Tag: Scandinavian jewellery

Designer Desire: Kaija Aarikka

Mosaic of Kaija Aarikka designs | H is for Home Portrait of Kaija Aarikkacredit

I can’t go more than a few weeks before I’m back across to Scandinavia for a Designer Desire instalment. Kaija Aarikka (1929-2014) began her creative career designing and carving wooden buttons whilst attending Helsinki University of Technology.

Not much later, in 1954, she and her husband founded their own company, Aarikka Oy. They produced mainly wooden jewellery and small wooden ornaments. You can see the progression from the earlier button-making in the beads she used in her later designs.

I love her cute animal figures that she designed using these beads – the plain and multi-coloured rams and different types of birds. These, like her jewellery that she made using wood and often non-precious metals, are very affordable. Find examples on eBay and Etsy.

Additional image credits:
Bukowskis

Designer Desire: Jacob Hull

Mosaic of Jacob Hull jewellery designs | H is for Home

This Christmas, my top Christmas present was an amazing, vintage, brutalist choker that Justin gave me (It’s pictured bottom, left in the image above). It’s silver with a tiger eye centrepiece – and it’s absolutely HUGE!

It was designed by Jacob Hull, a Danish sculptor and jewellery designer active from the 1970s who worked for Buch & Diechmann and under his own name. He worked primarily in silver and gold plate decorated with semi-precious stones and glass.

Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t find out much about him on the internet, the portrait of him below is the only one I came across.

eBay and Etsy are two places to begin your search if you’ve fallen in love with his jewellery like I have.

Portrait of Jacob Hullcredit

Additional image credits:

1st Dibs

Designer Desire: Bent Gabrielsen

Mosaic of Bent Gabrielsen jewellery | H is for Home

Every week that goes by, I discover yet another brilliant Scandinavian jeweller. Today, it’s multi-award-winning Bent Gabrielsen (1928-2014).

In 1949 in Copenhagen, Gabrielsen completed his gold-smithing apprenticeship. He followed this with a 3-year course at the College of Jewelry, Silversmithing, and Professional Trade Design in the city. He went on immediately to work for Hans Hansen from 1953 as a jewellery designer where he remained until 1969, by which time he’d become responsible for the company’s entire output. After leaving the company, he set up in partnership with his wife under the name, ‘Gabrielsen’s Guldsmedie’.

When he won the Lunning Prize in 1964, Erik Bohr, the Chairman of the Committee commented:

Bent Gabrielsen’s jewelry carries absolute conviction as to its function; his handling of materials is so restrained and well considered that one feels this could hardly be otherwise. His jewelry is simple and clearly constructed, often with links connecting naturally with each other so that the complete piece makes up a beautiful whole. Every single detail of his things is worked out. There are no false effects. He does not take the easy way out.

Here’s a film giving an in-depth look at the maker’s life, work and ethos.

Find available examples of his work on eBay and Etsy.

Portrait of Bent Gabrielsencredit

Additional image credits:

1stDibs | Artnet

Designer Desire: Jorma Laine

Mosaic of Jorma Laine jewellery designs | H is for Home

I was doing a Google search recently for ‘Vintage Scandinavian jewellery’ (as you do!) and stumbled across the work of Jorma Laine – I’m now smitten!

Laine (1930-2002) was a Finnish jewellery designer who worked for Turun Hopea Oy, Kultateollisuus Ky, Kalevala Kory Oy and his own company, Silver-Laine.

He worked mainly in bronze and silver with the occasional use of semi-precious stones such as turquoise, tiger eye, unakite or nephrite. His style was abstract, Modernist – almost Brutalist – with Viking and tribal influences.

I’ve come across lots of stunning examples of his work but below is the only portrait of the man I could find. Perhaps it’s because he apparently spent the final years of his life living as a recluse in a log cabin in the forest of Finland.

As I said, his work is readily available and fairly affordable – from less than £50 for a bronze pendant. Try looking on Etsy and eBay if you’re interested.

Jorma Laine, jewellery designercredit

Additional image credits:

1st Dibs | Bukowskis