Since the 17th century Gmunden is considered to be the place for a traditional Austrian craftsmanship: The high art of pottery. Artists came here to work and were inspired by the natural beauty of the area around the lake “Traunsee”. They made the first ceramic products which stood out in their beauty and design. Gmunder`s most popular and famous design “Grüngeflammt” was made at that time!

In 1843 Franz Schleiss bought the pottery at Graben, which had been in existence since about 1500. His son, Leopold Schleiss, founded the Gmunden Earthenware Factory in 1903 on the site of the present Gmundner Keramik Manufaktur GmbH. The 100th anniversary was celebrated in 2003.

Johannes Hohenberg bought the firm in 1968. While the main focus then lied on ornamental art, it shifted to the production of tableware. The “Dizzy” became the flagship of the Company and Austria began to identify itself with “its” traditional tableware.

Inspired by the scenic beauty of the Salzkammergut a craftsmanship developed in Gmunden that set standards for dining culture: Gmundner Keramik. Since 1492, the same year that Christopher Columbus discovered America, we at Gmundner produce just the finest piece of art you will find in Austria.