Finnish This is a Valencia sugar bowl, a hand-painted piece of tableware synonymous with Arabia .
The name of the series, Valencia, comes from a port city in southeastern Spain, and the deep cobalt blue represents the Mediterranean sea and the intense sunlight. Designer Ulla Procoppe created Valencia in 1961, and it has become one of Arabia's most enduring classics, with many antique fans.
Designer Prokoppe was also responsible for 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 in Spain, revealing her lifelong love of the Spanish seaside. After her death, Valencia, like her other series, continued in production for a long time, being manufactured in Finland for over 40 years until 2002. It has not been reproduced since then, and the only ones available today are those on the vintage market.
This piece was produced in the 1960s or 1970s, as the hand signature on the back is handwritten. Valencia production was temporarily halted in the 1980s and later revived, but after its revival, it was stamped with ARABIA in type, making it the oldest vintage piece with a handwritten signature. "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: ★★★★★ (5: Complete)
The original sticker is still attached and it is in excellent mint condition. It is a dead stock item that has never been used.
■Size
Diameter 10cm Height 6.5cm
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.
