Rörstrand is Sweden's oldest pottery manufacturer. One of their most popular products is the Silvia series.
The product's form was designed by Marianne Westman, known for the Monami series, and the violet flower decoration was devised by the company's designer, Silvia Leuchovius. Unlike regular Scandinavian tableware, which is thick and shows traces of the manufacturing process, the Silvia series is made of hard bone china, thin and without any support marks, and the entire series has an elegant and sophisticated design.
(Photo: "Sylvia" series)
The Silvia series was designed as a commemorative model to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Rörstrand's founding.
However, the year of its release, 1976, was also a monumental year for Sweden.
The marriage of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia Somares.
(Photo: Queen Silvia and King Gustaf)
Queen Silvia's Early Life and Background
Silvia Sommers was born on December 23, 1943 in Heidelberg, Germany. Her father is German and her mother is Brazilian. Silvia grew up in a multicultural environment, spending her childhood in Brazil and Germany. Because of this, she is not Swedish by birth and had no direct connection to Sweden before joining the Swedish royal family.
(Photo: When he was Queen Silvia's interpreter)
Queen Silvia met King Carl XVI Gustaf in 1972 while working as an interpreter for the Olympic Organizing Committee in Munich. The two fell in love and were married on June 19, 1976.
When it was announced that Queen Silvia would become Queen of Sweden, there was some criticism of her foreign background, as conservatives criticised the idea of a foreign bride joining the traditional Swedish royal family.
However, through her subsequent activities, Queen Silvia has become a beloved queen among the Swedish people. She has focused on welfare activities, child welfare, and dementia care, and has won the support of many people for her honest attitude and warm personality.
The Birth of the Silvia Series and Its Significance
Most Nordic tableware is thick and often shows traces of the manufacturing process. The beauty of Nordic tableware is that it transforms such rugged, everyday tableware into sophisticated, stylish tableware with the power of design.
However, the Sylvia series is different from typical Nordic tableware in that it is made of high-quality porcelain, with no support marks, thin and hard bone china dishes.
The beautiful transparent glaze and patterns, as well as the refined form, are of particularly high quality for a Rörstrand product from the 1970s. It is also noteworthy that the Sylvia series does not have the marks of supports (eye marks) that are common in Scandinavian vintage tableware, which indicates that the kiln firing environment was completely renewed for the Sylvia series.
Sylvia is a highly refined and beautiful piece of Nordic vintage tableware.
The story behind the birth of "Dancing Queen"
The wedding of King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia in 1976 also featured another big event: the debut of ABBA's "Dancing Queen."
ABBA is a Swedish pop group that shaped the 1970s and whose songs are loved all over the world. Before its official release in August 1976, "Dancing Queen" was first performed at the wedding eve of Queen Silvia of England. The eve was held to celebrate the royal marriage and was attended by many guests.
It is said that the "Queen" in "Dancing Queen" refers to Queen Silvia. ABBA members supported Queen Silvia, who was criticized by some for being of foreign origin, and dedicated the song to pay tribute to her.
Similarly, Rörstrand's Silvia series was designed to celebrate the grace and elegance of Queen Silvia.
This episode is remembered by many as a special moment in Swedish history.