this post was submitted on 24 Nov 2024
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What is this thing?

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Found this at an estate sale. It’s like a bowl that’s 3/4 covered. I thought it might be a dried flower vase for a wall, but there’s no place on the back to hang it. No inventions for smokables. Anyone have any ideas what it is?

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[–] hemko@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 4 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

Scrolled through this online museum for arabia stuff but didn't find that design. They don't claim to have everything though, just some 2000+ designs..

http://arabia.kokoelma.fi/etusivu_esittely.aspx

But there should be more info on the bottom to help identify it! Something like this, that would hopefully have name of the series

Edit: found this posting on a Finnish site:

https://www.tori.fi/recommerce/forsale/item/15126547

Still no idea what it's for but it's listed as a bowl. Probably just an art piece of a bowl without a specific purpose. Designer's name is Gunnel Sallmen

More info on some Japanese website, no idea how credible. http://www.hamon-okayama.jp/item/583/?mode=pc

Machine translation below:

Manufacturer: ARABIA.
■Series: Art Department Vase.
■Size (cm): φ13, height 3.5.
■Era: 60S.
■Design: Gunnel Salmen.
This is a flat vase made by Arabia's art department, the Art Department. It was designed by Gunnel Salmen. The Arabia Art Department was an art department that did not aim for mass production, but allowed creators to create freely.
Finland's most famous designers, such as Kaj Franck and Kaipianen, were on staff.
The number of pieces produced was very small, making it very rare even in Finland.

[–] Zier@fedia.io 3 points 4 hours ago

Salsa bowl. It stops your drunk guests from tipping it over!

[–] Please_Do_Not@lemm.ee 12 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

No specific insight, but my instinct says it's just a design/decorative choice. Whether you want to use it for pistachios or car keys, the covered section seems like it would affect the aesthetic much more than function since the hole is big enough for a whole hand.

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 13 points 7 hours ago (1 children)
[–] MaddestMax@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago

🤣 Excellent idea!

[–] MaddestMax@lemmy.world 4 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Good insight! Now I want pistachios! :)

[–] Please_Do_Not@lemm.ee 4 points 6 hours ago

It may or may not have been totally random that a big bowl of pistachios was top of mind for me haha

[–] videogamesandbeer@lemmy.world 7 points 8 hours ago (1 children)
[–] MaddestMax@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago

Spoiled kitty. 🐱

[–] makeshiftreaper@lemmy.world 5 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I have zero experience with pottery or Finland so this is just a guess: possibly a necklace display piece? It has a shape like you'd display a necklace on and the black ovals could be good contrast for jewelry?

[–] MaddestMax@lemmy.world 2 points 6 hours ago

Good guess. I could definitely see it being used as a display piece.