Eight Norwegians and a Finn

There hasn't been much time for thrifting lately, and I haven't been very active on the blogging front. I hope some of you are still around... The process of taking over the company I work for has drained me, we also have an huge amount of projects, big and small. Which is good. I guess.....Still, being creative and innovative when there's so much on your plate is not always easy.

I finally managed to pop by a couple of thrift stores this Saturday and found some nice pieces. Apart from Figgjo and Stavangerflint, both brands from my home town, I love Egersund fajance, as I'm sure you've noticed:-) What I find particularly interesting is that the factory produced for such a long time and covered a broad spectre of periods. The pieces I found on saturday represent two of them, the 70s and the 30s.

I'm falling deeper and deeper in love with Unique, their eggyolk colored design from the early seventies. I adore the cheerful, shiny 70s vibe and the handpainted touches. I find both the colors and shapes to be so very typical for that decade of bright colors and great graphics. Unique was designed by Kaare Block Johansen in 1971 and was in production until 1976, just a few years before Egersund Fajance closed down in 1979.  I've found quite a lot of these by now, and use them daily, mixed with Korulen. You can see the amazing teapot and cups in my previous post and find more information about both Unique and it's "sibling" Korulen here and here. This time I found two large serving dishes and a lidded sugar bowl, all in mint condition.

The factory made some rather lovely art deco pieces, this latest one I've found has a pattern which is very typical for that era. I have a few more art deco pieces by Egersund fajance, but sadly have not been able to find out anything about the artists behind them. 

I found this large and lovely Cathrineholm casserole in a design which is not so common. It may be inspired by the Finel mushrooms, or the other way around, I don't know which came first. The pattern is in a deep, muted green and the greyish white background has a hint of green. It's in great shape and the best part-  I got it for next to nothing, 75 kroner (equivalent to 12 USD or 9 euros)!!

A while ago, I found some Stavangerflint "Mesterkokken" ("Chef") dishes in reddish brown, yellow and teal, designed, silkscreened and handcolored by Inger Waage. This Saturday, I found three plates in the blue version of the design. I don't have much blue in my home, but I couldn't resist these. The pattern and color of these blue ones makes me think of Delft, I wonder if she was inspired by their lovely designs? "Mesterkokken" was introduced around 1960, I haven't been able to pinpoint the exact year. One of the dishes I found the last time originally had a lid, but as is often the case with vintage lids, they've gone missing years ago. I've seen in old ads, though, that both color combos had brown lids. See my previous post on this design here.

I'll leave you with my most cheerful find this time, this gorgeous Arabia Finel enamel pot, designed by Kaj Franck. The pattern is by Esteri Tomula, a great graphic designer from Finland who is the woman behind numerous  amazing Arabia designs.

New Year update

Happy new Year to you all! Thank you so much for all your lovely comments on my last post. I hit the publish- button the night before we left for New York and never got the chance to answer, but they were all so sweet and heartwarming, so thank you! I hope everyone survived Christmas. We're back to normal over here, no more jetlag and lazy days... I thought I'd show you what I enjoyed seeing the most in New York this time, but I thought I'd get this "thrift and gift" update out of the way first, to keep it a bit chronological.... If you're on Instagram, you've probably seen it already!

I'm such a lucky girl. I got two wonderful pieces of jewellry for my birthday a month ago. Remember my feature about the amazing Juhls silvergallery a couple of posts back? Well somebody's been listening! My husband gave me this beautiful brooch. I love it and have worn it a lot!

From my mum and dad I got this amazing silver ring. On my trip back home this september, we walked past the studio of three amazing female artists that make some wonderful jewellry, all handcrafted. I must have commented on this ring, or mum just knows me really well- anyway, she picked out one of the rings that really made my jaw drop! It's large, concave and oxidized. Really gorgeous!

 
You must be tired of my Festivos and Ultima Thule glasses by now, but I'll just go ahead and show you what's new:-) In early december a seven ringer found it's way to my home. After the "family photo" was taken, a friend told me a three ringer was put aside for me in my local Salvation army store if I wanted it. Boy, did I! It must have been hanging around in a smoker's home, it was all yellow, but an overnight soak in dishwashing detergent cleaned it up nicely.

Most recent family member below

Then my sweet sister gave me six Ultima Thule tumblers! I now have twelve in this size.

 

 

I don't really collect Hadeland Furu (pine), but I have a couple of large plates and I fell for these glass bowls. The design has such a lovely handmade quality, with the uneven edges, none of them identical. The Furu pattern was designed by artist Severin Brørby. I'm a bit unsure of the year, but the information I have found suggests 1972.

  

 

A new Scheurich Fabiola (far left) has joined my most colorful collection of West Germans.

Four Figgjo Tor Viking dinner plates moved into my kitchen. This quirky, cheerful pattern is a Turi Gramstad Oliver design from the 60s. The small plates are from an earlier thrifting spree.

Finally, four new Arabia Ruska plates concludes my thrifting update. Love them and use them all the time! Designed by Ulla Procope in the early 60s, they're still looking modern! See also this post.

From Finland with love

I adore finnish design. Yesterday, my dream find arrived!! I've found what's been on the very top of my wishlist for a very long time on Finn (Norway's Craigslist)- the Ultima Thule caraffe. It's so incredibly gorgeous, I absolutely adore this series by the amazing Tapio Wirkkala, designed in 1968. It's so breathtakingly beautiful, looking like eternally melting ice. The design is both beautiful AND intriguing, I keep noticing more great details all the time. The work of that bearded, pipe- smoking, natureloving guy is unlike anything else. As mentioned in a recent post, collecting the tumblers takes a lot of patience, the few that find their way to a store over here, is snatched away before they even hit the shelves. But my goodness, finding them is so rewarding, they are simply the most gorgeous glasses on this planet.

