Rosenthal | White Porcelain Miniature Terrier Figurine | Wire Fox Terrier Puppy | Germany | c.1970s

A miniature asks the eye to work harder — and rewards it accordingly.

Founded in 1879 by Philipp Rosenthal in Selb, Bavaria, the Rosenthal factory established a reputation for technical precision and progressive artistic collaboration. Across the twentieth century, the firm commissioned leading sculptors to develop its animal studies, among them Theodor Kärner, whose work helped define the company’s naturalistic approach to form.

Small, undecorated white examples such as this represent a distinct strand of Rosenthal’s output — pieces in which modelling alone carries the visual weight, without the assistance of applied colour.

This small-scale figure depicts a Wire Fox Terrier puppy in a rearing posture, raised on its haunches with one foreleg extended and the head lifted in alert curiosity. The modelling captures the breed’s characteristic rough coat through fine, irregular surface texturing, suggesting the wiry double coat without exaggeration. The compact body and forward-set ears reinforce the energetic, attentive stance typical of the breed. The finish is an all-white gloss throughout, allowing the quality of the modelling to carry the piece.

The base carries the printed gold “Rosenthal Germany” mark, consistent with production from the late 1960s to 1970s.

There are no chips, cracks, or restoration. The gloss is intact throughout. The piece is in excellent condition.

Key details

• Maker: Rosenthal, Germany
• Subject: Wire Fox Terrier puppy, rearing pose
• Finish: White gloss, undecorated
• Period: c.1970s
• Designer: Not confirmed from visible marks
• Height: 4 cm
• Weight: 8 g
• Backstamp: Rosenthal Germany, printed gold mark
• Condition: Excellent; no chips, cracks, or restoration

Collector Appeal

• A refined example of Rosenthal’s small-scale animal studies, where modelling rather than decoration defines the piece
• Appeals to collectors of canine figures, particularly terrier breeds
• Strong fit for minimalist or neutral interiors, where white porcelain functions as sculptural object
• Accessible entry point into twentieth-century European factory porcelain with recognised maker

In porcelain as in life, the smallest subjects are sometimes the most precisely observed.