Rorstrand Pottery (Sweden) ceramics

Rörstrand was established in the Rörstrand Castle in Stockholm in 1726 by Johann Wolff, a German porcelain maker, with the backing of local wealthy investors. It is the second-oldest ceramic factory in Europe, after Meissen. Rörstrand started by producing faience, a tin-glazed earthenware decorated with cobalt blue flower patterns inspired by Chinese and Dutch porcelain. In the 1740s, Rörstrand developed its own style and patterns, including the Rehnska pattern, which was the best-selling pattern for almost 30 years.

In the latter half of the 18th century, Rörstrand drew inspiration from Rokoko and nature, decorating its pottery with sculpted plants, fruits, and animals. The factory gradually shifted to using earthenware as a material and launched the first complete dinner service called "Sepia." The 19th century brought major technological advances, including the use of steam engines and copper plates to press decor, resulting in more popular and intricate dinner more... services. Rörstrand also started producing bone china and feldspar porcelain and became one of Sweden's ten largest corporations.

In the early 20th century, Rörstrand excelled at exhibitions worldwide with its Art Nouveau style and hired numerous artists to push for new technical and aesthetic heights. Alf Wallander was one such artist who was internationally recognized for his innovative tableware. In 1926, Rörstrand moved from Stockholm to Gothenburg and then to Lidköping a few years later. However, the 1970s proved challenging for the factory due to increasing international competition. The factory ended full-time employment for all its designers and instead relied on freelancers. Although there were some brilliant design moments during this time, the economic situation never improved, and in 2005, Rörstrand closed its Lidköping factory after nearly 300 years of production in Sweden. Today, the brand is part of the Finnish Fiskars group, along with other Nordic brands such as Arabia and Iittala. less...