Kahla Coffee Service GDR hand-painted – yellow scale decor with gold, pot, sugar bowl, milk jug, 6 cups

Every arch, every dot, every tendril painted by hand: This coffee set from the Kahla porcelain factory in Thuringia was hand-painted in the GDR and bears the export mark "Made in GDR". Luminous yellow, dark brown ornaments, and gold rims give the coffee table a strong, distinctive color.

The Decor

The lower half of the pot, milk jug, and sugar bowl features a yellow scale pattern: overlapping arches, bordered by rows of brown dots and fine gold lines, with a feather-like brushstroke in each arch. Above this, stylized palmettes with curled tendrils grow on a white background. On the cups, the motif is arranged in reverse: the yellow is at the top rim, and the palmettes hang below. The lids are painted entirely yellow and end in a sculptural bud knob with leaves, highlighted in brown and gold.

The handcraftsmanship is evident in the details. The rows of dots are never exactly the same, each brushstroke has a beginning and an end, and the same small hand-painted mark, presumably the artist's initials, can be found on the pot, sugar bowl, and cups.

The Shapes

The coffee pot has a bulbous, pear-shaped body, a high domed lid, and a handle with a scrolled volute. The spout is painted yellow inside. The milk jug echoes the shape on a smaller scale and has a wavy gold rim, while the sugar bowl is round and deep. The classic, baroque-like pot shape meets graphic painting – a combination of tradition and Mid-Century style.

Scope (9 pieces)

• 1 coffee pot with lid, height 23 cm
• 1 milk jug
• 1 sugar bowl with lid
• 6 coffee cups

Saucers are not included in the set.

Base Mark and Dating

On the cups: green stamp mark with crown in a circle, lettering KAHLA and "Made in GDR", plus the number 22 or 25. The marking assigns the set to the GDR era, i.e., before 1990. The decor style and workmanship suggest the 1960s to 1970s.

Condition

• Overall: Good vintage condition, no chips or cracks visible in the photos, gold rims largely strong.
• Paintwork: Isolated tiny light dots in the yellow scale field on the pot, as can occur with hand-painting.
• Inside: Some small brownish dots inside the sugar bowl, fine dark dots on the pot's spout.
• Pot rim: Slight signs of rubbing on the yellow-painted inner rim where the lid rests.
• Foot rings: Unglazed foot rings with light gray signs of use.

Care

Due to the hand-painting and gilding, please wash by hand only; do not use in the dishwasher or microwave.

Where it belongs

On the Sunday coffee table for six, in a display cabinet with 1960s porcelain, or as a splash of color on an open kitchen shelf. The vibrant yellow pairs well with linen, light wood, and green plants.

Shipping

Shipping from Austria. Each piece is individually padded and securely packed to prevent breakage. Price is for 1 set (9 pieces).

Found at the flea market in Eisenstadt. Somewhere in Thuringia, a hand applied this yellow arch by arch, placed hundreds of dots, and finally drew a small mark underneath, like a signature on a job well done. Made in a country that no longer exists today. How many Sunday afternoons fit into six cups?

Sunday Yellow from Thuringia — Things with Soul · VintageAustriaShop