Munich - A Turkish china manufacturer has bid for Rosenthal, a premium German manufacturer of table porcelain, an insolvency administrator said in Munich Friday.

Kutahya Seramik Porselen's bid reportedly trumps that of Italian saucepan and cutlery group Sambonet Paderno.

Rosenthal makes fine porcelain dinner sets which are prized in Germany as wedding presents. Germany's china industry has struggled to pay labour costs at German levels.

The new bid was first revealed by the German and Turkish Business Association in Munich. Kutahya Seramik Porselen is the dominant manufacturer in Turkey.

Two other companies are also reported to be bidding, but have not been publicly identified.

Christoph Moeller, a spokesman for the administrator who took over management at Rosenthal after the insolvency filing, said, "If this new bid is serious, it would be highly advantageous."

News reports say Sambonet Paderno has negotiated a contract to buy the business for 19 million euros (27 million dollars) but has not lined up finance yet.(dpa)