Paratiisi is a masterpiece by Finland's leading designer, Birger Kaipiainen, known as the "King of Decorators." The prototype was unveiled in 1968 and released in 1969. When Arabia significantly reduced production in 1974 due to the oil crisis, Paratiisi was temporarily discontinued, but was revived in 1988 and remains in production to this day.
This plate is a vintage black and white Paratiisi plate produced in small batches for two years starting in 1972. To reduce the amount of work required for decoration, the plate is made without glaze and is constructed only with outlines. The shape is the same, but the backstamp is simple and features the Arabian crown logo.
The Black Paratiisi is said to be a model that reduced the effort required for coloring in order to be mass-produced, but it seems that it was never mass-produced as there are very few of the earliest models from 1972-74 left. Paratiisi is now produced in three colors: color, black and white, and purple, but Kaipiainen actually supervised the color and this black and white version. The vintage model has thin, light lines overall, making it clear that only the outline lines were used. The reissue model has thick, clear lines in the design overall.
This plate is larger than the standard oval (29.5cm) and is a discontinued model. It is not available as a reproduction, making it a rare item that can only be found as a vintage item.
■Details Manufacturer: ARABIA / Arabia Designer: Birger Kaipiainen Series name: Paratiisi Era: 1 972-1974
Country of origin: Finland
Condition: ★★★★☆ (4: Excellent condition)
When held up to the light, slight cutlery marks can be seen on the surface and edges of the plate. It is in excellent condition with almost no signs of use and retains the original appearance from the time of manufacture.
■Size: Width 25cm, Length 22.5cm, Height 3.5cm
Paratiisi ~ Finland's paradise ~
"Paratiisi" is a masterpiece created by Birger Kaipiainen, a famous designer of ARABIA. The series name means "paradise" in Finnish. After some trial and error by Kaipiainen, Paratissi was launched in 1969. Each piece of Paratissi was decorated with a richly colored print, making it one of the most elaborate and luxurious series of Arabic tableware of the time. Production ceased in 1974 due to the severe economic recession and fuel shortage caused by the oil crisis.
Paratissi is also known for its frequently changing logo, called a backstamp. 1) A logo that started with the viola (pansy) logo in 1969, 2) A logo that abolished the year stamp in the first half of 1971, and 3) A leaf that replaced the viola part produced around the second half of 1971 with the ARABIA mark. logo, 4) Crown logo, which was replaced with a circular English logo in the 1988 reprint, 5) Black and white logo from mid-2000, with the color of the 1988 logo removed, and 6) Made in Thailand, with the circle mark further removed. There are 6 types of logos. Until the mid-2000 logo, it will be made in Finland. The important thing to know is that the Thai made logo does not have "FINLAND" stamped on it.
In particular, the reprint editions of Paratissi from the mid-2000s onward are characterized by their darker decorations and thick design lines that make them easy to understand. Vintage items up to 1988 have pale colors and thin lines, giving a sense of depth throughout. Vintage tableware is more beautiful as tableware.
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.
