Christmas Tree Star Jubel
Svenskt Tenn wishes Happy Holidays
The Making of Christmas 2024
The workshop is in full swing. It smells of paint, sawdust and paper. Each finished product bears traces of the hand’s efforts. It’s a celebration of craftmanship at Svenskt Tenn this holiday season. Here’s a look at the work behind the items in this year’s Christmas range.
Karin Ferner creates Jubel
Karin Ferner is inspired by folk art and her home in Dalarna, where the cultural heritage has as strong a presence in everyday life as it does in her work and art. By cutting sheet metal by hand and creating prototypes without first sketching, she achieved the right feeling in this year’s brass decorations. The Christmas star, with thin strips of metal cut and twisted to create a glittering, luminous look, is also an example of her ability to combine history, tradition and the present. Based on Karin Ferner’s prototypes, Svenskt Tenn’s supplier has crafted the collection using the same artisanal methods.
Karin Ferner"I used an olf folk technique for the Christmas star. To make the decorations sparkle, I cut thin strips of metal, which I then twisted a few times. This makes the material glitter nicely and gives it more depth."
Frej Lonnfors carves shrink pots
Frej Lonnfors likes finding inspiration in popular culture. His shrink pots are often covered with decorative, vibrant patterns, carefully carved with a knife. The patterns on his ten wooden pots created for Svenskt Tenn are geometric and based on the principles he’s developed over many years of woodworking.
Colourful shrink pots by Frej Lonnfors.
Estrid Ericson"There is something deeply satisfying when shaping the body of the pot. It's a hollow vessel that you can present and look at but also hold in your hands."
Porslinsfabriken manufactures Happy and Grumpy
It takes at least two weeks to manufacture one of the candle holders at Porslinsfabriken (The Porcelain Factory) in Lidköping, Sweden. The entire factory is involved in the various stages, from casting to the hand-painting step. The most significant and time-consuming aspect of the process is the decorative painting, with colours specially blended to ensure the candlesticks closely resemble the original. Each angel takes approximately 30 minutes to paint.
The Happy and Grumpy candle holders are produced and painted by hand at Porslingsfabriken (The Porcelain Factory) in Lidköping.
Kristin Andersson"I paint each colour separately, first white then the skin tones and then the base colour of red or blue and continue to work that way. There are both straight lines and winding ones and it is important that the face has the right expression. Grumpy should be grumpy, but at the same time it shouldn't look angry."
Sofia Vusir Jansson folds paper flowers
Every detail in Sofia Vusir Jansson’s flowers is made by hand. From the crepe leaves and the stem in thin twisted brass, to the sepals and pistils. Strips are cut and punched out of sheets of paper before they are folded, basted and shaped. Finally, they are sewn together to form lovely little flowers, that are each so unique in both deign and expression. The tender leaves are malleable so that each flower can be shaped to your liking.
Every detail in Sofia Vusir Jansson's flowers is made by hand. From the crepe leaves and the stem in thin twisted brass, to the sepals and pistils.
Per Norén crafts tea scoops
The four tea scoops Råg (Rye), Halm (Straw), Korn (Grain) och Havre (Oat) are hand-carved by woodworker Per Norén. Production begins with Per actually felling the birch that will be used for the objects. He then saws by hand and splits up parts of the trunk before drawing the outline and carving it out with an axe. The shape is roughly carved before the wood is allowed to dry. This is followed by sculpting and pattern cutting to create the right feeling in each wooden scoop. Creating a scoop takes about 7-10 days.
Per Norén"A scoop is made up of individual elements. These are tuned so that a chord emerges. I want these tones to be absorbed into the wood. The carved surfaces is a reminder of the perfect imperfect - what it is to be human."
Maja Sten creates Christmas baubles
The Prakt mouth-blown and hand-painted Christmas baubles evoke a sense of pomp and circumstance: a spectacular celebration befitting an anniversary. Designer Maja Sten got her inspiration for the patterns from folk art’s decorative design language.
