This is a vintage Eva coffee cup and saucer from Gustavsberg, a famous Swedish pottery manufacturer. Many reproductions of the Eva series have been produced, but this vintage Eva is said to be a phantom piece that was rarely produced.
Eva is a red inversion of the "Adam Series" with its dark light blue polka dot pattern. The fact that the paired design is called Eva (Eve) may have been due to a sense of playfulness, i.e. a prototype. The vast majority of vintage Evas have black spots, stiffness, or misaligned transfer paper, suggesting that detailed inspection was not carried out. The only backstamps found are those engraved only on the saucers. For these reasons, prototypes were made, but mass production is unlikely.
While the Adam series was produced from 1959 to 1974, the year of production of the vintage Eva is unknown. However, the Gustavsberg logo engraved on the saucer is the "rope logo" that was used until around 1970. Therefore, it is thought that Eva was only produced for a short period in the 1960s. (For more information on the logo, please see this blog post → "The History of the Gustavsberg Logo" )
The design was done by Stig Lindberg, a legendary designer at the company. A series of tableware items, including plates, creamers, and sugar bowls, were made for the polka-dot Adam, but the vintage Eva was not developed into a tableware series, and only this one item was produced.
■ Detailed specifications
Manufacturer: Gustavsberg Designer: Stig Lindberg
Series name: Eva / Eva Era: 1960s (estimated)
Country of origin: Sweden Condition: ★★★★☆ (4: Excellent condition)
When held up to the light, the surface of the saucer has faint cutlery marks on the base, but there is no sign of paint loss and the cup and saucer are in very good condition. There are also marks from the support posts on the back of the saucer from when it was manufactured.
■Size
Cup width 9cm (including handle), height 5.2cm, saucer diameter 12.2cm
Gustavsberg
Gustavsberg is a long-established Swedish pottery manufacturer founded in 1825. For more information on the history of the company , please see this article♪ The company produced bathtubs and other housing equipment, but from the late 19th century onward, they focused on producing artistic ceramics, and their name became widely known. I did. Known for its simple and beautiful designs with motifs of nature and folklore, it is a manufacturer that led Scandinavian design in the 20th century.
It produced many outstanding artists such as Lisa Larsson and Stig Lindberg, and was a central figure in the ``Mid-Century'' art movement of the mid-20th century in Northern Europe. Even today, it is highly praised for its high artistry, technical ability, and unique design that evokes the Nordic climate.
Stig Lindberg
Stig Lindberg (1916-1982)
Born in Umeå, the central city of northern Sweden. Originally from Stockholm's art school Konstfack ( Learn painting at Konstfack. He joined Gustavsberg in 1937 and gradually rose to prominence under the tutelage of his mentor, Wilhelm Koge. Twelve years later, in 1949, he succeeded Koge as the company's art director in charge of design.
Since then, Lindberg has released numerous works as a standard bearer of Swedish modernism in the mid-20th century. During Lindberg's time, the Gustavsberg workshop was at its peak, and its works from that time are recognized as works from the golden period known as ``mid-century,'' and are highly valued. Lindberg's studio is called G-Studion, where young designers are demonstrating their skills and producing famous artists such as Lisa Larson.