Posts from the ‘Gunvor Olin-Gronqvist’ Category

Feb 7

Arabia Finland “Fructus”

This stunning design is Arabia Finland “Fructus”, pattern design by Gunvor Olin-Grönqvist and in production 1960-1975. It is on the same forms as many other popular designs during this era – the “S” model forms by Ulla Procope.

Fructus came in both this amber and black colourway and a blue and black colourway – both equally impressive. The design is of a stylised split apple.

As with all of these larger hand painted pieces the initials of the designer are on the reverse, often followed by the initials of the painter. It seems to be the plates – both large and small you now come across mostly in this design – the other forms are much harder to come by.

Gunvor Olin-Grönqvist (1928-2005) spent her whole professional career at the Arabia factory (between 1951 and 1992). Common motifs and themes in her work were fruit, animal and plant designs. Early on these were often stylised as in this design, and later in the Art Department where she worked from 1976 her designs were more naturalistic.

Apr 11

Arabia Finland Kookki/Köökki

This design from Arabia Finland has the most amazingly intense, almost warm, deep shade of blue. This very bold design is often mistaken for other bold and blue Arabia designs such as Valencia.

The pattern name is Köökki and it was a design by Gunvor Olin Gronqvist, produced between 1960-1976. It was produced in the studio at the Arabia Factory, and consisted of a range of hand painted kitchen objects such as salt boxes, butter boxes, boards, salt and peppers etc – but not of dinnerware.

Gunvor had a long association with Arabia Finland, working there from 1951 to 1993.

It’s fascinating how different the design works on different pieces.

Like many of the designs during this era at the Arabia factory, the pattern was also released in a brown version.

Arabia Finland Kookki Salt Box

Arabia Finland Kookki Bowl

Arabia Finland Kookki Platter

Arabia Finland Kookki

Mar 30

Arabia Finland Kosmos

Arabia Kosmos was a pattern on the very popular “S” Model forms designed Ulla Procope in the 1960s, and the Kosmos pattern was designed by Gunvor Olin Gronqvist.

Kosmos was in production at Arabia Finland c1962-1976. Because this was a hand painted design you will get quite a bit of variation in the lightness and darkness in the pattern.

(The same model forms (Model S) were also used for the Anemone and Rosmarin and hugely popular Ruska designs)

Kosmos came in two colour variations, of which the blue one is less commonly found these days. I love the subtle shifts of reddish to yellow ochre colours in the brown version.