On my first visit to Copenhagen back in 1975 (?) I encountered the work of Bjøn Wiinblad. His creations reminded me of my beloved Emanuele (Lele) Luzzati: colourful and baroque in a childlike manner. Popular in Scandinavia and Northern Europe he had been introduced into North America in the mid-fifties and worked designing posters, ceramics for Rosenthal, fabrics, and catalogue covers for Neiman-Marcus and other important clients – particularly in the Dallas area.
Here he is in his atelier in the Blue House in a suburb of Copenhagen surrounded by some of his work.
As always a left click will enlarge any of the pictures on the post.
I will admit looking at it now much of his work strikes me as being “twee” and I wouldn’t necessarily want to have it in my home. However – you know me and my “howevers” – I do have four of his bisque porcelain pieces around the house.
My four Wiinbald ceramics – a flower bowl, two ashtrays, and a vase.
A left click will enlarge
At one time I lusted in my heart after his “The Magic Flute” dinner service. Created in 1968 the service is unique in that the relief surfaces are not glazed but smoothed and polished, in a complex procedure, after the second firing. This produces the delicate, matte effect of the relief in contrast to the glazed surfaces. The elaborate, and expensive, service came in white or with a wide 24K gold band (see two above lower left). Don McGill, a friend from my younger days in Toronto, had the gold service and I was always nervous every time we dined on it. I didn’t have the $350.00 to replace a chipped plate! But Don firmly believe that “if you have it, don’t just show it, use it!”
However – there’s that word again – I did end up owning a small part of the service. And I mean small: three ashtrays that I picked up at the Rosenthal shop at Frankfurt Airport in 1975. One was broken in one of our many moves, but I still have two of the characters from The Magic Flute: The Queen of the Night and Papageno. As well as that unique unique look to the relief images the verso indicates the character pictured and is signed in 24K gold by Wiinblad. I noticed that one of the ashtrays has a cigarette stain on it – no doubt from one of my mother’s cigarettes. Needless to say the ashtrays have not seen the light of day in many a year.
The other two are in white but are figured with his little wide-eyed female faces nestled amongst foliage and flowers. The vase was a gift to myself from a long ago Horchow catalogue. It is not often used as the design shape is a little awkwardly balanced.
The bowl is another story and holds a special place in my heart. Laurent knew of my fondness for Wiinbald’s work and our first Christmas together (1979) this flower bowl found its way under our Christmas tree. To say I was surprised is an understatement. It has graced a table in every place we have ever lived.
Close ups of the designs on the Wiinblad ceramics.
A left click will enlarge each image.
I never did get that dinner service – but I’m content with a few examples of Wiinbald’s creativity at what is perhaps its simplest and most elegant.
The word for April 9th is:
Twee /twē/: [adjective]
1.1 Overly precious.
1.2 Overly quaint, dainty, cute or nice.
1.3 Affectedly dainty or refined.
From a childish pronunciation of sweet. The Oxford English Dictionary records the first use in 1905 in Punch.
Willy Or Won't He 
The white Winblad ceramics are out of this world. But I do love the whimsy of many of his colorful pieces.
I like the pieces you have. The rest of his work is not really to my taste.
I would be afraid to use those ashtrays too, although I have heard that smoking is cool again. I imagine all the ashes getting stuck in the relief.
You write a quotation like “if you have it, don’t just show it, use it!” and then don’t exhort us to grow up or behave? Clearly you have attracted a more classier pedigree of reader than in the past. No wonder I feel out of place.
Dear Lurker
I would hope that I have never or will ever make you feel “out of place” here.
I still prefer ‘Old Sods around the house”