This is a blue-colored version of the masterpiece Fractus series by ARABIA, a leading tableware manufacturer in Finland. The blue version is relatively rare compared to the brown Fractus, as there were fewer productions of this product. The vessel is decorated with a combination of deep blue and black, and the thick glaze gives it a sense of depth.
The series name Fructus means "fruit" in Latin, and the surface features a hand-painted image of a pomegranate cut in half. Each hand-painted fruit design is different, and each one has its own unique expression.
Gunval Olin Granqvist, the pattern designer who designed the pomegranate pattern, had his own atelier as an in-house workshop at ARABIA, where he collaborated with painters to create handmade pieces. The GOG pieces, hand-painted in the atelier, stand out among ARABIA's pottery.
The design was done by Ulla Procoppe, known for her masterpieces Valencia and Flora. The design is called the S model , based on the Ruska series produced in 1960, and many ARABIA tableware series have followed the Ruska design, with various designers coming up with surface decorations to create hits for decades. Fractus is a collaboration between Procoppe and GOG, two legendary designers who represent ARABIA. Procoppe often worked with Esteri Tomura, so his collaboration with GOG is rare.
■ Detailed specifications
Manufacturer: ARABIA Form design: Ulla Procope Pattern design: Gunvor Olin Gronqvist Year: 1971-1975 Country of origin: Finland Condition: ★★★★☆ (4.5: Very good condition)
When you hold the plate up to the light, you can see a very slight scratch near the center of the plate surface, but this item is in near perfect condition with no cracks, chips, or crazing. We have multiple items in stock. All items in stock are in the same condition as the photo. If you would like to check the individual condition, please contact us via chat or email.
■Size
Diameter 20cm Height 2cm
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 .
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.''