Old Danish Pottery - Vintage as a Sustainable Product

Bringing it from the past to a sustainable present. This trend of sustainability in the current market is what indicates that a product is magnificent and meets the three requirements (Q.S.P) in my opinion important: Quality, sustainability, and price. The Q stands for quality and compiles the history of the object. It has to do with several things including the artist who made it, the materials that were used, the uniqueness of the object, and the time it was manufactured. The S refers to it being a sustainable product. This means the manufacturing process did not affect the environment negatively (the product was already done). Finally, P refers to the good price. It can be found at a reasonable price (you can get it at a flea market, thrift store, marketplace, or at an auction). Therefore, vintage is sustainable and friendly to the environment and as a business, it should grow by a fairly large percentage in the 21st century. That is why I plan to get very good objects that have those requirements (Q.S.P.).

Vintage objects that come from the past, as a result of a social movement, are very interesting to me. In this case, Danish potters were part of that social movement. Danish ceramics made by artists who lived more than a century ago represent a group of artists who were innovators. Some of them belonged to the Art Nouveau movement, Art and Crafts, and later to the Art Deco, with Bauhaus influence, which resulted in functional and simple creations. These are artistic trends, according to the time in which they made their creations. All these movements saw their light from the end of the 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. They represented and were the result of the social changes that occurred all that time. On one the first hand, it was the phenomenon of late industrialization in Denmark in the late nineteenth century. On the other hand, they reflected the mixed feelings left and generated in European and Danish society by the two world wars. All the above set a trend and a way of thinking and feeling for an entire era of artists.

In short, Denmark benefitted from all the changes in its society during that period. The result is an explosion of beauty, quality, and, above all, simplicity in all forms of art, thus earning them a position as they are highly recognized not only in Europe but throughout the world. Here I am going to mention a few.

Michael Andersen & Son started their ceramic factory in 1890 in Bornholm, the small Danish island in the Baltic Sea. As a factory characteristic, Michael Andersen & Son used the mass of clay with contrasting colors in his objects. The main potters and artists in the factory were Michael Andersen himself and of course his sons, especially Daniel Andersen (1885-1959), who was the most creative of his sons. He experimented and played with colors in the same object. For example, he made vases with enamels in new colors. In this way, we can say that these contrasts of shapes, colors, glaze materials, and clay resulted in very interesting ceramics. The special hallmark of the factory was the three fish. My beautiful vase with an art nouveau style of the signature of Michael Andersen & Son is about 20 cm high and 11 cm in diameter here you can see it. 

Next, we have Svend Aagen Jensen (SJ). This ceramist worked for the Søholm Factory (1835-1996) in Rønne in Denmark. He used the sgraffito technique that consists of making cuts or slits with a metal object on a piece of ceramic. He was also an expert in glazed ceramics. Here, I also leave you this beautiful vase from my collection, made approximately in the 1960s by Svend Aage Jensen from the Manilla collection No 3306, with a diameter of 85/37 and 120 mm. 

The two vases are precious and are beautiful details that decorate any part of my living room. So now vintage, without being an artistic movement, can be a sustainable social movement at the turn of the century that we want to have.

If anyone is interested in any object in my collection, you can contact me.

 

 

English porcelain

The devil is in the details, the story behind my treasures ...

The devil is in the details, as I used to say to my youngest son when I explained mathematics to him. It is the same to find the different aspects behind these little gems, found recently in a flea market here in Sweden. The objects I am presenting today are a large plate of tray-type Mason`s brand and two other small ones belonging to teacups of the Ridgway brand. Both brands are of English porcelain.

The beginning of English porcelain occurred in the first half of the 18th century. We all know that before that date, the material used by the nobility to serve the table was generally silver. Materials for other social classes were of lower quality. Due to this curious fact, we can ask ourselves if, before this period, Europeans did not know porcelain. The answer is that yes, they imported it from China only for the richest. The cute little teacups that Europeans were amazed at were brought from China, as many products happen to be today. That is, by chance or not, history repeats itself.

Porcelain was created in the 18th century by the English themselves after various attempts and formulas. This new material gave a new face to silver dinner services, giving way to endless new accessories for tableware (tureens, fruit platters, saucepans, cream containers, jugs, small and large cups, serving plates, etc.).

But going back to the topic of my little treasures from the flea market, these porcelains are not Chinese, they look Chinese for their color and motifs, but they were made in 1800 in England. Mason's cake tray corresponds, according to the stamp, to the year 1835, approximately. This porcelain is from the tableware collection (Bow Bells Blue) of the patent ironstone of Charles James Mason. The patent was made by C. Mason in the year 1813, and it is called ironstone because it is considered very durable porcelain and that made this manufacturer lower its costs and could sell them in large quantities.

