This is a demitasse cup and saucer from the Valencia line, a signature hand-painted piece from Arabia. The Valencia line comes in three sizes: demitasse, coffee, and tea. This is the smallest demitasse cup.
The series' name, Valencia, is named after a port city in southeastern Spain, and its deep cobalt blue evokes the Mediterranean's dusky waters and intense sunlight. Valencia was designed by Ulla Procoppe in 1961 and has become one of Arabia's most enduring masterpieces, beloved by antique fans. Procoppe is a legendary designer who also designed the long-running Ruska and the rare Flora. She passed away in 1968 at the young age of 47 from illness, recuperating in the Canary Islands, a testament to Procoppe's lifelong love of the Spanish seaside. Following her death, Valencia, like the other series, continued in production for over 40 years, manufactured in Finland until 2002. It has not been reissued since then, and currently only available in the vintage market.
This cup and saucer are hand-signed, meaning they were produced between 1961, when production began, and the 1970s. Production of the Valencia porcelain ware was temporarily halted in the 1980s, but after its resumption, it was stamped with ARABIA. This means that the Valencia porcelain ware with the hand-signed signature is the oldest vintage item. UP is Ulla Procoppe's initials, and the painter's initials are separated by a slash.
■Details Manufacturer: ARABIA Designer: Ulla Procope Series: Valencia Era: 1961-1970s Country of Origin: Finland Condition: ★★★★☆ (4: Excellent condition)
When held up to the light, slight cutlery marks can be seen on the surface of the saucer, but it is in excellent condition and has retained its original appearance.
■Size: Cup diameter approx. 7.5cm, height approx. 5cm, saucer diameter approx. 11.5cm
Valencia - A Masterpiece of Arabia Tableware
Valencia is one of the most iconic works of 20th century ARABIA. Launched in 1961, it remained in continuous production for half a century until 2002. Production ended when ARABIA relocated its manufacturing to Southeast Asia, meaning every Valencia piece was made in Finland. The series has never been reissued and is now available only on the vintage market.
The series is named after the port city of Valencia in southeastern Spain. Its deep cobalt blue expresses the dark sea of the Mediterranean and the intense Spanish sunlight. Designer Ulla Procope created Valencia in 1961, and it became the most sought-after series among ARABIA collectors — a timeless masterpiece. Procope also designed the long-running Ruska series and the rare Flora series.
Procope passed away in 1968 at the young age of 47 from illness. Her place of convalescence was the Canary Islands of Spain, reflecting her lifelong connection to the Spanish seaside. After her death, Valencia continued in production alongside her other series, manufactured in Finland for over 40 years until 2002.
Valencia is created using a hand-painting technique where skilled artisans apply the patterns one by one with a brush. This method was discontinued after ARABIA moved production outside Finland, making hand-painted pieces a hallmark of authentic Finnish-made ARABIA.
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.
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 .
