Grandma's Tableware - Behind the scenes of Scandinavian vintage tableware

Our shop sells Nordic vintage tableware and ceramic plates . We have a selection of the finest 20th-century pieces produced in Scandinavia, focusing on items from half a century ago. We collect a variety of items through trial and error while in Scandinavia, but today we came across something that really touched us, so we would like to share it with you.

People in Northern Europe are surprisingly friendly. They behave this way out of a natural kindness, but differences in culture, people, and countries are revealed in the different assumptions behind this "natural" nature.

The buyer said it was probably a Scandinavian way of expressing their happiness, but the thing that surprised me the most so far was when they sent me the items I had purchased. In the preliminary photos, a sugar pot was included. When I saw the preliminary photos, the sugar pot looked to be in good condition and, naturally, empty, but when it actually arrived, it was packed with sugar. It seems they were happy that we had purchased it at a high price, and included a large amount of sugar as a token of their appreciation.

Also, one time, a large number of plates that had nothing to do with the ones I ordered were included in the package. They were brand-name items, but there was a note saying, "We no longer need them, so please use them together." Now I understand why the shipping cost was so high for the number of items. I had mixed feelings about this, as I would have appreciated if they had mentioned it, since they were paying for the shipping, but in any case, I think it was a very unsalesy affair. This is the kind of surprising kindness that Scandinavian people have.

This time, it's about a letter.

Unlike the chock full of sugar and the large number of plates, the package that arrived this time contained a letter.

I received a set of ARABIA Nuutajärvi glassware from someone in Sweden that is about half a century old. The dishes had belonged to the person's grandmother.

The letter read as follows: My grandmother was originally born in Finland, but was orphaned during the Winter War that took place on the border between the Soviet Union and Finland during World War II. She was placed in an orphanage and then raised by foster parents in Sweden.

After the war, she worked as a cleaner, and after she married her husband, whose father worked in the ceramics department of Rörstrand , she developed an interest in tableware under his influence. It seems that this is why she purchased the ARABIA tableware. She said she bought Finnish tableware because it reminded her of her homeland and gave her strength. After her grandmother passed away, the dishes were left untouched, but she thought the best thing would be for them to be put to good use. She recommended that she take good care of them.

When I opened the box that arrived in Japan, my grandmother's tableware showed almost no signs of use and was still as beautiful as if it had been made yesterday. I think she probably didn't want to throw them away and didn't want to use them. She said she was feeling encouraged by the memories of her homeland, but perhaps looking at them rather than using them helped her feel connected to her homeland, Finland.

We don't usually introduce the history of vintage items in our shop, but we felt it was important to do so this time. Scandinavian vintage items are items that have been touched by people before crossing the ocean to Japan. We explain the story behind how the item itself was made, but the vintage item also contains the history of its user.

It is special cases like this that remind us that each vintage piece carries a life, a story. The value of each piece is immeasurable, knowing that it was part of someone's daily life, that it held memories, and that those memories are now in our hands, becoming part of a new story.

We will continue to treasure these values ​​and stories as we deliver each product to our customers. We would be extremely happy if it helps to add color to your next life and create a new story.

We hope you will continue to support Tacksamycket, our Nordic tableware.