History of Karlovy Vary porcelain Rudolf Kämpf

Rudolf Kämpf historie

About the Rudolf Kämpf manufactory

For more than 100 years, the Czech porcelain manufactory Rudolf Kämpf has been producing high quality hard-paste porcelain, which differs from KOSTNÍ PORCELÁN, made by many European porcelain manufactories at present, in several parametres, such es hardness, thermal and acid resistance, no translucency, pellucidity and clang. Hand manufacture is another specific feature of the Rudolf Kämpf porcelain manufactory. While numerous producers rely on automated process, the Rudolf Kämpf porcelain manufactory prides itself on handicraft and it offers high quality products. Rudolf Kämpf is the only factory in the Czech Republic, where porcelain is handmade, so it is highly exclusive production. The Rudolf Kämpf porcelain manufactory generally produces limited editions and unique pieces. You will surely agree that this approach will ensure the value of vintage items to all the porcelain products.

The Rudolf Kämpf company considers its highly skilled experts the greatest asset.Thanks to its talented masters, the Rudolf Kämpf porcelain manufactory takes the path of creative experiments and it moves freely from Romanesque style, through Art Deco to Futurism. The reason is that the Rudolf Kämpf production is refined and original. 

It was not for nothing that porcelain products made by Rudolf Kämpf has been attracting attention of famous personalities. We are proud that among our customers there are not only significant personages from the Russian speaking countries but also fashion designer Pierre Cardin and many others. Luxury products made by Rudolf Kämpf have been used as gifts for high ranked personages. Unique gift vased branded Rudolf Kämpf were presented to distinguished people in the past, such as the 42nd US president William Jefferson Clinton (in 1994), the first Czech president Václav Havel (in 1996), King Harald V. of Norway (in 1997) and Pope John Paull II (in 1998). The Rudolf Kämpf porcelain manufactory donated one handmade vase depicting Napoleon Bonaparte to the National Army Museum in Paris in 2008.

With regard to its concept, Rudolf Kämpf means not only exclusive porcelain sets, vases and other interior items but also more favourable products. There are various corporate brands as follows:

Rudolf Kämpf —  luxury porcelain of hand manufacture;

LEANDER — quality porcelain of hand manufacture and industrial production for routine use

Leander-fresh  – quality porcelain of hand manufacture or industrial production with focus on modern contemporary design

Customized production

The second “business card” of our company are individual project for individual customers. The Rudolf Kämpf porcelain manufactory is able to realize projects no matter how demanding they are, including a design of collection in one single execution/ limited edition with the rights granted to the customer for 50 years and longer. The fact that you possess an exclusive porcelain collection which was tailor-made is a proof of luxury. Above all, if you have a porcelain item with the owner´s logo, a monogramme or a family coat-of-arms, it symbolizes your special status. Therefore, representatives of business and political life of the society, famous personalities and even sovereigns from the whole world often contact us. 

After such a unique porcelain product is manufactured, the customer will be awarded with our certificate of warranty that this product shall never be made for anyone else. These unique collection items complement the decoration of tables or they are installed as a decorative piece in the interiors. Porcelain products Rudolf Kämpf customized in a special design with a gift inscription or a monogramme can also be used a luxury present for someone you really honor. Should you have any questions regarding exclusive porcelain items, products with logos, coat-of-arms and gift texts, please contact the Rudolf Kämpf representation. 

Brands used from 1946 to the present

Loga

History

The Czech municipality of Loučky (until 1918 — Grünlas, since 1961 part of the town of Nové Sedlo), where the Rudolf Kämpf porcelain manufactory is located, lies in the heart of the Karlovarsky Region. Tradition of porcelain making in this region thrived thanks to deposits of high quality. The Rudolf Kämpf porcelain manufactory and its over a century long history has been an integral part of this tradition. 

In. 1907 American Benjamin Franklin Hunt was awarded a building and planning permission for the construction of a porcelain manufactory. In 1909 the manufactory was sold to two Rudolfs - Rudolf Dieterle and Rudolf Kämpf, who established the company Porzellanfabrik Rudolf Kämpf G.m.b.H., Grünlas in 1911 and they chose a crown with three letters RGK (Rudolf - Grünlas - Kämpf) as their trademark. And this is how the manufactory for the production of first-class porcelain tableware and accessories made from hand painted porcelain came into being.Thanks to its exclusive location, the manufactory had both quality raw material and export opportunities for its porcelain products. At that time technology of porcelain production must have been different from the contemporary one (raw material was transported on horse carriages and on trolleys along the railway track from railway carriages etc.). However, its quality at that time must have been excellent, since Bohemian porcelain branded Rudolf Kämpf was exported to countries famed for porcelain, such as Germany, France, Hungary, England and others.

In 1918 Rudolf Kämpf died and his share was divided between the widowed Josefina Kämpf, his daughter Antonie Kümmelmenn and his son Hans Kämpf, who started to manage the family business. In the 1920s the Rudolf Kämpf porcelain manufactory was truly flourishing. the production volume reached more than 2 million pieces and export about 85 %. The company, as one of the first ones, launched porcelain in a new range of colours, such as rosa, blue, green and ivory.

WWII marked a gradual factory transformation to Germany and a loss of other foreign clientele. After the war ended, the Rudolf Kämpf porcelain manufactory was nationalised and it became part of the Czechoslovakian state concern Slavkovský porcelán and later it was integrated into the national enterprise Karlovarský porcelán. In the same year the company was honored to represent Czechoslovakian porcelain industry at the Montreal World Exhibition in Canada. An incredible world success brought about the influx of investment based on which the latest technology was purchased. At that time the Rudolf Kämpf manufactory launched the famous sets which used the forms/ shapes of Mary Anne (designed by Jiří Laštovička) and of Sabina (designed by Aleš Trpkoš).

In 1992 the Rudolf Kämpf porcelain manufactory was transferred to the ownership of the Czech company Leander 1946 ltd. and it started to use the name Leander. The Leander porcelain manufactory rose to fame as a producer of decorative porcelain decorated with hand painting and embellished with gems among others. Since 2006 the company has been owned by the Czech holding CS Investment, which re-established the original name of its founder — Rudolf Kämpf.

In 2019 the Karlovarsky Region provided a subsidy at the amount of CZK 169,450 for the project „Time reduction in the sampling process - usage of the 3D milling machine“

Karlovarský kraj     Živý kraj

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