This cutting board was produced in the 1970s at the atelier of ARABIA, a leading Finnish tableware manufacturer. While designer Gunval Olin Granqvist was in charge of designing mass-produced products at ARABIA, he also had his own atelier as an in-house workshop, where he collaborated with painters to create handmade items.
Pieces produced in the studio are stamped Ateljer GOG and have a distinctive presence among Arabia pottery. This is a cutting board from the studio. It is shaped like a shuttlecock with a brown flower in the center. It was not actually used as a cutting board, but as a flat plate for serving cheese, salami, etc. All of the studio's pieces are decorated with hand painting, and strictly speaking, there are no two pieces that are the same. It is in very good condition and is rarely available in better condition. A sister piece, a salt box , is also produced, and is a particularly popular piece among vintage Arabia tableware.
■ Detailed specifications
Manufacturer: ARABIA Designer: Gunvor Olin Gronqvist Year: 1970s Country of origin: Finland Condition: ★★★★☆ (4.5: Very good condition)
Although there are very slight scratches on the surface due to storage, this is a deadstock item that has never been used as tableware. It is in very good condition, almost like a perfect item.
■Size
Length 29.5cm Width 14cm Thickness 1cm
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.
Gunvor Olin Gronqvist
Gunvar Olin Grangvist ( Gunvor Olin Gronqvist, 1928-2005)
Born in Helsinki. Joined ARABIA in 1951 and was in charge of design for a long time until 1993 . Her representative designs include "Tea for Two," which is inspired by autumn flowers, the "Kosmos" series, which features abstract maroon vertical lines, "Fructus," which depicts an apple cut in half, and the sauna mug series. And even now there are many enthusiasts. Apart from the mass production line, he is in charge of the art department called Ateljer GOG , and also supervises the production of hand-painted pottery called GOG pieces, each of which has its own unique characteristics. The use of paint colors is unique, and you can see the shading color sense that is unique to Scandinavian vintage tableware. For more information, see the blog article ``Nordic Tableware and In Praise of Shadows.''