Tag: Scandi

Designer Desire: Signe Persson-Melin

Montage of Signe Persson-Melin designs
Earlier today, we went to the International Antique Home & Vintage Fair of Wales in Builth Wells. We bought a handful of things, including an unusual vintage cork ice bucket (top-right image). When we brought it home and did a bit of research, we learned that it had been designed in the 1960s by Signe Persson-Melin.

Signe Persson-Melin (b. 1925) designed products such as cutlery, glassware and a range of ceramic homewares for various brands including Kosta Boda, Boda Nova, Höganäs, Rörstrand, Byarums Bruk and Svenskt Tenn.

Her design breakthrough came via the famous H55-exhibition (Hälsingborgsutställningen 1955) with her collection of glazed spice jars with cork lids (see an example in our montage above).

She has carried out a number of notable public works. She was jointly commissioned with Anders Österlin to create a ceramic panel for a 145-metre long wall at the T-Centralen metro train station in Stockholm. Similarly, she worked alongside Anders Liljefors on two projects in the city; a 450-metre panel for the Folkets Hus and the entranceway to the Skogsindustrihuset.

Her work is in the permanent collections of the National Museum in Stockholm and The British Museum.

Find original examples of her designs for sale on eBay and Etsy.

Portrait of Signe Persson-Melincredit
Additional image credit:
Bukowskis

Designer Desire: Maria Holmer Dahlgren

Montage of Maria Holmer Dahlgren designs

Maria Holmer Dahlgren is a Swedish graphic designer with a distinctive, bold use of colour, shape and font in her creations.

About her city range she says:

The products are my answer to soulless souvenirs of poor quality that look the same wherever you are. Lots of tingles or moose made in China. My souvenirs are filled with personal strawberries and can easily be packed into the cabin bag, flat and durable.

They should be practical utility items at a reasonable price. Folksy and strong without being trendy. Made in Sweden by family businesses. In addition, they are tributes to these cities and my hope is that all the residents of those cities should feel pride, because we live in a fantastic country. The more you travel out into the world and gain perspective, the more you understand it.

She has collaborated with the likes of IKEA and the Tate. Her designs have been used on an array of homewares; serving trays, posters, postcards, notebooks and textiles.

It’s possible to find a few examples of her work available on Abe Books and eBay.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Maria Holmer Dahlgren (@mariaholmerdahlgren)

All image credits: © Maria Holmer Dahlgren

Designer Desire: Tapio Wirkkala

Montage of Tapio Wirkkala designs

Tapio Wirkkala (1915-1985) was a Finnish multidisciplinary designer; he created an abundance of objects in metal, glass, wood and ceramics. His output ranged from jewellery to furniture, barware to serveware and lighting to sculpture. His designs can even be found on the country’s money, having won the Bank of Finland’s banknote competition in 1947.

After serving in the Finnish Army during WWII, Tapio Wirkkala went to work for glassware firm, Iittala; a working relationship that would last the rest of his life. I especially like his organic, hand-blown Kantarelli (Finnish for ‘chanterelle mushroom’) vases. From the mid-1960s he designed glassware for Italian firm, Venini, based in Murano.

He created ceramics for companies including Rosenthal for whom he produced the Pollo vase and the Composition Secunda Grey, Variation and Eisblume series.

Because of his prolific output and lengthy career, his vintage designs are pretty easy to come by – albeit not always cheaply. Explore sites such as Etsy, Pamono and Vinterior.

Some of his ranges such as the Tapio drinking glasses for Iittala and Bolle bottle vases (shown at top) for Venini are still in production today.

Portrait of Tapio Wirkkalacredit

Additional image credits:
1stDibs | Bukowskis

Designer Desire: Nanny Still

Montage of Nanny Still glass designs

Nanny Still (1926-2009) was a mid-century Finnish glass designer. She’s also known by her married name, Nanny Still-McKinney.

She designed for Riihimäki for approaching 3 decades; from her graduation from the University of Art and Design, Helsinki in 1947 until the 1970s. Some of her ranges include Polaris, Neptuna, Harlekiini (Harlequin), Fantasma, Majakka (Lighthouse) and Pajazzo.

In 1972, she was presented with the Pro Finlandia Medal for Meritorious Artists of the Order of the Lion of Finland.

In 1959, she and her husband moved to Belgium; whilst living there, she created designs for Rosenthal from 1977. Some of the Studio Linie series that she produced for them include Arabesk, Taiga and my favourite – Blütenregen – which roughly translates as ‘blossom shower’.

You can readily acquire examples of her glassware on eBay and Etsy and Tradera.

There’s a 1995 catalogue available entitled, Nanny Still, 45 Years of Design from an exhibition held at both Riihimäki Lasimuseo and the Glass Museum of Charleroi in Belgium.

Portrait of Nanny Still holding one of her Polaris bottlescredit

Additional image credits:
Bukowskis