Arabia Finland Designers

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

Arabia Finland Valencia

Valencia was designed by Ulla ProcopeI, and it continues to be one of the most desirable and valuable (on the resale market) Arabia Finland designs.

Olga Osol, Arabia Finland

Olga Osol (1905-1994) is not a name that most people are familiar with, but she had an important place in the story of Arabia Finland.

She started with Arabia Finland as an assistant to artist Greta-Lisa Jäderholm-Snellman in 1926. She worked for Arabia until 1971, and for much of this time was head of the Applied Arts Department.

Her most popular design was Myrna – named after Myrna Loy, American movie star of the 1930s. This traditional floral style design with its heavily gilded rims was produced from 1937 up until 2005.

The only design from Olga I have had in hand is the lovely Botnia from 1968 pictured below. My favourite designs by Olga are those from the 1960s and 1970s like Bellis and Tunturi.