Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Vintage Reproduction Atomic Ceramic Cats! (Royal Dux)

Over a month ago, I found an amazing pair of vintage repro ceramic cats done in the "Royal Dux" style on Etsy.  I have been looking for a real Dux set for a long time and when happen to find a couple of pairs, they were very expensive or had damage.

The "Royal Dux" company, originally known as "Duxer Porzellanmanufaktur," was founded in Czechoslovakia in 1860 by Eduard Eichler.  This brand is known for its distinctive seal, or "pink triangle:"

Royal Dux created vases, figurines, and ornate sculptures.  The designs ranged from art nouveau opulence to modern simplicity.  The modern cat design became very popular in the 50s and early 60s.  Here are a a few examples of authentic originals:



I would LOVE to get my paws on these cats!  But, as I stated earlier, these Dux cats are usually very pricey and often difficult to find!

Despite being unable to track down the Royal Dux atomic kitties of my MCM dreams, I found a seller on Etsy who makes faithful reproductions using vintage molds!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/117109770/modern-atomic-retro-ceramic-mod-cats?ref=listing-shop-header-0

Here is the pair I purchased:
And here is how they look on my mantle in my den/TV room:

The cats measure 4.5 inches tall and are 5.5 inches long.  The colors are bold, bright orange and vivid teal blue.  I love the fact the cats were glazed in complimentary colors!  Total opposites on the color wheel!  The result is an intense pop of color on my otherwise boring white-painted, brick mantle!

I am very happy with my new repro cats!  They are perfect.  However, if I ever stumble upon a real Royal Dux cat or cats when I am antiquing, I may grab them (especially if the price and/or condition is right).

So, if you are looking for a little bit of atomic pottery for your MCM abode, you have to give Desert Arts Pottery on Etsy a look!

6 comments:

  1. Lovin these cats!
    The ones you purchased are really cool they look great on your mantle.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! I love them! And I love how the artist can create them in any custom color to fit any decor!

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  2. Hi Tara my name is Maggie I did the photography of the green retro cat on the brown ottoman. If you could add by M. Reddington, Maggie's Shop Therapy. I would greatly appreciate it. Great Blog by the way :)
    Maggie

    ReplyDelete
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  4. I’ve recently found a green cat. It’s was very dirty when I found it & it clowned up nicely. I’d like to be able to post a pic here so you can tell me if it is Royal Dux?
    Cheers Lisa

    ReplyDelete