This is an oversized plate from ARABIA's signature hand-painted tableware Valencia. The Valencia series includes plates in sizes 17cm, 19.5cm, 26cm, 33-34cm, and 36cm. This is the second large 34cm plate. It was made as a serving plate for a large number of people. This is the rarest size plate in the Valencia series and is a size that was rarely produced.
The series name, Valencia, is the name of a port city in southeastern Spain, and the deep cobalt blue color represents the dull-colored sea of the Mediterranean Sea and the strong sunlight. Designer Ulla Procope designed Valencia in 1961, and it has become a timeless masterpiece with the most antique fans among ARABIA products. Procope is also responsible for the design of the long-running Ruska and the highly rare Flora. She died of illness at the young age of 47 in 1968, but she was recuperated in Spain's Canary Islands, demonstrating that Procope loved the Spanish coastline throughout her life. After her death, Valencia, like other series, went into long-run production and was manufactured in Finland for over 40 years until 2002. It has not been reprinted since then and is currently only available as vintage.
The hand signature on the back of this item was handwritten, so it was produced in the 1960s or 1970s. Production of Valencia was temporarily discontinued after the 1980s, but it has been revived, but after its revival, it is engraved with "ARABIA" with a typed stamp, and the one with a handwritten signature is the oldest among the vintage. It will be a thing. UP is the initial signature of Ula Procope, and next to it is the initials of the artist who did the hand painting.
■Detailed specifications
Manufacturer: ARABIA / Arabia Designer: Ulla Procope / Ulla Procope Year: 1961-1970s (estimated)
Country of origin: Finland Condition: ★★★★☆ (4: Good condition)
There are slight scratches on the surface of the plate when you look at it under the light, but it is in almost unused condition with no cracks or chips. The paint color is good and it is one of the best made Valencia plates.
■Size
Ulla Procope
Ulla Procope (1921-1968)
Born in Helsinki. In 1948 , he graduated from the Faculty of Art and Design at Aalto University in Helsinki and joined Arabia Company. After that, he was in charge of design in the production department for 20 years, creating the Ruska series in 1960 and the Valencia series in 1961 . Ruska became the longest-running and most sold flagship product of Arabia's products, and the form of Ruska was called the S model , which became the prototype model for subsequent ARABIA tableware. Valencia is the last hand-painted ARABIA product. After suffering from cancer and retiring from active duty, Procope moved to Spain's Canary Islands, where he died at the age of 47 .
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.