RICE PORCELAIN "LEHTI" BOWL FK/1

Rice Porcelain was inspired by Chinese "rice grain porcelain" observed at the Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna in the early 1930s and took ten years to complete.
The openwork patterns are individually cut by craftsmen using special knives, then bisque-fired at 800°C, glazed, and fired again at 1380°C, causing the cut areas to vitrify and the openwork pattern to emerge through the light.
Initially, even small pieces took four days to produce as unique items, but after further research, they began to be manufactured as a product series starting in 1950.
It was exhibited at the Milan Triennale in 1951.

In Finnish, "LEHTI" means "leaf."
The cut mark is "ARABIA -F.H.Kj- MADE IN FINLAND"
*In very good condition with no noticeable damage.

FRIEDL HOLZER-KJELLBERG｜1905–1993｜AUSTRIA

Friedl Holzer-Kjellberg was an Austrian ceramic artist. After studying ceramics at an Austrian school of arts and crafts, she began her career at Arabia in 1924. She was among the early members of Arabia’s Art Department, which was organized by Kurt Ekholm in 1932 and fully established as a department when Ekholm became its director the following year. From 1948 to 1950, she also served as director of the department.

During her 46 years at Arabia, Friedl Holzer-Kjellberg worked primarily as an artist in the Art Department while also contributing to the creation and development of her best-known work, Rice Porcelain. So successful was the series that a dedicated department was established for its production. After extensive experimentation throughout the 1930s, the first Rice Porcelain pieces were presented in 1942. Once the technique had been adapted for larger-scale production, the series was manufactured from 1950 to 1974 and came to be internationally recognized as one of Arabia’s defining artistic porcelains.

Her work in the Art Department is distinguished by refined, understated forms inspired by Chinese ceramics, especially Song dynasty wares, and by elegant glaze effects such as celadon, oxblood, and peacock blue.

Holzer-Kjellberg received a gold medal at the Brussels World’s Fair in 1935 and a silver medal at the Paris World’s Fair in 1937. At the Milan Triennale, she was awarded a silver medal in 1933 and a gold medal in 1954. In 1962, she was also awarded the Pro Finlandia Medal in recognition of her artistic achievements.

ARABIA｜1873–｜FINLAND

Arabia was founded in 1873 in the Arabia district on the outskirts of Helsinki as a subsidiary of the Swedish ceramics manufacturer Rörstrand. Production began the following year in 1874. In 1916 Arabia separated from Rörstrand’s ownership and became an independent Finnish company.

In 1929 a tunnel kiln measuring 112 meters in length—one of the largest in the world at the time—was introduced, establishing an efficient mass-production system. This development enabled Arabia to grow into one of the leading ceramic factories in Europe.

In 1932 Kurt Ekholm was appointed Art Director and organized artistic activity at Arabia into a dedicated art department. He created an environment that allowed artists to work freely and established a structure in which product design and artistic works could develop side by side.

One of Arabia’s defining characteristics was its production system, which was divided into three closely connected fields: the Art Department, the Applied Arts Department, and the Product Design Department.

Artists such as Toini Muona, Friedl Kjellberg, Michael Schilkin, Birger Kaipiainen, Rut Bryk, and Kyllikki Salmenhaara worked within the art department. Their works gained international recognition from the 1930s onward, playing an important role in both the cultural identity of Arabia and the development of Finnish ceramic art.

In the 1940s Friedl Kjellberg developed Rice Porcelain using a delicate pierced porcelain technique. Mass production began in 1950 and continued until 1974, becoming one of Arabia’s most iconic artistic porcelain series and gaining international acclaim.

Influenced by the rise of Functionalism in Northern Europe during the 1930s, Ekholm introduced the AR tableware series (Sinivalko) in 1935, presenting a new direction that would later shape the development of Nordic modern design.

In 1945 Kaj Franck joined Arabia as a designer. Together with designers such as Kaarina Aho and Ulla Procopé, he led a major renewal of product design. The Kilta series, introduced in 1953, became a major success as a modern tableware design characterized by simple geometric forms and versatility.

Arabia has received numerous international awards since the 1930s. In particular, at the Milan Triennale of the 1950s (1951, 1954, and 1957), many works from both the art department and the product designers were awarded prizes, establishing Arabia’s international reputation.