SKU: 6453194119

CARSTENS TÖNNIESHOF ‘ANKARA’ TABLE LAMP WITH VINTAGE SHADE

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Description

CARSTENS TÖNNIESHOF ‘ANKARA’ TABLE LAMP WITH VINTAGE SHADEA striking table lamp manufactured in the 1960s by CARSTENS TNNIESHOF, finished with a variation of their very successful wax resist 'Ankara' dcor (Helmut Scholtis, 1963). The lamp body is matt burnt orange decorated, with a metallic anthracite glaze. The nubby fabric shade is of the same period and accented with gimp trim and tassels in alternating rust and beige. The light can be turned on and off with a plastic tipped pull string or from the inline

A striking table lamp manufactured in the 1960s by CARSTENS TÖNNIESHOF, finished with a variation of their very successful wax-resist 'Ankara' décor (Helmut Scholtis, 1963). The lamp body is matt burnt orange decorated, with a metallic anthracite glaze. The nubby-fabric shade is of the same period and accented with gimp trim and tassels in alternating rust and beige. The light can be turned on and off with a plastic-tipped pull string or from the inline switch. Wired for the European market, but comes with an adaptor for North American outlets. (We will, of course, happily change the plug at the customer's request.)


CARSTENS-TÖNNIESHOF was founded in 1946 by Ernst Carstens and his son Christian. The family (which included Christian's namesake uncle, sometimes mistakenly listed as a Tönnieshof cofounder) had a generations-long history of manufacturing porcelain and other ceramics throughout Germany. However, all of its businesses had collapsed by the end of WWII. Most of the factories that had survived were expropriated by the GDR—having wound up on the communist side of the line when the country was divided following the war. Father and son built the new Tönnieshof factory on a farm of that name in the town of Fredelsloh—just across the West German border in Lower Saxony. Very little is recorded about its earliest production, which began in 1947 and consisted mainly of tableware. The first known decorative pieces date from the early '50s. Ernst's wife Trude Carstens served as artistic director for CARSTENS-TÖNNIESHOF until her death in 1965.

Early modern CARSTENS-TÖNNIESHOF products had simple forms and were decorated in discrete colors. More advanced décors, with organic patterns and sometimes gold elements, were developed by Trude Carstens in the mid-'50s. Good examples of this type are Utrecht and Graz. Forms with molded geometric patterns would soon be introduced, the Carmen relief series from 1958 being representative.

When Ernst Carstens died in 1954, leadership passed to son Christian. Under his guidance, the firm maintained its dynamic position in the vanguard of West Germany's ceramics industry. CARSTENS, which employed about 400 workers by this time, would remain successful for decades and produce an enormous variety of shapes and glazes. In step with most of the other major German ceramics companies of its day, CARSTENS' practice was to apply a variety of decoration techniques to the same basic forms. This naturally yielded extensive product ranges. In addition to its own branded pottery, CARSTENS manufactured ceramics for the Austrian firm Goldscheider.

The celebrated Heinz Siery began his work at CARSTENS in 1959. His designs—with their harmonious, "golden-ratio" proportions—were ubiquitous in the company's early '60s production, and indeed, throughout its remaining history. Of special note is the original Atelier series, developed by Siery (forms) along with Gerda Heuckeroth (décors) and released in 1962. The two are together responsible for some of CARSTENS' most coveted creations.

Helmut Scholtis (listed as "von Scholtis" in much of the literature), during a stint with CARSTENS in 1963, unveiled the hugely popular Ankara décor. An outstanding example of the "wax resist" technique, it was applied to a broad array of forms and can be found in a variety of color and shape permutations. Ankara remained in continuous production until 1969.

Dieter Peter and Rudolph Christman came up with several advanced, eccentric forms in 1967 and paired them with sophisticated "fat lava" glazes for the high-end Luxus series. It was followed in 1968 by Gerda Heuckeroth's Boutique series. The two lines were produced to be sold exclusively in large department stores and comprised some of CARSTENS' most labor-intensive and costly items to produce.

