Shape 680 Selecta Decor S-117 in Celadon Green Tea Service by Ernst August Sundermann for Fürstenberg, 1970s, Set of 45

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Description

Item: tea service
manufacturer: fürstenberg (germany)
designer: ernst august sundermann
year of design: 1976
design: contemporary design, late 1970s/early 1980s
… Read more Item: tea service
manufacturer: fürstenberg (germany)
designer: ernst august sundermann
year of design: 1976
design: contemporary design, late 1970s/early 1980s
shape: 680 selecta
decoration: s-117, celadon green body/porcelain with a vibrant green rim
grade: first choice
number of pieces: 45
including 12 cake plates, 12 teacups, 12 saucers, 1 large teapot with lid, 1 small teapot with lid, 1 sugar bowl with lid, 1 creamer, 1 bundt cake plate, and 1 round cake plate
dimensions (l x w x h):

- cake plate: 19 x 19 x 1.9 cm

- teacup: 9 x 9 x 5 cm (measured without handle)

- tea saucer: 14.5 x 14.5 x 2 cm
- large teapot 25 x 15 x 15 cm
- small teapot 22.5 x 13 x 14 cm
- sugar bowl 9 x 9 x 7 cm
- milk jug 10.5 x 10 x 5.5 cm
- bundt cake plate 36 x 16.5 x 2.2 cm
- cake plate 32 x 32 x 1.5 cm
condition: the large teapot has a small grayish discoloration on the handle; otherwise, it is in very good condition, undamaged, with slight signs of age and use.

selected items – we change the way you think about forever.

some tea sets are part of everyday life. Others document a turning point in design history.

with the 680 selecta tea set, designer and porcelain professor ernst august sundermann created one of the most consistent tea services of post-war german modernism in 1974. When sundermann took over the design direction of the long-established fürstenberg porcelain manufactory in the early 1970s, he pursued a clear goal: to bring the more than 225-year-old manufactory into the present – ​​not through decoration, but through form, material, and proportion. The grassi museum of applied arts describes selecta as a step towards a "reduced elegance" – a conscious reduction to the essentials.

this 45-piece tea service for twelve people embodies precisely this approach. Soft, precisely modeled transitions, harmonious proportions, and a balanced silhouette lend each individual piece an extraordinary naturalness. Nothing appears decorative for its own sake – every line serves its function.

the celadon green s-117 decor is particularly characteristic. Celadon is among the most exquisite glaze colors in the history of ceramics and traces its origins to chinese models, whose subtle jade-green tones have been considered a symbol of tranquility, harmony, and timeless elegance for centuries. Fürstenberg reinterpreted this tradition in the 1970s, combining it with the clean lines of modern german industrial design. The result is a tableware collection whose appeal lies not in ornamentation, but solely in the interplay of light, color, and finely crafted porcelain.

the 680 selecta shape also marks an important chapter in the history of the fürstenberg porcelain manufactory. Since its founding in 1747, it has been one of the oldest continuously operating porcelain manufacturers in europe. While many post-war manufacturers wavered between tradition and modernity, fürstenberg, with designs like selecta, successfully took the decisive step into a new design era—an approach already established by wilhelm wagenfeld and consistently developed further under sundermann.

today, selecta is considered one of the most remarkable german porcelain dinner services of the 1970s. Its inclusion in the grassi museum collection confirms its significance within german design history. At the same time, the celadon green version is considerably rarer than the classic white version, making it particularly attractive to collectors of sophisticated mid-century design.

this original 45-piece service is far more than just high-quality porcelain. It is an authentic testament to german design culture – created for those who recognize that timeless design never follows trends, but rather transcends them.

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