This is a vintage Eva coffee cup and saucer from the famous Swedish kiln Gustavsberg. Many reprints of the Eva series have been produced, but this vintage Eva is said to be a phantom work that was rarely manufactured.
Eva is an inverted version of the Adam series, which has a dark light blue dot pattern, and is colored red. The reason why the paired design was called Eva (Eve) may have been because it was meant to be a playful = prototype product. The vast majority of vintage Evas have black spots, stiffness, and misalignment of the transfer paper, so it is likely that they were not subjected to such elaborate inspections. The back stamp is also only found on the saucer. For the above reasons, a prototype was made, but it is thought that mass production was not carried out.
While the Adam series was produced from 1959 to 1974, the production year of the vintage Eva is unknown. However, the Gustavsberg logo engraved on the saucer is the "rope logo" that was used until around 1970. Therefore, it is thought that Eva was produced only for a short period of time in the 1960s. (For more information about the logo, please see this blog article → "History of the Gustavsberg logo" )
It was designed by Stig Lindberg, the company's legendary designer. A series of tableware series such as plates, creamer bowls, and sugar bowls were made for the polka dot Adam, but there was no tableware series for the vintage Eva, and only this one item was produced.
■Detailed specifications
Manufacturer: Gustavsberg Designer: Stig Lindberg
Series name: Eva / Eva era: 1960s (estimated)
Country of Manufacture: Sweden Condition: There is some peeling of the glaze at the bottom of the cup. There are no problems with use, but we are offering it at a great price as a product for some reason.
■Size
Cup width 9cm (including handle) height 5.2cm saucer diameter 12.2cm
Gustavsberg
Gustavsberg is a long-established Swedish pottery manufacturer founded in 1825. For more information on the history of the company , please see this article♪ The company produced bathtubs and other housing equipment, but from the late 19th century onward, they focused on producing artistic ceramics, and their name became widely known. I did. Known for its simple and beautiful designs with motifs of nature and folklore, it is a manufacturer that led Scandinavian design in the 20th century.
It produced many outstanding artists such as Lisa Larsson and Stig Lindberg, and was a central figure in the ``Mid-Century'' art movement of the mid-20th century in Northern Europe. Even today, it is highly praised for its high artistry, technical ability, and unique design that evokes the Nordic climate.
Stig Lindberg
Stig Lindberg (1916-1982)
Born in Umeå, the central city of northern Sweden. Originally from Stockholm's art school Konstfack ( Learn painting at Konstfack. He joined Gustavsberg in 1937 and gradually rose to prominence under the tutelage of his mentor, Wilhelm Koge. Twelve years later, in 1949, he succeeded Koge as the company's art director in charge of design.
Since then, Lindberg has released numerous works as a standard bearer of Swedish modernism in the mid-20th century. During Lindberg's time, the Gustavsberg workshop was at its peak, and its works from that time are recognized as works from the golden period known as ``mid-century,'' and are highly valued. Lindberg's studio is called G-Studion, where young designers are demonstrating their skills and producing famous artists such as Lisa Larson.