Porcelain Windsor espresso cup with saucer, dark green, decorated with a gold floral motif – Leander

Incredibly original design combined with the highest quality materials embody the essence of Rudolf Kämpf manufactory. This is a tribute to true porcelain, which has fascinated and inspired a love for beautiful objects for centuries.

The Czech porcelain manufactory Rudolf Kämpf has been producing high-quality hard porcelain for over 100 years, which differs significantly from bone china, currently produced by many European companies. Notable features include durability, heat and acid resistance, impermeability, transparency, and the sound of ringing. Another distinctive trait of Rudolf Kämpf’s factory is its commitment to craftsmanship. While most producers rely on automated processes today, Rudolf Kämpf’s porcelain manufactory emphasizes manual work to offer products of the highest quality. Rudolf Kämpf is the only factory in the Czech Republic where porcelain is handcrafted. This also ensures exclusivity in production. The Rudolf Kämpf porcelain manufactory typically produces limited editions or unique pieces. Surely you will agree that such an approach guarantees high value for a collection of porcelain products.

Rudolf Kämpf believes that its greatest asset is its team of highly skilled experts. Thanks to talented master artisans, the Rudolf Kämpf brand confidently explores creative experimentation, seamlessly transitioning from Romanesque style through Art Deco to Futurism. Therefore, Rudolf Kämpf’s production is not only refined but also distinctive.

It is no coincidence that Rudolf Kämpf porcelain products attract the attention of celebrities. The company is proud that its clients include not only prominent figures from Russian-speaking countries but also fashion designer Pierre Cardin and many others. The exclusive products of Rudolf Kämpf are often given as gifts to high-ranking individuals. For example, special presentation vases from Rudolf Kämpf have been awarded to notable personalities such as U.S. President William Jefferson Clinton (1994), Czech President Václav Havel (1996), King Harald V of Norway (1997), and Pope John Paul II (1998). One handcrafted vase depicting Napoleon Bonaparte was gifted by Rudolf Kämpf in 2008 to the Museum of the Army in Paris.

Since Rudolf Kämpf’s concept encompasses not only exclusive porcelain sets, vases, and other interior accessories but also more affordable products, the manufactory operates under various brands, namely:

Rudolf Kämpf - luxury handcrafted porcelain

LEANDER - high-quality porcelain produced both by hand and industrially for everyday use

Leander-fresh - high-quality porcelain crafted by hand and industrially, designed for modern contemporary style

Custom Production - Design Your Own Collection

The second hallmark of the brand is custom projects for specific clients. Rudolf Kämpf’s porcelain factory can realize any demanding design, including creating collections in a single piece, with the client obtaining rights to the collection for 50 years or longer. Owning an exclusive, custom-made porcelain collection is a luxury in itself. If the porcelain piece bears a logo, monogram, or family crest, it also signifies a special status. Therefore, leaders in business and politics, celebrities, and even monarchs from around the world often turn to Rudolf Kämpf.

After commissioning such a unique porcelain item, the customer receives a factory certificate guaranteeing that this item will never be produced for anyone else. These unique collection pieces enhance table settings or serve as refined interior decorations. Porcelain by Rudolf Kämpf, made according to a special design and marked with a gift sign or monogram, can also serve as a luxurious gift for a loved one. If you have any questions about exclusive individual porcelain items, logo products, heraldic items, or gift inscriptions, please contact us.

History

Czech village Loučky (until 1918 - Grünlas, since 1961 part of the town Nové Sedlo), home to the Rudolf Kämpf porcelain factory, is located in the heart of the Karlovy Vary region. The tradition of porcelain production developed in this area thanks to deposits of high-quality kaolin. The Rudolf Kämpf porcelain factory, with its over 100-year history, is part of this tradition.

In 1907, American Benjamin Franklin Hunt obtained permission to build a porcelain factory. In 1909, the factory was sold to two Rudolfs—Dieterlow and Kämpf—who in 1911 established the company Porzellanfabrik Rudolf Kämpf G.m.b.H., Grünlas, and chose a crown with three letters RGK (Rudolf - Grünlas - Kämpf). This marked the beginning of a factory producing first-class porcelain tableware and hand-painted porcelain accessories. Thanks to its exceptional location, the factory had access to high-quality raw materials and the ability to export its porcelain products. The porcelain manufacturing technology at that time undoubtedly differed from previous methods (raw materials were transported by horse-drawn wagons, trains, etc.), but its quality was already excellent, enabling Rudolf Kämpf porcelain products to be exported to countries renowned for their porcelain, such as Germany, France, Hungary, and England.

Rudolf Kämpf died in 1918, and his estate was divided among his widow Josefine Kämpf, daughter Antonie Kümmelmenn, and son Hans Kämpf, who took over the family business. In the 1920s, Rudolf Kämpf porcelain factory experienced a true boom: production exceeded 2 million items annually, with about 85% exported. The company was among the first to introduce new color ranges, including pink, blue, green, and ivory.

World War II led to a gradual reorientation of the factory towards Germany and the loss of other foreign clients. After the war, Rudolf Kämpf porcelain factory was nationalized and became part of the Czechoslovak state enterprise Slavkovský porcelán, later incorporated into the state company Karlovarský porcelán. In the same year, the brand had the honor of representing Czechoslovakia’s porcelain industry at the World Expo in Montreal, Canada. This incredible international success attracted investments, which allowed the factory to acquire the latest equipment. It was then that Rudolf Kämpf factory began producing famous sets made from molds such as Mary Anne (Jiří Laštovička) and Sabin (Aleš Trpkoš).

In 1992, Rudolf Kämpf porcelain factory was acquired by the Czech company Leander 1946 s.r.o., which operated under the name Leander. The Leander porcelain manufactory gained worldwide fame as a producer of decorative porcelain, often hand-painted and adorned with gemstones. Since 2006, the company has been owned by the Czech holding CS Investment, which restored the factory’s name to that of its founder—Rudolf Kämpf.

Manufacturer information