Arabia Finland | C20Ceramics

Dec 20

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.

: Arabia Finland “Botnia” Trio

Some (not a complete list) of Olga Osol’s other designs are:

Arabia Finland, Esteri Tomula – Aamu, Flora, Botanica

Arabia Finland, Esteri Tomula

This lovely design “Aamu”, Arabia Finland and was designed by Esteri (Essu) Tomula (1920-1988). It was in production 1971-1973.

Such a simple and beautiful design, and so effective in both its boldness and use of that intense blue on white.

If you look closer at the design you can see a range of blue tones and details. The flower petals as well have delicately painted veins on the petals which add to the power of the design.

Arabia Finland Aamu – Esteri Tomula

Essu had a long career with Arabia Finland for 40 years, and produced many designs that are now highly collectable. She started with Arabia in 1947 after graduating from the School of Applied arts (specialising in porcelain painting). She started in the hand painting department and soon moved to the department of applied arts. In the 1960s her designs were also printed on coffee and other enamel ware made my Finell Enamel.

Essu was inspired by the flora of Finland – which was a great match for the illustrational traditions and techniques of the 1940’s and 1950’s. Her technique was often to work with delicate black outlines which were made into transfer prints and then hand painted with areas of colour, easily apparent in designs such as Pastoraali. Read more

Dec 18

Arabia Finland Kuutamo Plate, Hilkka Liisa Ahola

1 Comment

Arabia Finland – Hilkka Liisa Ahola

Arabia Finland designer HILKKA-LIISA AHOLA (born 1920 Helsinki) started with Arabia as a trainee in 1943 and went on to work in the art department there until 1974. During her trainee ship she studied both ceramics and porcelain painting with instruction from Elsa Elenius.

Characteristics of her work are her free, bold and expressive brushstrokes, and many of her designs include the use of blue hued floral motifs. She has also become known for her charming fajance painted pieces depicting romanticised female figures. In 1968 she was awarded Grand Prix, in the Faenza Ceramic Biennale.

The work Hilkka-Liisa which we probably see most often, and is most popular however is her striking sunflower or “aurinkoruusu” design which was produced on a series of dinnerware. It is the only design I have come across in person several times: Read more