Rosenthal-Netter was an American import company who, after World War II, brought to America boatloads of tasteful Modernist decorative objects from Italy—principally ceramics. Rosenthal-Netter was in direct competition with Raymor, another successful American importer and both used some of the same Italian designers (for example, Aldo Londi) and factories (for example, Bitossi) to produce their wares. Rosenthal-Netter (like Raymor) was able to exploit the lower manufacturing prices in (the recently-defeated) Italy. Additionally, they were supplying a roaring American market hungry for something new, different and modern—and chic Italian style hit the spot! As a victor country, the U. S. was enjoying a post-war boom. And young Americans—tired of the Victorian and Art Deco furnishings with which they had grown-up—were ready for The Next Big Thing: “Danish Modern.” Of course, real artisan-made Scandinavian products could be pricey. This is where Rosenthal-Netter came in. They would work with the Italian workshops and design products which Americans would find appealing. Rosenthal-Netter (and Raymor) imported the right products at the right prices—and Americans found the “Made in Italy” label an exotic benefit. Americans, it seems, were quicker to embrace Italian-made products than those from Germany (another post-war ceramics powerhouse). Today, the names “Raymor” and “Rosenthal-Netter” have become collectible in their own right—despite the fact that both companies were simply “facilitators” of Mid-Century Italian style, not the artisans themselves.
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