Thursday 25 February 2010

Contrary Arabia Finland plate

By far the grooviest thing I have in my collection of serving platters is a heavy stoneware Arabia plate.

Mum lent it to me when I was hosting a party because I was in dire need of serving platters. She said I could keep it.

Arabia Finland Fructus plate

Arabia is made in Finland. This 1960s hand glazed design is called Fructus by Gunvor Olin Gronquist. It is of an exceptional quality and for a nearly 50 year-old plate, it looks brand new.


The underside of the Arabia Finland plate

I don't really know that much about Arabia, but I have always adored the cute little jam pots that you see floating around on the internet. They are considered highly collectable.

I guess this plate is not to everyone's taste because it is brown and the fashion now dictates for plain white serving dishes. And true, food does look better on a crisp white plate (I'm partial to Villeroy & Boch).
 
But I like to run against the tide sometimes and whip this plate out just to be contrary. In doing so, it has become my most favourite. Finnish brown stoneware in a sea of white china certainly creates a point of difference.
 
I even like to shake things up a bit further and make delightfully retro food. My "devils on horseback" are a winner and you'd be surprised how quickly they disappear at a party!

8 comments:

  1. my mother in law makes wonderful Devils on Horseback. They are unfairly maligned. Love that platter. Can never have too many and that is wonderful. White is boring all the time anyway.

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  2. Thanks Jane for supporting me in bringing stoneware back!

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  3. Hi Anita, It is wonderful! They are getting very hard to find now... I think you need to go and have another look at your mum's house she has great stuff. cheers Katherine

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  4. I love Arabia of Finland plates. My mother still has a set of the Ruska plates, which are also brown.

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  5. I love this...my mother has quite a few pieces in a similar style. I think food looking good on plates is overrated...no one cares how things look once you're eating, it's only before the fact that people look at the tablescape!

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  6. My first dinner set as a new bride in 1976 was a chocolate brown Arabia Finlania Ruska set, I loved them to pieces! I still have most of the set floating around in the bits & pieces cupboard - they are indestructable!!! Ah I remember serving Veal Oscar on the big plates & Garlic Prawns in the ramekins - thanks for the memories!
    Millie ^_^

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  7. Thank you so so much, just stumbled to your blog re this plate. I have had a blue one for years, always loved the design and always read the GOGIEK as a surname??. But now realise it is GOG/EK and it is Arabia Finland. Thank you again from UK.

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  8. Hi,
    My name is Marko and I live in Finland.
    I can tell u...
    GOG mean Gunvor Olin Grönqvist ( Designer)
    KO = who has done decorating.
    Pattern : Fructus
    made of 1960-1975

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