Mildred Mottahedeh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Mildred Ruth Wurtzel August 7, 1908 |
| Died | February 17, 2000 (aged 91) Manhattan, New York, US |
| Occupation(s) | Ceramics collector, businessperson |
| Employer | Mottahedeh & Company |
| Children | 2; including Roy Mottahedeh |
Mildred Ruth Mottahedeh (née Wurtzel; August 7, 1908 – February 17, 2000) was an American collector of ceramics, businessperson, and philanthropist. With her husband, Rafi Y. Mottahedeh, she co-founded Mottahedeh & Company, a designer and supplier of luxury porcelain based on historical models or direct replicas. The couple also gathered a large personal collection of antiques, mainly Chinese export porcelain.
Mottahedeh was born in New Jersey and moved to New York City while still a child. There she met and married Rafi Mottahedeh, and the couple began importing antique porcelain to sell in America. Around World War II, they shifted their focus to producing reproductions of and original pieces based on antiques. The company grew to supply reproductions to museums and other prominent institutions. Many of the pieces were designed by Mildred, who handled much of the company's designs and production. She traveled widely for the company and rose to the position of president after her husband's death. Mottahedeh's private porcelain collection was considered one of the finest in the world and she also engaged in philanthropic efforts, traveling around the world to advise local artisans. She served as a representative for the Baháʼí Faith, notably to the United Nations.