This is a legendary Corari tea cup and saucer from Finland's leading pottery manufacturer ARABIA. The series name, Corari, means ``coral reef,'' and the pink coral that resembles cherry blossom petals is depicted dancing. The person in charge of the design was Laiya Uosikkinen, known for Emilia and Kalevala. Uosikkinen retired from ARABIA in 1986, so this work, designed in 1983, is the last work of her career.
The person responsible for designing the form of Corari was Ulla Procope, famous for Rusca and Valencia. Corari is modeled after the S model of the blockbuster Rusca, designed in 1960. The S model is a general name for a series of tableware series such as cups, plates, and pots adopted by Rusca, with the basic shape defined as the form.
Since the introduction of the S model, many ARABIA products have been created using Rusca's S model for the shape of the tableware, while changing the surface decoration. Since Ulla Procoppe died in 1968, the Corari released in 1983 shows that the S model devised by Ulla Procoppe remained highly valued for nearly 20 years after his death. The S model is also used in tableware series such as Cosmos, Fructus, and Flora. Because "same shape" continued to be used, it was called the S-Model, an acronym for Sama (meaning "same" in Finnish).
Coralli is available in four sizes: demitasse cup, coffee cup, mug, and tea cup. This product is the largest teacup in the series. Although it is relatively short, it has a wide horizontal shape and a large capacity cup.
Uosikkinen's pink coral design depicts corals commonly found in the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan, the Philippines, and Hawaii. A characteristic of Scandinavian tableware is that it often incorporates spring-like splendor into its designs, which is at odds with the region's long winters, and Corari is a work that clearly shows this characteristic.
This product was released at a time when ARABIA reduced production due to the economic recession of the 1980s, so it is now becoming increasingly rare. In particular, even the same S model is produced in fewer numbers than the works from the 1960s and 1970s, and is currently being traded at a high price on the market .
This is why Ruscas from the 1960s are still available at relatively low prices, while newer Coraris in the same form are very expensive. Coralli is very popular due to its cute design, and the larger the cup size, the rarer it is that it cannot be found in the vintage market.
■Detailed specifications
Manufacturer: ARABIA / Arabic form designer: Ulla Procope / Ulla Procope Pattern design: Raija Uosikkinen / Raija Uosikkinen Series: Koralli / Koralli Year: 1983-1987 Country of origin: Finland Condition: Reasonable The saucer is slightly visible when exposed to light There are some scratches, but the cup is in very good condition, close to a dead stock item. There are areas where the glaze is missing at the inner bottom of the cup. This product has passed the inspection system at the time before being shipped. There is no problem with using it, but it is offered at a good price as it is a product for some reason.
■Size
Diameter 10cm Width 12.5cm (including handle) Saucer diameter 16cm
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 .
Raija Uosikkinen
Raija Uosikkinen (1923-2004)
Originally from Holoran, a town in southern Finland. Graduated from Aalto University's Faculty of Fine Arts in 1947 and joined Arabia. He worked as an exclusive designer for Arabia for 40 years until 1986, and was responsible for the designs of the Emilia series and Kalevala ear plates. He often collaborated with Kai Franck, with Kai Franck generally providing the form of the product and Uosikkinen providing the decorative design.
Even after Laija Uosikkinen retired from ARABIA in 1986 , he continued to live in a house right next to his company and happily invited the company's current designers and students from Aalto University to his home, providing friendly hospitality while also serving as a mentor to future generations. He is said to have provided guidance. His most famous work, the Emilia series, is said to express his longing for life in the distant United States. After World War II, Finland was never a rich country due to a series of periods of poverty, and the longing for richness during these poor and difficult times is the background behind the creation of this masterpiece.