My heart always beats a little bit faster whenever I find new pieces of Arabia Ruska. I adore finnish design, and to me, Ruska is Finland, the roughness, the dark woody brown, the simple shapes, I love it. Just like Ultima Thule, it has a very Nordic feel to it. This masterpiece by Ulla Procope was introduced in 1961-62, and was in production for more than three decades, I'm guessing much due to it's modern and rustic appeal. Lucky for us, this makes it fairly easy to collect, as I know many of you do. It never seizes to amaze me that it was designed as early as it was. If I didn't know, I would easily have guessed the 70s. Earlier I've found the lovely teapot, dinner plates for twelve, several serving dishes and a teaset. Below is what I found yesterday in the Salvation army store. At ridiculously low prices, I might add.

I love the shape of the creamer, simple, low and wide.

Six coffee cups. I have eight teacups already, and often prefer the shape of teacups. But these coffee cups are even more gorgeous, so straight and tall. The only problem with Ruska is that the cups don't stack well... I do forgive them, though, since they're so gorgeous.

I haven't seen this dish before. It's an oven dish, but I can find so many other uses for it too, I adore the shape. It has the first stamp I've seen with the name Ruska on it.

 

I have this large round serving plate already, and have always wanted one more. I use it for everything, cake, salad, pizza and traditional dishes like a roast. 

Autumn has been at it's very best here today. Gorgeous weather and breathtaking colors. I went for a walk and I'm leaving you with a couple of snaps of a house here in my neighbourhood that I'm really curious about. With it's dark brown facades surrounded by Nordic foilage it seemed so fitting to throw it in after the Ruska. Although it's close to the road, it's hard to photograph. Despite it's very geometric appearance, it blends in with the foilage. Much due to the coloring, of course. It's designed around the end of the 60s. it has a square plan and an atrium covered by the glass pyramide you can see on the roof.  I'm hoping one day I'll get the chance to see it inside. I'll be sure to share it with you if it ever happens! Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Ps. I just linked up with Max over at Blackbird has spoken, do pay her lovely blog a visit, I highly recommend it!

Fall finds

Fall is definitely here, no matter how much I try to cling to summer... I guess we can't complain though, the last weeks have been gorgeous, real indian summer with temperatures in the 20s. This weekend has been a bit wet, and fall colors have started appearing. Thrifting has been a bit slow lately, but yesterday I managed to squeeze in a couple of stores.

I've seen the Arabia Ruska teapot around a few times, but have always thought that since I so rarely drink tea, and have several teapots already, I couldn't get another one... This time I gave in. It's just so beautiful. There's something special about pots. And cups. I have a teaset for 6 now, with extra coffecups which are small and great for espresso, as well as 12 dinner plates and serving dishes.

I didn't know that it had an infuser inside for "real" tea. The infuser is even ceramic, that's a great feature. Below are three more Stavangerflint egg cups in the Sera pattern, designed by Inger Waage. I have a few of these from an earlier hunting trip.

I found another one of these little "tweeters" from a line of glass ornaments by Hadeland. There's not much to be found about these on the web. I wouldn't have known anything if it weren't for the fact that I remember them from home. Mum had some of them and I therefore know for sure they're from the 70s! I've collected 7 of them until now. My favorite is the bird, I love the shape. I once found one in the original box, which is SOOO 70s Norway!

 

I found a serving plate and bowl from the Stavangerflint Finse line. I love these, the shape of the plate is so great, rounded but slightly rectangular. The design is by Kåre Berven Fjeldsaa. I love his work, it's always so subtle and refined. The light olive green and brown combo is gorgeous, and it combines really well with Ruska, it has that same surface and style. I now have a teaset for 12 and several with egg cups. You can see and read more here and here. There's a bit of information about Fjeldsaa in that first linked post.

I found this Wiinblad plate a couple of weeks ago but forgot to show it to you. It was a corporate gift in 1978 for employees in the danish firm Imerco and is handpainted and signed. It shows a scene from a livingroom, with Wiinblad's usual quirkiness and amazing attention to detail. I love those rice lamps!

Today I visited a farm not far from where I live to pick some corn. This is quite common here at this time of the year. You bring a bag, fill it and pay a few kroner. I love doing that, and they're SOOO sweet and delicious, much better than those you can get in the store. Today was a bit rainy, but not too bad. The sky was tealy grey, which always looks good in pictures. The teal sky and the yellowing fields looked so great together.  The farm has several workshops, and sell different crafts and produce. And what do you know- there was even some vintage today! 

I have fallen deeply in love with Egersund Fajanse and Graveren's art deco pieces. I found this low bowl at the farm market today. It's got this great abstract decor in brown and yellow and I'm pretty sure it was designed in the 20s. It has the simple stamp with text only,  "Egersund Norge".

 

I also found another herring jar from Figgjo's Folklore series. I have another one that I got from my mother in law with the exact same text, but a different shape. They are more or less the same size. You can see it here.

As always with Folklore, there's some flirting going on at that table...

A few pics from the market stalls inside the barn. Lots of crafts, produce, there was even a guy who sold old record players, I mean REALLY old ones and there was music from the 30s playing on one of them to add to the atmosphere. I love seeing constructions like these. See the rice lamp with the butterfly? There was a seller who made these lazer cut wooden things. They were really nice with the light wood and the dark edges. 

  

In the middle of the corn field...

 

 

Fall is inevitably here, I guess. Which I don't mind, only problem is- winter comes after!  Have a great week!

PS. Head on over to Max at Blackbird has spoken  for some gorgeous thrifted treats!