CARSTEN's production was eventually expanded to Austria and overseas to Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Australia. It may well have topped out at close to 10,000 units daily overall. By the mid-1970s, however, the profitability of the ceramics industry was being undercut by cheap imports and lagging public interest. CARSTENS went bankrupt in 1977. It was taken over by employees for a time and operated under the name Kiel Atelier; all operations ceased in 1984.


KEY DESIGNERS:

  • Trude Carstens, 1946–mid '60s
  • Heinz Siery, 1959–1967
  • Gerda Heuckeroth, 1962–1964
  • Dieter Peter, early '70s
  • Rudolph Christman, 1967–1968
  • Helmut Scholtis, 1960s

DETAILS

Maker – CARSTENS-TÖNNIESHOF

Production Period/Year – 1960s

Origin – WEST GERMANY

Styles/Movements – ABSTRACT; MID-CENTURY MODERN

Materials – CERAMIC, FABRIC

Colors – BURNT ORANGE, BEIGE, BLACK, GOLDENROD

Shade – INCLUDED

Power – UP TO 250V (EUROPEAN STANDARD), CORDED, TYPE "C" PLUG

Condition – Excellent vintage condition. May show minor signs of previous use.

Dimensions – 15" DIAM. × 36" H

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SKU: 6453194119

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4.3 ★★★★★
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A
Verified Purchase
Ashley Hile
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 4
Sheets are good. Greens don't match
Color: 08 - Sage Green, Size: King (20" X 36"), Color: 08 - Sage Green, Size: King (20" X 36")
I purchased the sage green sheets to go along with another Bedsure comforter, then purchased 2 more pillow cases (because i I like a lot of pillows) and the greens don't exactly match. This doesn't REALLY bother me as I feel like its fine with a little "texture." Sheets feel nice and light and I love the look of it in my room.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2026
A
Verified Purchase
Apple
Phoenix, US
★★★★★ 5
Good buy Pillowcases
Color: 08 - Sage Green, Size: King (20" X 36")
I bought these Bedsure king-size pillowcases from Amazon and overall I’m very happy with them. The first thing I noticed was how incredibly soft and smooth the fabric feels. They almost feel silky, which makes them very comfortable to sleep on. When you lay your head down, the material feels cool and gentle on the skin, which I really like. I also appreciate the zipper closure. It keeps the pillow securely inside the case and makes everything look neat and tidy on the bed. The zipper is hidden well and doesn’t feel bulky or uncomfortable. The only small downside is that the pillowcases are so smooth that the pillows can sometimes slide around or even slip off the bed a little. However, that’s really just because the material is so silky. Overall, I would still recommend these pillowcases. They are soft, comfortable, and feel like a nice upgrade compared to regular pillowcases.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2026
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Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Very nice pillowcases
Color: 06 - Beige, Size: Standard (20" X 26")
These pillowcases are really nice. They're soft and wash well. I really like the pocket on the end. It makes your pillows look nice and neat. The price is good too.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 31, 2026
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Verified Purchase
ShelbbLC
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 3
Love the sheets but GOSH THEY STINK
Color: 19 - Forest Green, Size: Queen (20" X 30")
I have the dark green sheets and bought these for extra cases to match. I would give them 5 stars if it weren’t for the fact that they smell absolutely horrible. I am so surprised after reading reviews that more people don’t mention it?! Maybe it’s more prominent in darker colors but I have washed these now 3 different times even with scent beads and still hate the smell. I wish I could accurately describe what it smells like— it’s just not good and for some reason, body heat only exacerbates it and makes the smell even worse and I wake up feeling like a smell like the sheets… which isn’t a good thing. Besides that, I do really enjoy them. They feel great on your skin and I love the color. I wish the smell didn’t kill them so badly for me ☹️
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Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2026
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Verified Purchase
Amy
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 5
Comfy soft pillow covers
Color: 02 - White, Size: Queen (20" X 30"), Color: 02 - White, Size: Queen (20" X 30")
Absolutely love these pillow cases! I bought 2 sets. After I received them & washed & dried them they did remain wrinkly. I just went ahead and put them on my pillows & the wrinkles went away. I continue to love the feel, coolness & comfort. Will definitely buy more.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2026

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