr. / 7 cups, glaze : eggshell- white on white stoneware

Small coffeepot, 1920s,
Height: 19cm,  0,75 l /7 cups,
glaze: eggshell- white on white stoneware

Snout cast and mounted on small coffeepot, 1920s

Snout: cast and mounted on  small coffeepot, 1920s

Handle : cast and mounted ( small coffeepot, 1920s )

Handle: cast and mounted  (small coffeepot, 1920s)

The coffeepots: moccapot,1950s, dull black glaze;  small coffeepot, 1920s, eggshell-white glaze;  big coffeepot, 1920s, cocoa-brown glaze;  and two sets: cup, saucer and plate.

    

 

Concerning the Selling

I will produce annually only a limited number of at most five coffeepots from the original OL plaster casts, with the original OL glazes. However, all coffepots, cups, saucers and plates, although taken from casts, remain handmade artifacts. Small variations, for example the glazes concerned, will still be possible.

 

  

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