Vintage – a dinner service shaped by the history of Porsgrunn
With the Vintage dinnerware series, Porsgrunds Porselænsfabrik brings forth a rare and poetic part of the city's history. The series is inspired by a landscape motif over 200 years old, depicting Porsgrunn as the city was once seen by travelers and artists – and translated into porcelain with respect, curiosity, and a modern sense of design.
A Historical Look at Porsgrunn
The decoration is based on the work “Town of Porsground” by the British artist John William Edy. The motif is Plate 35 in the series Boydell’s Picturesque Scenery of Norway, an illustrated book from the early 19th century that aimed to showcase Norway’s landscape, cities, and daily life as it appeared to contemporary travelers.
The image shows a panoramic view of Porsgrunn – with the fjord dividing the town, boats on the water, churches, roads, and wooded mountains in the background. The depiction combines topographical accuracy with a romanticized view of nature and civilization, typical of the period and the so-called picturesque tradition.
From copperplate engraving to porcelain
Designer Cathrine Kirkerud has interpreted the historical motif, giving it new life in the Vintage series. The landscape is preserved in its richness of detail but adapted to the porcelain surfaces through carefully crafted border decorations, botanical elements, and balanced compositions.
The color palette – with green, warm brown, and deep red tones – emphasizes the timeless expression and gives the dinnerware a collector's feel, while also feeling relevant in a modern home. Each piece functions both as a utilitarian object and as a small piece of a story.
Se prosessen bak
Designer Cathrine forteller om hvordan Vintage-serien ble til - litt Porsgrund historie, litt norsk natur og litt nytt.
“For meg handler denne serien om å ta noe som føles kjent og nostalgisk, og gi det et nytt uttrykk”.
- Cathrine Kirkerud
A dinner service with roots
Vintage is more than decorated tableware. It is a tribute to the place where Porsgrund Porcelain Factory was founded, and to the outside perspective that once shaped how Norway - and Porsgrunn - was viewed by the world. The series connects past and present, reminding us that porcelain can also be a bearer of culture, history, and identity.
Dekorelementer
Rundt fanen på tallerkenene er det brukt stiliserte vekster som har naturlig tilknytning til området:
eik, kløver, pors, nyperose og liljekonvall.
De ulike planteveksten i dekoren representerer dette:
Liljekonvallen
Representerer våren og det nye livet.
Pors
Samler det hele i en tydelig lokal identitet og blir selve nøkkelen som gjør at den ellers universielle plantesymbolikken forankres.
Nyperosen
Representerer blomstringen, skjønnhet og frukt.
Eika
Representerer detgamle og bestandige
Kløveren
Representerer eng, hell og fellesskap.
