Reichenbach: Hand-Glazed Platters from Thuringia
The Reichenbach manufactory glazes every piece by hand, fires at 1380 degrees – and creates serving platters where no two are identical.
//TASTEA hand-glazed serving platter from the Reichenbach porcelain manufactory isn’t just tableware-it’s a one-of-a-kind piece. The color is dabbed on by hand, the glaze fired into the biscuit at 1380 degrees, and that’s precisely why no two platters are exactly alike. You’re not buying a product; you’re buying a piece of craftsmanship.
Quick Facts
- The Reichenbach porcelain manufactory in Thuringia was founded in 1900 by nine local porcelain painters, with the name standing for Thuringian porcelain since 1830.
- Glazing is done by dipping, followed by a glaze firing at 1380 degrees, where the glaze fuses with the porcelain.
- In Gerd Sommerlade’s Colour series, color is dabbed on by hand, making each piece unique.
- The manufactory has collaborated with Italian designer Paola Navone since 2003, with production remaining 100% in Reichenbach.
- Once you’ve served from a hand-glazed platter, you won’t want to put mass-produced tableware back on the table.
A platter no one makes twice
Imagine a table where a single serving platter sets the tone. It’s not white, it’s not loud-it has a color that shifts in the light. Denser in one spot, lighter in another, because someone applied it by hand, not a machine. That’s the difference between an industrial plate and a piece from Reichenbach.
The Reichenbach porcelain manufactory is located in Thuringia, at the Hermsdorf Cross where the A9 and A4 highways meet. An unassuming address for something far from ordinary. What’s created here has as much in common with mass-produced tableware as a handmade shoe does with an off-the-shelf sneaker. More on this topic: Linen from Helfenberg: Table linens built to last generations.
1830, 1900, and the patience in between
The name Reichenbach has been synonymous with Thuringian porcelain since 1830, back when the focus was on hand-painting the white biscuit. The manufactory as it exists today was founded in 1900 by nine local porcelain painters-nine men who took their craft seriously, in a place that still produces to this day.
This isn’t just a marketing story; it’s continuity. In an industry where much has long since been outsourced to the Far East, Reichenbach keeps production 100% in Thuringia. From mold-making to hand-throwing, glazing, and firing, every step remains in-house. You can sense it in the result, even if you don’t know why. More on this topic: Foie gras without force-feeding: what deserves to be served on this porcelain.
Industrial porcelain is perfect. Handcrafted porcelain is precise – but never identical. That’s the difference you feel.
What happens at 1380 degrees
The moment that defines a Reichenbach platter is the glaze firing. After the first firing-the biscuit firing at around 950 degrees-the biscuit is as absorbent as a sponge. It’s then dipped into the glaze, which it soaks up completely. In the second firing, the glaze firing at 1380 degrees, the glaze fuses with the porcelain, forming a smooth, glossy surface.
That number isn’t just a technical detail. 1380 degrees is why the glaze doesn’t just sit on top-it becomes part of the biscuit. A hand-glazed platter doesn’t have a coating that will chip off over time. It has a surface that’s integral to what it is. That’s the difference between a piece built to last generations and one you’ll replace in three years.
The Color That Comes by Hand
The most beautiful example of this philosophy is the Colour series, designed by Gerd Sommerlade after classic templates from around 1800. Here, the color isn’t sprayed or printed-it’s dabbed on by hand. Each piece becomes a one-of-a-kind. The series includes 45 different items in eleven colors, optionally with a hand-painted gold rim that’s polished by hand after an additional firing until it achieves a silky matte sheen.
Dabbing instead of spraying might sound like a subtle difference. In reality, it’s the whole point. A machine-colored surface is uniformly dense. One applied by hand lives through small variations, through gradients that emerge rather than being planned. A serving platter from this series is never just one color-it’s a mood. Place a few roasted figs on it, a piece of cheese, some dark bread, and the plate does what good craftsmanship should: it elevates the food without stealing the show.
Paola Navone and the Confidence of a Manufactory
That Reichenbach isn’t some dusty traditional house is evident in its collaboration with Paola Navone. The Italian designer has worked with the manufactory since 2003, and under the label *Paola Navone per Reichenbach*, independent collections have emerged. The *New Baroque* series, for instance, plays with the contrast between matte, unglazed porcelain and an azure-blue glaze. Old and new, rough and smooth-all in one piece.
A manufactory that’s been producing since 1900 bringing in a Milanese designer and letting her do her thing? That’s not a given. It shows a confidence that comes from mastery. When you’ve mastered your craft, you’re not afraid of a foreign handwriting. It’s precisely this blend of Thuringian tradition and Italian design ambition that makes the range so compelling.
Why It All Comes Down to the Table
A hand-glazed serving platter is an investment, no question. But it’s one of the few you see and use every day. Discounter tableware disappears into the cupboard and goes unnoticed-for better or worse. A Reichenbach platter stands out not because it’s loud, but because it’s quietly present. It sits there, catches the light, and eventually, someone at the table asks where it’s from.
You don’t need to be a collector to understand this. It’s enough to serve something once that someone made by hand. The tiny irregularity in the glaze, the rim that’s slightly different from the next piece-those aren’t flaws. They’re proof that a human worked on it. In a world full of identical things, that’s the real luxury.
Good to Know
Why is every Reichenbach platter a unique piece?
Because the color and glaze are applied by hand. In the Colour series, the color is dabbed on manually, resulting in subtle differences in density and gradient. No two pieces are exactly alike.
At what temperature is the porcelain fired?
After the first firing-the bisque firing at around 950°C-the glaze firing follows at 1380°C. During this process, the glaze fuses with the porcelain to create a smooth, glossy surface that won’t chip.
How long has the Reichenbach manufactory existed?
The name Reichenbach has stood for Thuringian porcelain since 1830. The manufactory in its current form was founded in 1900 by nine local porcelain painters and continues to produce at the same location in Thuringia to this day.
Is this just tradition or modern design too?
Both. Reichenbach has collaborated with Italian designer Paola Navone since 2003, including on the *New Baroque* series, which contrasts matte porcelain with an azure-blue glaze. Here, tradition and contemporary design go hand in hand.
Source header image: Pexels / Yan Krukau
