For decades, the high-quality ceramics from the Ziegler ceramics factory (1828−1973) were a fixture in local households and enjoyed great popularity far beyond Schaffhausen. With a representative selection of ceramics from the museum’s own collection as well as items on loan from public and private collections, the exhibition traces the success story of Ziegler ceramics. The diversity of the ceramics on view illustrates the formal and technological developments in European ceramic production. The fireworks of shapes and colors and the wealth of decorative motifs are impressive. The ceramics are also valuable evidence of artistic and decorative changes. They reflect the zeitgeist and attest to economic, social, and aesthetic currents.

The exhibition pays extensive tribute to the pioneering work of the company’s founder Jakob Ziegler (1775−1863) and his successors. Other focuses include the artists Johann Jakob Oechslin (1802−1873) and Gustav Spörri (1902−1976), who created important ceramic works for the factory. Supplemented with contemporary interviews, films, and photos, the exhibition provides a fascinating look at a chapter of Swiss industrial history.