Posts tagged ‘Norway’

Jul 27

Inger Waage – Stavangerflint – “Darling” Design

The ceramic designs and patterns of Inger Waage (1923-1995) are some of the most recognised of Norway along with those of Turi Gramstad Oliver. They stand out as now iconic mid-century modern and are highly sought after by collectors and lovers of good design around the world.

Inger Waage attended the Norwegian Crafts and Art Industry School in Oslo, studying ceramics between. 1943 – 1946. Following this she worked in her own pottery in Stavanger 1943-1946, and then worked at Stavangerflint from 1953 to 1979 with an extraordinary output of designs.

Rather than me re-writing what has already been researched and published about her work – the best place to find out more about her work is on the beautiful and very comprehensive website created by Ole Gustavsen and Jan Gjerde in Norway here where you can see her works divided into its 5 main groups: Hand-painted pieces, Tableware designs, Souvenir designs, One off pieces, and Works from her own pottery.

I don’t come across Inger’s Waage’s work often, but when I do it stands out like a beacon. Recently I found a bowl pictured here from the “Darling” series design by Inger in 1962. The series features either a male motif, female motif or both male/female together, or fruit motif on different pieces. The pattern is a combination of hand-painted and silkscreened design. You can see others of the designs in this series in Ole’s web page for “darling” HERE

Inger Waage Stavangerflint “Darling” Photo Ray Garrod

Oct 2

Stavangerflint Norway “Tiril”, Anne Lofthus

This charming design has a 1950s look about it I think, but is actually a 1960 design by Anne Lofthus (1932-2003) for Stavangerflint Norway, called Tiril.

You can find out a whole lot more about Anne Lofthus, including most of the patterns which she designed at Stavangerflint, on the hugely informative Stavangerflint research site HERE

She was employed at Stavangerflint 1959-1963, and from 1967 worked from her own studio where she was active until the mid 1990s.

The yellow border on “Tiril” is hand painted, and each piece has a slightly different intensity – partly from fading, and partly from the weight of the brush used when painting. The border on “Tiril” is similar to the style of many of the designs of Rorstrand from around the same time. Anne’s style is often easily recognisable through it’s references to Norwegian folk art and culture.

Stavangerflint Tiril

Stavangerflint Tiril Platter

Below: A variation of this design also came with a bluish green rim ( from the Stavangerflint site linked above ) Read more

Jan 2

Figgjo Lotte

Figgjo Lotte Norway, A Turi Design

“lotte”, a dinnerware service designed by Turi Gramstad Oliver, is undoubtedly one of the most recognisable and iconic Scandinavian patterns of the mid 20th Century.

It has a charm and popularity that has endured, and remains to this day immensely popular and collectable around the world…and especially here in Australia. It was in production from 1962 right up until 1985.

Turi Gramstad Oliver (b1938 -) started with Figgjo in 1960 and worked with them for over 20 years producing some of their most loved designs. She was trained as a ceramist by Norwegian National Academy of Craft and Art Industry in Oslo 1956-1958, while working in the pottery studio of Kari Nyquist in Bergen until 1960 .

Before graduating she worked at Stavangerflint with Inger Waage. She also had workshop practice in Britain in 1961.

Soon after starting at Figgjo, Turi had designed Lotte, and there was a second release of the design in 1972 – which seems to be when most of the lotte which we come across these days is from.

Figgjo Lotte Teapot

Figgjo Lotte Milk Jugs

Figgjo Lotte Sugar Bowls

Figgjo Lotte Ramekin – Soup

Figgjo Lotte Plate

Figgjo Lotte Egg Cup

Figgjo Lotte Cup & Saucer

Figgjo Lotte Casserole

There isn’t a lot of difference between the look of the 2 series – but in the first series some pieces like the plates and soup bowls had rims or lips rather than a rimless or “coup” shape. The coup main plate is also about 1cm wider.