HANDMADE DESIGN TRADITIONS
Kähler is part of the Rosendahl Design Group – a family of design icons that withstand endless use and admiration. The Kähler story began in 1839, and the handmade design traditions that have been developed since represent a modern and sensual tale of design, where everyone is welcome. Kähler is associated with a heritage of innovative glazes, creative designs and distinctive artistic collaborations.
Kähler builds on a long tradition of artistic collaborations and craft traditions and was founded in 1839 when Herman Kähler opened a ceramics workshop in Næstved. However, it was only when his son, Herman A. Kähler, joined the workshop that it became world famous for unique designs and artistic ceramics.
Since its foundation more than 180 years ago, Kähler has been known for its classic handmade design traditions. To this day, we still honor this heritage and clear reproductions of the present built on the past.
Even though Kähler has grown as a design collective with a wealth of related artists, the philosophy and approach remains the same as it has always been, namely that we continue to work with some of today’s greatest designers and craftsmen.
Craftsmanship, creativity and artistic collaborations have been part of Kähler’s DNA since the beginning. And they still are. It's what has made Kähler an iconic ceramic brand, one which has charted the course of Danish ceramic design.
We create all our products based on Kähler’s handmade design traditions. We've always done that - and we always will.
The story of Kähler begins as early as 1839, when the Dutch potter Herman J. Kähler opens a small ceramics workshop in Næstved and turns the first Kähler vase. It marks the start of a unique design adventure that will one day resonate around the world. However, it is only when his son Herman A. Kähler takes over the famous workshop in 1875 that the ceramic adventure really beginsAs early as 1889, Kähler’s ceramics impress at the World Exhibition in Paris, the same year the Eiffel Tower was built.
With the production of international art ceramics, the foundation is laid for one of the greatest successes in ceramic history, one that is still presented at exhibitions and museums all over the world today – and a success that continues to shape a popular, forward-looking and innovative design brand.
Since the foundation of the brand in 1839, handmade design traditions have been passed on from generation to generation. Explore the history of the Kähler family here.
In the 1800s and 1900s, the historic Kähler workshop became a gathering place for many of the era's greatest Danish artists. People like Thorvald Bindesbøll, Svend Hammershøi and Kai Nielsen all made their mark on what today forms the DNA of Kähler’s design. Read about some of the great artists who used to meet up at Kähler’s historic workshop here.
Read more here
Kähler represents handmade design traditions that fuse art and craftsmanship together. We still create and paint many of our iconic products with our hands today. Products that help make every home beautiful and inspiring. Since Kähler was founded in 1839, our designs are known for their classic and authentic ceramics.
Kähler is a celebration of almost 200 years of well-preserved craftsmanship, but it is also a powerful reinterpretation of the present. Craftsmanship, creativity and artistic collaborations have been part of Kähler’s DNA since the beginning. And they still are. This has made Kähler an iconic ceramic brand that has charted the course for democratic Danish ceramics.
Today, one of the hallmarks of Kähler is that we are forward-looking and innovative. But when we look ahead and create new classics, it is always with feet firmly planted in our ceramic craftsmanship traditions and history, where authenticity, art and creativity are essential. We take pride in understanding the times we live in, while being able to look ahead to stay ahead of new trends. This is why we are able to introduce new, exciting products and updates of everlasting classics.
Kähler's design collective
In Kähler’s workshop, it was the special design collective that helped create and encapsulate Kähler’s unique DNA. Each artist has left his mark, and that’s exactly what makes Kähler’s designs iconic today.
Over the years, the historic Kähler workshop was a meeting place for many of Denmark’s greatest artists, such as Thorvald Bindesbøll, Svend Hammershøi and Kai Nielsen. It was when Herman August Kähler built a new workshop at Kählersbakken in Næstved in 1875 that the artistic experiments really took off. And it is precisely this artistic venture that attracted several famous Danish artists. This is how the artists colony started in Næstved.
Today, collaborations with the most distinctive and talented artists and design talents of our time continue, including the ceramic artists Meyer-Lavigne, the designer duo Stilleben, designer Hans-Christian Bauer and artist Rikke Jacobsen.
Kähler’s style comes from many years of proud handmade design traditions. We believe that good design and handmade quality have no expiry date. Nowhere is this more demonstrated than through our ceramic painter women, who are a major and key part of Kähler’s history.
Over the years, a large number of different female ceramic painters worked for Kähler, all of whom had a unique personal style and talent. However, all of their work was sent out anonymously with only the well-known HAK logo at the bottom.
A number of skilled women worked at the Kähler workshop in the 1800s and 1900s. They had a very special talent for painting the ceramics that the artists produced. It was the ceramic painters who added the final touch and ensured that the ceramics in the old Kähler workshop were given a unique and charming handmade look.
Today, this tradition is evident in designs such as the hand-painted Omaggio Nuovo vase series. The series represents a revival of the well-known Omaggio series, which is one of the most iconic vase series in Danish design and interiors today. The vase designers looked back at the old Kähler traditions for inspiration to find new versions of the well-known stripes. The hand-painted stripes add depth and life to the vase and are evidence of the fine craftsmanship behind each vase.
Kähler is built on a number of core values and beliefs. They make up the foundation on which we run our brand, design and product development. They are the building blocks that have over the years ensured that we have been able to create designs that last and that constantly match Danes' taste.
At Kähler, we strive every day to unite our unique cultural heritage with our ambition to be a leader on the arts scene, nationally and internationally. We take the best from an artistic ceramic legacy and reinterpret it with a nod to current times.
Read more here
