RUSKA crockery range. Ulla Procopé (Arabia, Finland, 1960)

I'm definitely a tea person. Maybe because when a kid I was fascinated by anything British -there were British TV series on in Spanish TV when I was a kid, not American ones-, and my first readings were those of Enid Blyton's The Famous Five... In any case, I've been a big tea consumer since I first went to England in the early 1980s, although now I can only do decaf tea, rooibos -a taste I acquired thanks to my South African ex- or herbal teas... -bloody blood pressure! :( although I enjoy a nice cup of real tea fom time to time. And I mean it: I really enjoy it!-.

Oh my, I just wanted a short introduction for my Ruska teapot and the rest of the items I've got from this range. I'm afraid I wrote too much LOL. I want to say I wanted to share this one after my Cubico porcelain teapot and sugar bowl as they are so different... and rivals in my kitchen! (this was going to be the "official teapot" at home... but I finally chose Art Deco over Scandinavian)

The RUSKA range was designed in 1960 by Ulla Procopé (1921-1968), a Finnish ceramics designer for the famous Arabia ceramics and porcelain factory, although it looks like they were only issued around 1968.
The range is made of stoneware with mottled brown glaze. they were machine made but they wanted to give it the look of being handmade (and they were succesful about it. it really looks like a poter spent time making these beautiful items). Ruska is a most beautiful and versatile pattern of Scandinavian modern cookware / dinnerware / tableware. Ruska dishes can be used for serving, but also for heating, braising, baking or one can even store it in the freezer! Production of 'Ruska' discontinued in 1999.

In my collection I've got just a few items: teapot, coffee pot, jug, creamer and sugar bowl, big round tray, bowl and ashtray -no pic. of it here, sorry-. I'd love to get at least some mugs, but I guess I was always too focused on glass and then spent all my budget before I could make it to the pottery items I wanted.

Ulla Procopé worked for Arabia from 1948 till her early death in 1968.
She's also creator of the beautiful and practical fireproof 'Liekki' (Flame) series, and the gorgeous hand-painted 'Valencia' range -based on Spanish traditional pottery from the Valencia area-, and the 'Anemone', 'Rosmariini', 'Koralli' and 'Purpurinjenkka' patterns.