Rörstrand porcelain thimble
Name/Title
Rörstrand porcelain thimbleEntry/Object ID
2021.1.198Description
White porcelain thimble with "Gripsholm" pattern of blue crowns and gold accents. Part of the Franklin Mint "Thimbles of the World’s Greatest Porcelain Houses" series. Retailer description: "The elegantly simple design of this thimble is the creation of Rörstrand, the oldest porcelain house in Western Europe. The pattern, called 'Gripsholm,' was first made by the company for a dinner service ordered by the Swedish King Gustav III for use at Gripsholm Castle in the 1780s. Production of the pattern ended in 1971, but in the intervening years it was used on services made for Swedish embassies and consulates all over the world. When the Rörstrand company was first established in Stockholm in 1726, the porcelain-making process had long been the closely guarded secret of Chinese craftsmen. The 'china' manufactured in Europe during the early part of the century was actually a type of pottery earthenware such as that produced Delft in Holland. But a rumor began circulating among European royalty that the secret of manufacturing the highly prized porcelain had been found, and experts who claimed to holders of the secret aroused wide enthusiasm for starting porcelain works. During the whole of the 18th century Rörstrand continued to be faced with competition from Chinese porcelain imported by the end Swedish East India Company. However, toward the end of the 1820s when fine English clays became available, magnificently crafted Rörstrand products successfully entered the world-wide market. Now considered one of Europe’s most advanced producers of fine ceramics, Rörstrand has retained its long tradition of superb craftsmanship."Collection
Marianne Kerr Thimble CollectionCategory
Tools