Forms. Porcelain in Latvia and Europe 1880-1940 | Anda Purina

This is the first book on the Latvian history of porcelain that has been translated into a foreign language in recent years. The book includes examples from the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods until their decline in the early 20th century. In Latvia, especially during the 1930s, Art Deco was visible not only in architecture and design but also in the tableware produced by Jessen and Kuznetsov factories, porcelain items that are not as readily available for public viewing, as opposed to the architectural masterpieces still seen in the cityscape today. This book, therefore, makes this aspect of industrial production more accessible to a broader audience. For example, the coffee-can that can be seen on the cover of the book is part of an Art Deco tea-coffee service, which was also produced in the Latvian Kuznetsov factory as separate tea sets with the characteristic Art Deco blown or airbrushed decoration. This updated and translated edition includes more than 25 new photos compared to the original Latvian edition, including new and previously unseen examples. The information included is unique because there has never been a complete compilation of porcelain moulds published before. Information on the Jessen production and the forms they used was also only seen after this book's Latvian edition. It is now available in English as well. This work presents the production of Latvian Jessen and Kuznetsov factories in the context of overall European porcelain praxis during this period. Information on the origins of certain porcelain forms and the routes they became available for local production to the Latvian manufacturers. Included is the information on the manufacturers themselves, as well as the trading houses that sold the porcelain products in Latvia from 1880 to 1940.