It should be noted that one of the characteristics that Mason`s porcelain had, like many other English porcelains of its time, is that many used Chinese and Japanese patterns with oriental landscapes and ornaments. The other characteristic was that many of the English porcelains were made by the transfer method of their drawings. The transfer was very popular in the 19th century and consisted of monochromatic printing on paper that was transferred to the ceramic piece using a metal plate, in this case, copper.

The Ridgway brand plates also have their history. The Ridgway family in Staffordshire was a family that for generations was in the pottery and porcelain business. Their porcelain, unlike that of C. Mason, was addressed to a middle and upper class of the population, making them high-quality products. This company also used the transfer method with very elaborate motifs for their porcelain. Also, unlike Mason's, Ridgway porcelain is glazed, delicate, and thinner. The plates that I found were made in 1832 and blue in color. They have oriental landscape motifs.

Porcelains of the Ridgway family were divided into two large branches. One of the sons, John Ridgway, made very high-quality porcelain and was appointed a Royal Potter during the Victoria era. The other brother, William Ridgway, exported much to the US market. That is to say, the two brothers brought a combination of quality and quantity to the brand.

Here, I show you the photos of my treasures.

 

 Hanakago

Vases with Japanese weaving in bamboo

To understand what we mean, the first thing I must explain is that it is the "hanakago". The hanakago is basically the Japanese basketry to make woven vases and it is part of what they call "Ikebana" (flower arrangements). Also, I can say that the hanakago is a part of the Japanese cultural heritage in which the creativity to build baskets is reflected. These objects are art in themselves, as the Japanese weaver must not only master the art of weaving as well, but the weaver must also master the same material. In the case of bamboo, which is quite straight, it should be sought to take new forms; curved and round.

If we go back to the history of Japan, the hanakago appeared in the 15th century for flower arrangements and for the tea ceremonies of aristocrats and warriors, ceremonies that were framed in aesthetics and exquisiteness. All the above was suitable for the arrival of baskets that became part of the ceremonies. Then in the 19th century, these baskets gave way to new ways of weaving them. They then used bamboo as the main material in a more artistic and daring way and influenced by the West, but as an art itself it developed in the middle of the 20th century.

The pieces are made by hand, made by the same person who gives the sensitivity, and who, in addition, from experience in weaving bamboo, must know the art of mastering the material with different techniques. That is to say, the hanakago are unique artistic pieces, with the technical criteria and sensitivity of their creator. The artists who make this art today belong to a family artistic lineage and are people who have more than 60 years’ experience.

Today, I present you two beautiful Japanese vases with the hanakago art. One of them, the largest of about 30.5 cm high and 19.50 wide, presents two forms of bamboo weaving. One shape is rounded with small bamboo grinding wheels that cover its lower part and with its upper part covered by smaller rows placed horizontally. The different shapes of the fabric, as you can see, generate the effect of two shades of brown in the vase.

The other smaller vase is 19.5 cm high and 14 cm wide. This vase has a uniform weave of round bamboo molars that covers almost everything. The two vases have inside a ceramic vase that is the one that covers the fabrics of the hanakago basket.

They are really very pretty!

Mi hemosa muñeca de trapo

La confidente de mis sueños

Como lo prometí ya hace mucho hoy voy con el tema de  "la muñeca de trapo" esa maravillosa y especial acompañante de mi infancia y con las que pasaba horas y horas jugando . Le cambiaba de ropa y le colocaba sus pequeños  y graciosos vestiditos una y otra vez.  Pero no he sido solo  yo, son muchas las niñas que hacen lo mismo actualmente, a pesar de la invasión de la nueva tecnológía en la vida de los niños de hoy.  

Hace poco  tiempo conocí a Linda  una niña de 7 años que me dijo : " Sabes que hago con mi muñeca  Bella que me acompaña siempre:  algunas veces me  río con ella,  otras veces le hablo y le cuento mis secretos , juego y  además  dormimos juntas; ella me acompaña por las noches cuando tengo miedo".  Como vemos,  los juegos con muñecas  son algo más que juegos con  simples juguetes,  las muñecas  son las amigas inseparables, las compañeras de juego e incluso confidentes de la infancia.  Y así como me dijo la niña,  cuando está con su muñeca se siente en confiaza para expresar sus emociones infantiles y  canalizar sus sentimientos. Una muñeca de trapo es siempre la compañera suavecita  en la soledad y  en los momentos de temor.

Los muñecos de trapo en general forman en nuestros niños y niñas sentimientos afectivos de protección y amor. También, mediante el juego con su muñeco se están  preparando para ser adultos cariñosos, comprensivos  y preocupados por el bienestar de los demás. Por otra parte, hay que tener en cuenta que  hoy en día los roles han cambiado y por tanto las niñas como los niños deben participar en este tipo de juegos para poder expresarse y empoderarse como individuo, ya que en el futuro serán seres de participación en una sociedad  que cada vez más requiere de comportamientos de empatía.

