Carl Halier Dish in Sung Glaze

A small low-lying bowl designed by Carl Halier for Royal Copenhagen, Denmark.

Although designed circa 1935, this hand-thrown shallow bowl with spectacular sung glaze was made in 1962. 

Halier was born in Germany, although emigrated to Denmark, age 25 in 1898, to set up his own ceramics studio. Establishing himself in in Roskilde, Halier worked independently until 1913 when he joined Royal Copenhagen as a thrower, training under and working closely with Patrick Nordstrom in the factory’s burgeoning stoneware department.

Initially Halier assisted in the creation of Nordstrom’s work, but he also began throwing his own designs circa 1916, after Nordstrom left the factory. In 1922 Halier succeeded Nordstrom as the technical manager at the factory and worked prolifically, continuing to produce both Nordstrom designs and his own until 1926, when he left Royal Copenhagen to start his own studio again.

His second independent venture, named the Triangle Studio, was co-established with Arne Bang in Copenhagen. The pair had met at Royal Copenhagen as Bang apprenticed as a glaze technician in the 1920s. On his own and in collaboration with Bang, and visiting renowned designers such as Axel Salto, Bode Willumsen and Hans Hansen, Halier continued his exploration of high-quality unique stoneware vessels.

In 1930, Carl Halier returned to Royal Copenhagen where he continued his work until his death in 1948.