This is a fantastic masterpiece Coralli from Finland's leading ceramic maker ARABIA. The series name Coralli means "coral reef", and the pink coral resembling cherry blossom petals is drawn as if it were dancing. Laija Uosikkinen, known for Emilia and Kalevala, was in charge of the design. Since Uoshikkinen retired from ARABIA in 1986, this work designed in 1983 will be the last work of her career.
Coralli's form design was handled by Ulla Procoppe, who is famous for Lusca and Valencia. The Coralli is modeled after the 1960 Rusca blockbuster "S model". The S model is a general term for the form of a series of tableware series such as cups, plates and pots adopted by Rusca as the basic form.
Since the appearance of the S model, many ARABIA products have been created by adopting Ruska's S model for the shape of tableware while changing the surface decoration. Since Ulla Procope passed away in 1968, the Coralli released in 1983 shows that the S model devised by Ulla Procope was highly regarded for nearly 20 years after his death. The S model is also used in tableware series such as Cosmos, Fractus, and Flora. Because the "same shape" continued to be used, it was called the S-Model, an acronym for Sama (meaning "same" in Finnish).
Coralli comes in four sizes: demitasse, coffee, mug and tea cup. This product is a coffee cup that is one size larger than a demitasse cup, and features a vertically longer form than a demitasse. Also, the shape of the handle is different from the mug, but the size is the same.
The pink coral designs drawn by Uosikkinen depict corals commonly found in the Asia-Pacific region, such as Japan, the Philippines, and Hawaii. One of the characteristics of Scandinavian tableware is that it incorporates spring-like splendor into its design, which contradicts the regional characteristics of long winters.
Due to the economic recession in the 1980s, this product was released at a time when the number of production was reduced by ARABIA, so its rarity value is increasing today. In particular, even the same S model was produced in fewer numbers than the works from the 1960s and 1970s, and is currently traded at a high price in the market .
That's why Ruscas from the '60s are still relatively cheap to buy, while newer Coraris are very expensive for the same shape. Coralli is very popular due to the cuteness of its design, and the larger the cup size, the rarer it is in the vintage market.
■ Detailed specifications
Manufacturer: ARABIA Form designer: Ulla Procope Pattern design: Raija Uosikkinen Series: Koralli Age: 1983-1987 Country of origin: Finland Condition: Cracks on the back of the saucer You can see You can also see fine threads on the saucer. There is no problem in use, and the cup is in mint condition. Many of the 70's ARABIA products have cracks like this on the hill, so I think that the crack on the hill was shipped as it was after the inspection at the time of manufacture.
■ size
Diameter 7cm Height 7.8cm Saucer diameter 12.5cm
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.