Plate signed and dated by Christian Frank-Jenny, 1929. The front shows the village of Köniz in the Canton of Bern, the rim has the characteristic “Chrutmuster” herbal pattern. Swiss private collection.
Pottery made by Christian Frank-Jenny in CERAMICA CH
Andreas Heege, Andreas Kistler 2023
Unfortunately, the archival records for Christian Frank are very sparse.
Christian Frank (1865-1950) was the son of a potter and weaver, also named Christian Frank (1828-1888). His grandfather was also called Christian (1794-1863) and was both a potter and a weaver (see the Frank family tree). Up until 1903, the parents and grandparents owned the potters’ property at 162 Alte Bernstrasse in Steffisburg. Between 1904 and 1909, it was left to Gottfried Frank (1870-1947), a farmer. According to his obituary, Christian Frank bought a property on Bernstrasse in 1897 and set up his own business. However, there is no land register record to support this, and it is not clear on what site his workshop was actually located. The logical conclusion would be that he continued to run his father’s workshop (perhaps as a tenant?). In 1901, his brother, Friedrich Frank (1864-1941), acquired the property at 164 Alte Bernstrasse in Steffisburg, where he built himself a new workshop. It is possible that Christian Frank worked there too. The 1908 “Adress- Reise- und Reklamen-Taschenbuch für Thun und Berner Oberland” (a yellow pages for Thun and the Oberland region of the Canton of Bern), however, includes a separate listing for Christian beside his brother on Bernstrasse in Steffisburg (there is no mention of a house number or insurance number).
At an unknown date prior to 1892, Christian married Bertha Jenny from Heimberg (1864-1946) who, according to his obituary, worked alongside him in the business (perhaps as a paintress?). The couple had six children (see family tree), of which one daughter, Ida (1896-1967), was a pottery paintress. According to his obituary, Christian Frank retired as a potter in 1933, having held the position of treasurer and secretary of the Bern Association of Master Potters for many years.
The renowned ceramicist, draughtsman and designer, Friedrich Ernst Frank (1862-1920), who worked at the Wanzenried Manufactory, was Christian’s cousin.
The stand of the Industrial Association of Heimberg at the Cantonal Crafts Exhibition in Thun in 1899.
In 1899, Christian Frank participated in a collective exhibition submitted by the Industrial Association of Heimberg to the Cantonal Crafts Exhibition in Thun and won a silver medal for his “majolica”. Other exhibitors were his brother Friedrich Frank-Mäder, Fritz Hänni-Kratzer, Karl Loder-Eyer, Bendicht Loder-Walder, Jakob Reusser, Jakob Schenk, Gottfried Tschanz and Ernst Wittmeier.
In 1918/1919, he appears to have briefly collaborated with Nora Gross from Lausanne (pottery made by Christian Frank-Jenny in CERAMICA CH).
Translation Sandy Haemmerle
