On offer is a rare piece of art pottery/serveware from the celebrated ceramicist Marianne Westman: a large, hand-painted serving platter (uppläggningsfat) from Westman’s Sippa service line.
I have not seen many items from the “Sippa” series come to auction Stateside, so this is a very interesting find. Dominated by forest greens and dark blues, this round platter is highlighted by a retro, floral motif in its center comprising five blue circular swirls surrounding a solitary swirl done in forest green, all of which are complemented by a hand-painted band of forest green glaze around the interior sidewall. The outer part of the platter is glazed in a band using a lighter green (apple green). The diameter of the platter is approximately 10 ⅝ inches (27 cm), and its height is approximately 1 ¼ inches (3 cm). In this green-blue colorway, this serving platter would pair seamlessly with either Westman’s Bella, Elisabeth, or Sylvia services.
Marianne Westman worked for the Rörstrand factory from 1950-1971, where she enjoyed tremendous success, becoming renowned for her whimsical, light-hearted household pottery designs. Her creations were so wildly successful – both domestically and abroad – that she was often lovingly referred to as the “Mother of Porcelain” by her colleagues at Rörstrand, which included Hertha Bengtson and Carl-Harry Stålhane.
Condition Report:
This platter is in very vintage condition. There is no evidence of any damage or repair
to this item. There is moderate evidence of utensil marks on this platter, visible primarily under oblique lighting.
The color on this platter is hand-painted and still extremely vibrant. All edges are smooth, and oblique lighting reveals no evidence of crazing (craquelure). As mentioned earlier, there are several spots of moderate utensil usage visible along the outer (white) areas of the plate, and a few on the decorative motif in the center. (Picture 2 is an over-exposed version of the thumbnail image for this listing that provides an exaggerated macro view of the overall utensil mark situation — “exaggerated” in the sense that under normal lighting conditions, these marks would not be readily apparent. Pictures 10 and 11 provide zoomed-in areas on the floral motif and the white portion of the plate where the majority of the utensil scrapes were noted.) Apart from utensil marks, the plate has almost no manufacturing anomalies to report, save for a pinpoint “glaze pimple” towards the interior sidewall (Picture 11). The plate’s footring is smooth, but there appears to be a slight, inconsequential smudge of black ink along its ridge (Picture 8, 5 o’clock). With all this said, this piece is structurally integrous and presents beautifully. This item is numbered L-2, F-4 and marked “Rörstrand Sweden,” “Sippa Handmålad,” and “VDN F-555,” which is Rörstrand’s designation that this item is safe to clean in the dishwasher.
As always, please refer to all furnished photographs in this
listing, as they form an integral, supplemental part of the description. I try to “over describe” my items, pointing
out any irregularities that a buyer of vintage goods might find objectionable. I am certainly happy to provide additional
photography upon request.
Shipping:
The listed shipping is for buyers in the contiguous United States. If you reside in Alaska or Hawaii, please contact me for a shipping quote. My auctions are currently closed to international customers, but if you reside outside the US and are interested in bidding, please reach out to me. (Please understand that I am not responsible for any duties or delays imposed by Customs in your country, and I cannot declare any items shipped to you for less than their sale price.)
Since I am a new seller, for auction lots with more than one item, I may use an outside packing service in order to help ensure that your purchase arrives damage-free. Fragile collectibles will be double-boxed where appropriate and practical.
Return Policy:
As a longtime buyer of vintage pottery, I understand that
disappointments sometimes happen. Terms
like “excellent” and “near mint” are subjective, meaning wildly different
things to different people. And it can
be difficult to agree on when “wear and tear consistent with age” has ventured
into the territory of actual damage.
Rather than quibble, if you
are dissatisfied with any item that you purchase from me, for any reason,
simply return it to me within 30 days in the condition in which it was sent,
and I will happily refund your money. For Domestic Buyers, I
will pay for return shipping costs, but regrettably, I cannot refund outbound
shipping and handling fees in such cases. International Buyers will be responsible for all return shipping costs. Of course, should an item sustain any damage during transit, all buyers will receive a complete refund. (In the event
that a multi-item shipment sustains only partial damage, please contact me so
that we can work out a satisfactory solution.)
All I ask in return is that you document any damage, retain all packing
materials, and assist me during the claims process.
In my experience, the best transactions are ones where there
is open, honest communication on both sides.
My goal is to find happy homes for these treasures, with the hope that
they will bring their new owners as much joy as they’ve brought me.
About Me:
I have been an avid Blue Fire (Blå Eld) and Koka Blue (Koka Blå) collector for almost 20 years. I own over 400 pieces in each line, so if you are hunting for something in particular, please reach out to me – there’s a good chance that I have what you’re looking for. I absolutely love chatting with other Rorstrand enthusiasts!
Finally, don’t be afraid to ask questions. I’d rather be deluged with questions than to
have my buyers experience one drop of regret with any item that I sell.
