1930's - Nora Gulbrandsen - Classic Art Deco | ||
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Posted 12 years ago
Stillwater
(217 items)
By Nora Gulbrandsen for Porsgrund, 1930's. I can't find much pricing on her work, but there are pieces in museums and auctions and on Pintrest. Classic Art Deco decor.
I almost thought it was contemporary because its in such perfect shape and its such a fantastic Deco design, but I knew I'd seen this stuff before somewhere so took a chance for $3.
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Really interesting piece. Porsgrund is arguably the best porcelain in the world and she was their chief designer. I would love a set of this!
Thanks V, Porsgrund is that good? Wow, I'd never even heard about it before this
Its in such good shape I was thinking it was a repro at first, honestly it looks brand new... I'd like a full set too, the only pieces I could find were in museums and high-end auctions. Couldn't find any values anywhere
The V&A has a plate in their collection. The firm claims that it is the strongest porcelain in the world. "PORSGRUND porcelain is so strong that four cups can support a car – one under each wheel."
In the old days, PORSGRUND made the insulating caps that you can still see on old electricity poles to this day. Built to last. I have had some century old pieces that look brand new, decor and all.
Yeah I read that they did lots of industrial porcelain. Jeez, a car they said?? I'll believe it when I see it.. Haha, thanks V
Check out the stuff here at Telemark!
http://www.digitaltmuseum.no/search?owner_filter=TEM&search_type=continue&query=nora+gulbrandsen&js=1
They have this one:
http://www.digitaltmuseum.no/things/tallerken/TEM/TGM-BM.1968:079?owner_filter=TEM&search_type=continue&query=nora+gulbrandsen&js=1&search_context=1&page=21&count=542&pos=495
Looking through it all I am reminded of Italian ceramics from the same period. They remind me of the more organic designs of Gio Ponti for Richard Ginori but more 'Scandinavian'. Elegant line and form.
Nora Gulbrandsen (born 29 December 1894 in Christiania, died 14 February 1978 in Oslo) was a Norwegian ceramist and designer. She was educated at the Academy of the Arts in 1923-27. After graduation she came to Porsgrunn Porcelain ((PP) as a designer, and here she was artistic director from 1928 to 1945. Already in 1929 she became chief designer at PP and thus also the first female industrial. Besides working at Porsgrund she designed fabrics, wallpaper, wax cloths, glass and bookbinding and in 1930 she signed a two exhibition shotguns to Trondheim Cathedral. She finished at Porsgrunn Porcelain in 1945 and began a private pottery workshop in Oslo.
In Norwegian:
http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nora_Gulbrandsen
Not "a two exhibition shotguns" - sorry. Much more peaceful. I think google meant she designed two sets of "vestments" for Trondheim Cathedral!
Doh!
Oooooo, what quintessential Art Deco design! I love the astronomical influence. Probably never find another piece though
Wow!! They have mine!! I'll be darned
It seems this was produced as early as 1927 and until 1937 too.
I thought that exact thing! About Ponti's work for Ginore, its very, very similar. Minimalist with bright, shaded primary colors
Haha, two exhibition shotguns for a cathedral...
So this piece is probably from the 30's. What a score!
I almost thought it was a repro, you rarely see such essential Art Deco stuff like this in my area
Where are you exactly?
Look out for PP is my hint!
I'm in Arizona, which is in the Southwestern US. My hunting ground is actually the largest retirement community in North America, two medium-sized cities where you have to be 65 or older to buy a house. I almost solely do my hunting at estate sales here
You'd think that you would find lots stuff like this, but the first generation of people who lived here already died and had estate sales about 30 years ago. Back then, in the 80's, when my parents were doing this, this place was a literal goldmine. I remember them coming home with two cars FULL of GREAT stuff every weekend, and I mean real, upper-tier antiques from Victorian to WWII.
I find a lot of mid-century stuff, because that is the generation that is dying right now, but the really great Art Deco pieces like this were all snatched up from this area in the 80's and 90's when THAT generation was dying.
Understood! Good luck with it all. Here in Australia all is in transition too!
One of the most important artist ve have had in Norway, she did som pioneerering work.
Take a peek: https://www.google.no/search?q=nora+gulbrandsen&rlz=1C1SKPL_enNO424NO424&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=5k28UdabCMfR4QSH64Aw&ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1639&bih=800
Hi Still, really interesting about this cool piece. I love how much I learn on this site. Also interesting about your hunts. I did thrift in the 80s but it was for clothes! I could smack my young teen self.
Thank you Lass, I've been looking at her work all day!
Amber, totally! I've learned an immense amount since coming here almost a year ago. You see something on here that you like and Google it, seeing if you can find anything to help the poster.
The 80's and the early 90's were the golden age if you were smart about antiques. People couldn't sit down and look up their family's possessions and heirlooms on the internet, so they didn't know what to hang on to or what was valuable. My parents made a lot of money back then, and all of the best things that they've kept were acquired pre-internet. We have photographs of the house I grew up in, walls and walls of shelves covered in TOP-TIER stuff...
Love that design.... :-)