This is a vintage soup plate from the legendary Crocus series by ARABIA, a leading Finnish tableware manufacturer. The series name "Crocus" refers to the iris flower.
There are three types of Crocus plates: black and white, color, and gray rim. This is the black and white version. Crocus was a series that was only produced for two years, from 1978 to 1979. In recent years, reprints of mugs, bowls, and 17cm plates have been produced.
However, the reproductions are made in Thailand and have a sweeter shape, and the canisters, cups and saucers, and teapots seen in the original Crocus have not been reproduced. These items are very popular in the country and are rarely seen on the vintage market, so the market price is high. This 20cm plate has not been reproduced and can only be obtained as a vintage item. It can be used as a soup plate or pasta plate. Its rarity has led to a high market price.
■ Detailed specifications
Manufacturer: ARABIA / Arabia Form design: Peter Winquist / Peter Winkvist Pattern design: Esteri Tomula / Esteri Tomula Year: 1978-1979 Country of origin: Finland Condition: ★★★★☆ (4: Excellent condition)
The plate is in near deadstock condition. There is slight wear on the edges from stacking. There is no crazing and only minor wear from storage, making it in mint condition.
■Size
Diameter 20cm Height 3.5cm
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.
Esteri Tomula
Esteri Tomura (1920-1998)
Born in Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Her father, who was a university professor, bought a villa in the countryside called Urjalan in northwest Helsinki, and her childhood was spent every summer at the villa with her family, which was rich in nature, which deepened her knowledge of nature. be done. Esteri Tomura had a congenital condition called dwarfism, and initially majored in ceramics at Aalto University of the Arts in Helsinki, but due to physical reasons, she was unable to work with clay satisfactorily. Therefore, he gave up on the career of ceramics and sought his own expertise in design.
After joining ARABIA , he honed his skills as a pattern designer with Laiya Uosikkinen, who became his lifelong friend. While Uosikkinen preferred abstract and geometric patterns, Tomura seeks the origin of his designs in the flowers and flowers of Finland, which was the original landscape of his childhood. Tomura, who created masterpieces despite his physical handicaps, has similarities with Birger Kaipiainen, who designed the timeless masterpiece Paratissi despite suffering from polio.