Herluf Gottschalk-Olsen

Aug 19

Stogo Demark Stoneware Dinnerware

I’ve written previously about the Danish Potter Herluf Gottschalk Olsen. As well as his own studio pieces he produced high quality, hand made production ware at Stogo Pottery Denmark (which was formerly Mørkøv Ceramics founded in 1940 by Peter Hansen

Stogo Pottery closed in the mid 1980s, but Olsen died much earlier in 1968 at aged just 52. This dinnerware setting by Olsen appears to be from the early 1960s – and is the one you will find most often from Stogo Pottery today – the lack of wear on pieces is a testament to its toughness and durability.

The dinnerware consist of high stoneware fired pieces, with a typically fritted dark Danish stoneware clay. The colour of the clay bleeds through beautifully into the light highly glossy pinkish oatmeal colour glaze on them. I love the detail on the pieces like the ridges on the handles of the cups, and the grips on the creamer – in addition to the beautifully made, sophisticated, and well designed forms.

Nov 12

Herluf Gottschalk-Olsen at Den Pemanente

Herluf Gottschalk Olsen- Den Pemanente

I have been slowly going through the digitised catalogues of Den Permanente, Copenhagen – held by the Danish Royal Library HERE

In the 1967 Catalogue I was interested to find some works by Herluf Gottschalk Olsen, who’s work is not widely known nor well documented. Read more about him in my previous post here.

During his relatively brief life he obviously had a profile, and was viewed as an accomplished potter to be able to have work for sale through the juried process of Den Permanente.

It’s good to be able to slowly build up an image library of works of this Danish Potter who could have so easily been lost to history.

Works by Herluf Gottschalck Olsen — Works by Herluf Gottschalk Olsen, Den Permanente Catalogue 1967, Royal Danish Library

I also found another piece by Herluf on the online Danish auction site “DBA” from 2012:

Dec 8

Herluf Gottschalck-Olsen Studio Pottery Bowl

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G.O. Denmark – Herluf Gottschalk Olsen

Herluf Gottschalk Olsen, Denmark

It took a while to identify this Danish Studio potter – but as I have found in the past, things reveal their secrets eventually. With help from Maike of “DanishMood” on Etsy I was able to identify the maker of the wonderful stoneware piece pictured below.

I think that work by accomplished and experienced potters always stands out from the rest – and this is no exception with its rustic but refined charm, expert use of glaze, pattern, motif and skilled wheel throwing. It has a cream colours, brushed underglaze, with a deep turquoise overglaze – and the pattern as been drawn in the overglaze to reveal the colour beneath.

The potter turns out to be Herluf Gottschalk-Olsen 1915-1968 (Aged just 52).

There is very little information on the web about this potter, except that he worked for a reasonable time at Stogo Pottery (which was formerly Mørkøv Ceramics) founded in 1940 by Peter Hansen. It closed in the mid 1980s. I have had Stogo pieces previously, but never linked the two.

I’m unsure at this stage whether the pieces simply signed G O are from Herluf’s own studio, or whether he produced them while at Morkov/Stogo under his own name as was often the practise.

Some of the Stogo pottery pieces have the cypher of Herluf Olsen as well as the Stogo mark. They produced a variety of stoneware studio and domestic pieces.

The two pieces below are photos from Maike’s “DanishMood” store on Etsy.