This big mug was hand-painted by GOG and produced in Arabia's in-house workshop, Atelier GOG. While designer Gunval Olin Granqvist was responsible for designing mass-produced products at Arabia, he also had his own in-house workshop where he created hand-painted pieces. Atelier GOG's works remain popular to this day, and are known as a series that allows you to enjoy the texture of a handcrafted product that is clearly different from mass-produced items.
The greatest appeal of this piece is that it was hand-painted by GOG himself. Usually, the inscription on the bottom reads "GOG" followed by a slash, with the painter's initials written to the right of it. However, this piece is simply inscribed "GOG" without the painter's initials, indicating that GOG himself painted it. Even among Atelier GOG's works, it is rare to find one in which the artist's own brushstrokes are so clearly apparent; the force of the lines, the thickness of the paint, and the appearance of the glaze create a sense of tension not found in mass-produced pieces.
The overall design is a rough sketch of green and light green horizontal lines, over which thick stripes of cobalt blue glaze are painted. The shades and pools of blue, as well as the rhythm of the brush strokes, remain intact, giving the piece, while still being a practical vessel, the impact of a kind of ceramic statue.
What's more, this mug is also rare in its size. While a typical big mug has a capacity of approximately 950ml, or 1100ml when full, this mug exceeds that, boasting an extra-large capacity of 1000ml, or 1250ml when full.
It is much larger than the S model mug, which is part of Arabia's classic Ruska line, and is more than twice as large. This size is out of the ordinary for an everyday mug, and it can be said that it was created with the intention of making it stand out as an interior decoration.
This mug weighs over 2 kg when filled with water, making it difficult to handle in practical terms, and as a result, it is speculated that very few were produced. This is the largest mug among Atelier GOG's works, and is extremely rare on the vintage market, making it a highly collectible item.
■Detailed specifications Manufacturer: ARABIA / Arabia Designer: Gunvor Olin-Grönqvist / Gunvor Olin-Grönqvist Production: Atelier GOG
Country of origin: Finland Era: 1960s (estimated)
Condition: ★★★★☆ (4.5: Excellent condition)
The sides and inner bottom show slight scuffs when held up to the light. There are also a few black spots on the inner bottom that were present during manufacturing. The condition is near new. Also, the dent in the base is not a chip, but rather is thought to have occurred during manufacturing, as it is half filled with transparent glaze.
This mug is in excellent condition, lacking the crazing often seen on GOG mugs and retaining its original luster. Given its large size and the fact that it was painted by GOG himself, this mug is a highly sought-after collector's item and a rare find among vintage Arabia mugs.
■Size: Height 12cm, Diameter 13.5cm
Suitable capacity: 1000ml (full capacity: 1250ml)
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.''
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.