La relación que se crea mediante el juego con una muñeca de trapo o con muñecos de trapo es una primera y sencilla forma de expresión de sentimientos interiores y una  forma lúdica de aprendizaje en el que podemos empezar a comportarnos con otros. Yo me he querido preocupar por esto y he querido contribuir como pedagoga  creando  mis propias muñecas. Son muy suavecitas y diveridas por lo tanto les presento a mis maravillosas y cariñosas muñecas Alma, Alice y Lukas ( si también hay un niño). Todos los muñecos han sido hechos a mano, en telas de algodón ecológico, tienen ojos y bocas bordados,  y se encuentran  ya disponibles en mi tienda online Atixfortynine.

 Mis muñecas estan a disposición de  aquellas mamás preocupadas por el desarrrollo social de sus pequeños. y que saben que los sentimientos  de los niños sobre todo de los más pequeños  serán siempre los mismos.   La necesidad de amor y protección es la misma desde el tiempo  en que  nuestras abuelas eran niñas y jugaban con sus muñecas.  Permitamos que nuestros niños jueguen libremente con sus cariñosos, suaves muñecos de trapo. y por qué no sentir como yo siento muchas veces que mi  querido y único juguete, el  que conservo de mi niñez. ya que  todos los demás fueron desapareciendo,  es mi  vieja y graciosa muñequita de trapo.

Aquí les dejo con las fotos de mis creaciones de muñecas de trapo.

 

 

 

 

Una decoracion con acento dramático muy hermosa...

Grises, azules, plantas, muebles y mucho textil

 

Esas serían las palabras para señalar la decoración que se ha hecho en este piso. Maravillosas ideas de la  diseñadora Emma Fischer para Bjurfors.

Para tener en cuenta e inspirarnos cuatro elementos combinados fantásticamente aprovechando al máximo el mismo espacio. Ellos son el papel tapiz, las plantas, los muebles de tipo vintage y los textiles. El resultado una bella vivienda con muchísima alma!

No hay que ver sino las fotos para ver el carácter conseguido por la mezcla de las grandes y bonitas plantas que llenan de vida cada espacio. En cuanto a los colores claros-oscuros se han utilizado el blanco y  los papeles tapices, en  especial encontramos uno maravilloso en el salón- comedor que acompaña de forma armoniosa y dramática a la bella y antigua chimenea (kakelugn) como se conocen aquí en Suecia. A propósito muy acertado conservarlas en estos espacios  para recuperar el ambiente original de los pisos antiguos.

Por otra parte el mobiliario vintage, lámparas, cómodas, mesas,  sillas que se acoplan perfectamente con los diversos objetos textiles repartidos por todo el piso, alfombras, cojines, mantas… todo un sueño conseguido en un mismo apartamento.

Aquí les dejo para que tomen nota,  decirles además que a pesar de estar alejada un tiempo del blog estoy siempre pensando en ustedes… espero poder dejar post más seguidos, ese es uno de mis propósitos. Un abrazo a todos!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



imágenes vía: Emma Hos

 

La importancia de un buen mobiliario en las habitaciones infantiles

Cama , estantes, sillas, cajones… y a disfrutar

 

En las habitaciones infantiles hoy no sólo es colocar la cama y nada más, su dormitorio ha de convertirse en ese rincón de ensueño y de espacio lúdico para el niño o la niña.

Los muebles además de atractivos deben ser funcionales  (camas, pequeñas mesas, cómodas, estanterías, armarios, cajones, etc.) donde duerma feliz y se puedan guardar todos sus juguetes y ropa. También, ese universo al que llamamos su dormitorio debe hacerlo sentir cómodo para dormir e inspirado para hacer volar su imaginación a la hora de jugar. Por lo tanto es importante conocer sus gustos para adecuar esos muebles a sus necesidades y a lo que  llama más su atención. Busca camas,  cajones o estanterías  en los colores que más les agrade con formas graciosas y materiales funcionales.

También, los mismos muebles pueden demarcar y distribuir mejor el espacio. En ese caso siempre la distribución cobra gran importancia en el dormitorio infantil pues, dependiendo de cómo esté configurada la habitación y el espacio que ella tenga, afectará de una manera u otra en la vida diaria del pequeño(a).

Importante sin lugar a dudas su comodidad y tener presente la orientación de los muebles como la cama y los muebles en su espacio de juego pues, resulta sano y positivo que la iluminación y ventilación sea lo más directos y naturales posibles, así se puede aprovechar al máximo las horas de sol y sobre todo la luz muy escasa en invierno y en cantidades grandes en verano.

Por ultimo no nos olvidemos que hoy podemos encontrar muchos tipos de mobiliario específicos para espacios infantiles.  En este aspecto creo que, un mueble será adecuado cuando el niño se sienta muy a gusto al momento de utilizarlo además le resulte cómodo, práctico y seguro. Apunta estas sugerencias y a disfrutar de sus risas y alegría.

Un abrazo!

 

 

 

 

Todas las imágenes anteriores vía: Alvhem