Kronjyden Nissen Relief Tea Set of Curiousities

I have featured some of the items from the Kornjyden Nissen Relief range before, and earlier this week I picked up at auction a part tea set which I had in the Auction watch for last week. This was about the only thing I had the energy to do this week, as I have been sick with a bad case of the Flu - hence the lack of posts etc - fortunately it seems to have passed so back to normal next week.... fingers crossed!


About half the pieces in the setting have some sort of damage, but there is enough remaining to be able to clean them up for sale. There are some really interesting bits and pieces in the set too:

The Relief design teapot - with TEAK STAND! - How good is that! - I've never seen this sort of thing before, as I guess most of them would have
been damaged or broken over time. Such a simple but highly effective piece of design. The teapot is soaking in de-scaling solution currently - it looks like in its 60 or so years it was never cleaned.

A very cute sugar bowl from the range with cane handle. I love the brass detailing on the ends of the handle.

I was trying to work out why an ice bucket would be with a tea set - but I think it is actually a "slop" bucket for the tealeaves
and other leftovers which some old English tea services have too.

This bowl on a pedestal is intruiging because it has a base which is convex - but I can not think of a reason to have a convex base in a bowl

A large, full size cake plate (on short pedestal)

Another curious piece that has me stumped. It is TINY- at most could hold say 4 lumps of sugar
- the inside base is quite etched - so I am thinking a wedge of lemon maybe? or a single teaspoon?

The other sugar bowl or lidded dish - the glaze on this one and the milk jug below has a fault
of some sort - at first I though it was wear - but it is actually a thick greyish cloudiness in the glaze
 from either under or over firing I think. The pieces are also not stamped either which makes me think
they are probably factory seconds. Still attractive pieces - and if you didnt know the design
you probably wouldnt notice.

Rorstrand Eden, Rorstrand Rio

These two Rorstrand designs were the pick of a small lot of cookware items I bought at auction on Monday. I love this style of cookware, its just so versatile as well as being so well designed.

The first design  is "Eden" - with such a lovely Scandinavian motif was designed by Sigrid Richter and the second two are the "Rio" design - ( I havent been able to locate the designer of Rio yet).

Auction Watch 23.2012

A really varied and interesting amount of vintage, retro and Danish pottery coming up this week....There are quite a few auctions happening, including one I have one eye on as I am writing this post.  I will only have time to get to 1 or 2 of them and these are some of the things I will try and get if the price is right:

2 quite nice pieces of Bitossi

The photo doesn't really do Justice to these bright West German pieces. The 2 oranges ones make
a great matching pair.

Aww. Very cute Bitossi Bird.

OH yes! Some nice pieces of Rorstrand cookware amongst this group lot!

Not really my thing, but they are beautifully painted. B&G Mugs.

A Royal Copenhagen BACA design I haven't come across before.

.....and a few more. For some reason the medium sized square bowls always
take longer to sell than any other size.

I have had this set of 6 fish ramekins with a large serving fish before - I think they're great!
(Made by Diana Australia 1950's - sometimes stamped sometimes not)

Love the shape and size of this Poole Delphis piece

A nice collection of Holmegaard bowls, vases etc.

Yes please!, Kronjyden Nissen "relief" part tea set - I have quite a few "orphaned"pieces waiting
to be paired up again.

Portmerion Totem Find

I called into a charity shop yesterday, not expecting to find much as usual - but to my pleasant surprise there was a small group of Portmerion Totem pieces - mainly odd plates, bowls etc - but also a group of lovely handled soup bowls - A shape I haven't seen before. 

I love the totem design which is in miniature around the edge of the cereal bowls - where it becomes a highly decorative and delicate motif.

Read more about Totem here.

Auction Watch 22

Grey, cold and wintry here right now...this week marks the shortest day of the year thank goodness..I miss the sun, and could quite easily hibernate all winter - I would be no good living in Scandinavia I'm afraid.  I guess it means the longest day in the northern hemisphere?

A few interesting pieces as usual at auction this week, although I'm not planning  to buy anything for the next 2 weeks unless there are some real bargains - running out of room (and money!) ....again.

Quite a nice B&G part dinner setting

I haven't been to view this yet - so I'm not sure the maker - looks
a bit like Michael Andersen - a wonderful looking piece in the photo.

I love the candle holders in this B&G setting.

An interesting terracotta wall plaque by Thyssen Denmark

A lovely signed Holmegaard bowl

Don't see these very often - a vintage wooden block set - by Lego - Will go
for well over $100.

Interesting Dybdahl Bowl

I picked up this bowl recently on eBay locally. I haven't seen the design before - something of a cross between a sunflower and God's eye.  As usual, fantastic use of pattern and colour - and quite a nice shape (although it has slumped a bit to one side during firing). Still, a nice addition to the Dybdahl collection and ever growing knowledge base of their designs and shapes.

Inge-Lisse Koefoed Bird

This very cute little bird was amongst the small pieces of Copenhagen I bought at auction last week. I have seen photos of these figurines before but never had one...they are so beautifully made and finished.

The design of this one is by Inge-Lisse Koefoed and I only discovered on the weekend on looking at it closer it is actually a whistle or Ocarina that makes the most beautiful sound.

The sound it makes took me straight back to when I used to teach pottery - one of the first things I used to teach students to make was an Ocarina, as it was always great fun, easy, and in the process got the students used to handling and working with clay.

Homemaker Cake Plate

I didn't get that much last week at the auctions, but I did manage to find this Homemaker cake plate in perfect condition, It's just so 1950's!.

There were also a few Homemaker cups & saucers and plates - but the price of them went a bit over the top....but then I just saw a Homemaker teapot on eBay in the U.K. for $500 AUD !!.  I should have bought that one a few weeks ago!.

Auction Watch 21.2012

Not so much around this week (and next probably) because of the public holiday Queen's Birthday tomorrow here.

On that topic.... did anyone see the Queen's Jubilee Concert and the amazing 1980's Diva - Grace Jones?  (see the clip at the end of the post - not bad for someone in her 60's!)

The usual assortment this week with a few pieces remaining from the large amount of Fajance and other Danish items from last week.

Nils Thorsson Baca Vase

Quite a nice piece of Soholm from the Erica range.

Noritake Progression "Newel" - I like this design.
Used to see this design setting all the time - but I havent seen
one for about a yeear.

Antik Denmark - lovely looking Art Nouveau era piece.

There has been the odd piece of Homemaker for auciton recently

Quite a nice Soholm Lamp

Love the colour of these 1970's glasses

The photo doesnt really do these pieces justice - a huge bay lot of Fire-King and other
pyrex ware - the orange fire-king is very popular amonst the younger crowd that didnt
grow up with it - although I'm still very  fond of the Fire-King coffee mugs and ramekins.

Nils Thorsson 723

This is one of the Nils Thorsson pieces I picked up earlier this week at auction. It is a pattern I haven't seen before - Alumina/Baca 723 - and on a lovely shape as well (3208) - 18cm tall.

Its such a lovely complex textured pattern which you can look at for ages and still find new areas.  A nice subtle black, grey and yellow ochre colouring as well. A nice find.