Posts tagged ‘Jens Quistgaard’

Aug 13

Palshus Denmark

Palshus Pottery was founded by husband and wife team Per Linnemann-Schmidt and Annelise Linnemann-Schmidt in 1947 in the town of Sengløse just west of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Per came from a strong artistic background, having graduated from the Royal Academy of Art in Copenhagen in 1931 and subsequent work as a sculptor.

The studio name is an acronym of P(er),(A)nnelise (L)innemann, (S)chmidt and HUS (house).

The first items to be produced at Palshus were commercial wares in collaboration with Jens Quistgaard – being “Cherry Heering” Barware/Ashtrays for the Peter Herring Company, which they produced in very large numbers.

The early studio pieces from the studio were precise and minimalist in nature, with beautifully silken, matte haresfur glazes – mostly in subtle tones of either brown, blue, green or cream. The simple glazes and forms were a combination of Japanese and Scandinavian influences. Per was self taught in glaze technology and perfected these now iconic Palshus haresfur glazes. Per also often designed and drafted many of the forms and glazes and worked with other craftsmen and Annelise to realise the pieces.

Palshus Haresfur Glaze Bowl

At Palshus the 1960s saw a change in style with the use of chamotte (textured clay) along with impressed/sgrafitto patterns, used in conjunction with more roughly textured, glossy glazes.

Much of the output of Palshus was sold through Den Permanente in Copenhagen – as was the work of many important potters, craftsmen and artists at this time.

Palshus pottery is well marked with “Palshus Denmark” along with an inscribed number or number letter combination (which I believe is the form/shape number), and often a glaze or oxide colour number which is painted (rather than inscribed) on the base as a number or alpha-numerical code.

It will also have either Per’s or Annelise’s (or both) cyphers (PLS, ALS, APLS)….. but in the 1950s and 1960s several talented artists, sculptors and designers also worked at Palshus – including Kjeld Jorden (figurines), Jens Quistgaard, Billy Eberlein and Hugo de Soto (Artist/Painter).

The pottery closed in 1972, three years after the sad death of Annelise in a car accident at the age of 51. Per and Annelise had three children and five grandchildren including the ceramic artist/sculptor Annelise Linnemann-Schmidt (named after her grandmother) now back in Denmark after studying and working in the UK for several years.

Palshus Haresfur Glaze Bowl Base

Palshus Chamotte Vessel with glossy, textured glaze

Feb 23

Jens Quistgaard, Cigarette Jar, Kronjyden Nissen

Jens Quistgaard Ceramic & Rosewood Humidors, Kronjyden Nissen

Jens Quistgaard, Ceramic & Rosewood Humidors

Apart from the dinnerware designs Jens Quistgaard created in the 1960s and 1970s for Kronyjden Nissen he created a series of beautiful ceramic/rosewood accessories for cigarettes, smoking and cigars.

While this might seem odd to use these days, let’s not forget this was at a time when smoking was seen as a normal part of daily life, and often portrayed as aspirational.

The pieces he created included humidors, ashtrays, cigarette jars etc. They were pieces made to be proudly displayed as luxury items.

The glazes used were mostly from the azure and umber dinnerware series, combined with the most beautifully crafted and sculpted rosewood lids on many of the pieces which Quistgaard also designed.

These designs also complimented a now iconic series designed by Quistgaard known as the “Rare Wood Table Top Collection” of trays, bowls, ice buckets, pepper mills for Dansk Designs in 1961.

Lettering was used on the ceramic surfaces as a decorative technique to stunning effect, with a repeated word embossed on to the clay body, accentuating the beauty of the glaze and form.

It is not often you find wood and clay combined well – but Quistgaard did so to perfection in these designs.

Below are some of the pieces I have come across, but there are several more designs in this series which is now very hard to find, and keenly sought by design collectors.

Jens Quistgaard, Cigar Humidor, Kronjyden Nissen

Jens Quistgaard, Cigar Humidor, Kronjyden Nissen – Top View

Jens Quistgaard, Ashtray, Kronjyden Nissen

Jens Quistgaard, Cigarette Jar, Kronjyden Nissen

Feb 21

Mexico Design, Teapot, Jens Quistgaard, Kronjyden Nissen

Mexico Design, Kronjyden Nissen, Denmark

“Mexico” Kronjyden Nissen, Denmark.

At the end of the 1960s into the 1970s a new group of series was produced by Kronjyden Nissen Denmark, all on the same shape (form no 38). This group of designs started with Tema, then followed closely with Mexico & Columbia.

It is often purported that these designs were by Jens Quistgaard – but there seems to be no documentation around this. One theory is that he did design them, but did not want his name attributed to the designs due to a perceived conflict of interest with his Dansk Design company. To me looking at the forms and the decor of Tema & Mexico, they look and feel like designs by Quistgaard, but without a clear record this can not be confirmed.

Tema became the highest selling dinner service in Denmark at the time (mid 1970s) – although I find Mexico much more impressive looking and interesting. The way the Mexico glaze behaves on the form lifts the design to a whole new level, and lifts the otherwise plain and functional form of Tema to me.

Peru on form 45, and Coppelia on form 46 followed, but interest in stoneware dinnerware was now starting to decline, and by 1988 Kronjyden Nissen closed and was taken over by Bing & Grondahl/Royal Copenhagen. B&G continued producing some of the designs for several years and you will often find services such as “Cordial”, “Rune”, & “Contrast ” with the Bing & Grondahl backstamp.