In Denmark, some of the earliest examples of artistic stoneware were produced at Royal Copenhagen, with glazes by the chemist Valdemar Engelhardt (1860-1915) on forms by Hans Hjorth. It was really only with the arrival in 1911 at Royal Copenhagen of the Swede Patrick Nordström (1870-1929) that commercial stoneware production took off in earnest. Patrick Nordström was born in Väsby, outside Höganäs, a major Swedish pottery center. He was the son of a master carpenter and trained as a woodcarver and sculptor. After completing his studies in Stockholm, he spent five years traveling in Europe, starting in Berlin and going on to Venice and Paris. Before leaving Paris, he worked as a stucco and ornament sculptor in the construction of buildings for the 1900 Paris Exhibition Universelle, where he is reported to have been impressed by the work of a new generation of French stoneware artists, including Carries, Chaplet, Delaherche and Dalpayrat. Also in attendance at the Paris exhibition was Arnold Krog (1856-1931), the Danish architect, painter and designer, who served as Artistic Director at Royal Copenhagen from 1884 to 1916, and who returned from Paris inspired and determined to bring the art of stoneware manufacture to Denmark. After leaving Paris, Nordström took up residence in Copenhagen, where he initially resumed his profession as an ornament sculptor. In his spare time he began to experiment with ceramic works, a field in which he was entirely self-taught, in a self-built kiln in the basement of his home in Fredriksberg. In 1911, he produced his first pieces in stoneware in a kiln in the garden of his villa in Vanlöse, where he also fired works for other artists, including Knud Kyhn and J.J. Bregnöe. Nordström drew his inspiration from the Chinese and Japanese influences on French stoneware artists. Nordström’s production soon attracted the interest of Arnold Krog at Royal Copenhagen, and he began work there in 1912, initially to develop stoneware glazes. He was to remain at Royal Copenhagen for ten years, eventually assuming overall responsibility for its stoneware production. Nordström left Royal Copenhagen in 1922 to establish his own workhop in Islev, but only after leaving a legacy of technical innovation in glazes, his own body of studio stoneware inspired by Japanese and Chinese art, and a group of trained collaborators to carry on Royal Copenhagen’s stoneware tradition. His matte crystaline glazes, inspired by those developed in the far east, were continued and perfected by fellow Royal Copenhagen artists Carl Halier, Axel Salto and Nils Thorsson.
One of the most important descendants in the line of Royal Copenhagen stoneware artists established by Patrick Nordström was the Swedish-Danish ceramic artist and designer Nils Johan Thorvald Thorsson (1898–1975). His legacy in noteworthy for both his longevity as well as the diversity of his design output. His work is often presented as an exemplar of mid-century Danish modernism and is praised in the field of ceramic design. Thorsson was born in Eslöv, Sweden in 1898. At the age of thirteen he apprenticed at the Alumina Factory in Copenhagen, before studying at and graduating from the Royal Danish Academy in 1917. Just over a decade later, he was appointed Artistic Director of Alumina in 1928, a post which he held for forty-one years. When Alumina purchased Royal Copenhagen in 1949, Thorsson stayed on as Artistic Director of the merged company, leading a team of talented designers which included Bethe Breyen, Kari Christensen, Johanne Gerber, Grete Helland-Hansen, Berte Jessen, Marianne Johnson, Inge Lise-Koefoed, Ellen Malmer, and Ivan Weiss, among others. Thorsson’s work as a designer varied greatly thematically, from the naturalistic featuring birds, fish, and butterfly motifs, to the abstract and geometric. During his time at Royal Copenhagen, Thorsson was the factory's most prolific designer, designing at least five of the best known production ranges for the company including Solberg (1930s); Marselis (Alumina, 1950s), which was an elegant, yet affordable line for everyday use; Tenera (1960s); Baca (1960s), which features highly detailed and complex relief patterns; and Diana (1970s), as well as many other pieces in glazes that are lesser known and harder to find on the vintage market. Thorsson passed away in 1975 in Copenhagen. Today, his mid-century earthenware designs are coveted by collectors and vintage lovers alike.
All shipping is by USPS insured Priority mail, and great care will be taken with packing this valuable piece. A flat rate shipping charge of $25 applies to this listing. Flat shipping rate applies only to U.S. buyers. International buyers will pay higher actual shipping costs and should inquire prior to bidding.
About the seller: I have been collecting art pottery for more than 30 years. The bulk of my collection is Danish stoneware from the 1920s into the 1970s. The bulk of my Danish collection consists of Arne Bang, Saxbo, Jais Nielsen, Nils Thorsson, Erik Hjorth, and Ejvind Nielsen. I have done extensive research on these and other artists and workshops and would be happy to share that with interested buyers. I also have substantial collections of American, French, Belgian and other 20th century northern European art pottery. Over the coming months I will be listing a wide range of pieces from my collection. Please check out my other listings and add me to your list of saved sellers to receive notification of new listings.