| Detailed specifications | |
| Manufacturer | ARABIA |
| designer |
Birger Kaipiainen |
| Series name |
Apila |
| Year | 1970-1971 |
| Country of manufacture | Finland |
| condition |
★★★★☆(4: Good condition) The surface of the saucer and the bottom of the inside of the cup have some scratches that are not visible in the photo, but when held up to light, they are in excellent condition with almost no signs of use. There are marks of supports from the time of manufacture on the back of the saucer. |
| size | Cup width 11.5cm (including handle) Cup height 6.5cm Saucer diameter 17cm |
This is a cup and saucer from the rare Apila series, which was released by ARABIA, a leading Finnish tableware manufacturer, for only one year from 1970. Apila means "clover" in Finnish. The name means "white clover" and features three clover leaves scattered all over the design.
Apira was produced in reprints from 2006 to 2010, but this is an original vintage item. It is a rare item because the original production numbers were small .
The distinctive feature of the vintage piece is that it is the same model as the Paratiisi teacup, a masterpiece by Birger Kaipiainen, which was produced around the same time. The ceramic mold is the same, with only the outer decoration changed. The reproduction cup is slightly smaller in size. The reproduction is also darker in color, with the picture transferred onto a clear white background. The distinctive feature of the vintage piece is the pale, gentle color.
ARABIA - Arabia
ARABIA is a ceramic manufacturer representing Finland in the 20th century. Originally, ARABIA was a factory established in Finland by Sweden's Rörstrand as a base for producing pottery for Russia. The company's name comes from the fact that it was established in the Arabian district of Helsinki, the capital.
From the 1950s to the 1980s, many world-famous designers such as Ulla Procoppe, Birger Kaipiainen, Laiya Uosikkinen, and Esteri Tomura created many works, known as the Golden Age of ARABIA. Works that had a great influence on modern modern design were created at the time, from simple Scandinavian modern designs to highly decorative and well-crafted pieces. ARABIA is known for its masterpieces such as paratissi, crocus, flora, and corari, which are both practical and decorative items unique to Scandinavian tableware that are useful for both interior and everyday use.
Birger Kaipiainen
Birger Kaipiainen (1915-1988)
Born in Pori, southwestern Finland, on the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. Finland's leading designer, known as the "King of Decorators". Although he moved to the capital, Helsinki, when he was a child, Kaipiainen spends every summer with a homestay in the Russian town of Sortavala. The sense of nature and artistry cultivated there would influence him throughout his life. In his prime, Kaipiainen suffered from polio, which forced him to walk with a cane for the rest of his life. Due to a disability in one hand, he was unable to turn the potter's wheel and make pottery by himself, but this experience is said to have inspired him to hone his unique artistic sense.
Kaipiainen graduated from Aalto University's Faculty of Art, Finland's top art university, and began working at ARABIA in 1937 , before also transferring to Sweden's Rorstrand for four years from 1954 . During the heyday of simple and unadorned modern Scandinavian art, Kaipiainen's designs were rich in ornamentation and characterized by detailed depictions drawn in every corner. He has created a unique worldview that stands out from the mainstream of the time, designing Paratisch in 1969 , Apia in 1970 , and Sunnuntai in 1971 . These are still Arabia's reprints and are their signature products.