Rare Rosenthal Baltic Teacup & Saucer — Flat-Bottom Form, Teacups are Scarce in U.S. Markets

Some pieces surface again and again — others vanish into rumor and collector chatter. This is one of the latter.

Rosenthal’s Baltic line, with its clean porcelain whit background and bold geometric banding, is a mid-century modern icon. But within that line lies a mystery: the flat-bottom teacup. Unlike the standard “flat coffee cup” widely catalogued and sold, this version measures 2″ deep and 3″ diameter — a form documented in other Rosenthal patterns but not in Baltic that we’ve found.

Replacements Ltd. lists coffee cups, lists demitasse in Classic Rose, even lists footed teacups in other lines — but no teacups in Baltic design. eBay? Nothing. Even international sellers out of Germany and the U.K. show none. Which raises the question: were these produced only for limited European circulation, or simply made in small runs never widely exported?

Whatever the truth, the result today is scarcity. These Baltic teacups are nearly impossible to source in the U.S. market. For the serious Rosenthal collector or anyone looking to complete a service with authentic variety, this is an opportunity that may not repeat.