Royal Copenhagen / Bing og Grøndahl Henning Koppel White Sugar Bowl No. 161 / 94

Henning Koppel was a Copenhagen native who joined Georg Jensen Kompagniet when he was 27 years old. He had just returned to Denmark from Sweden, where he had fled as a Jew to escape the German occupation of Denmark. He trained as an artist and studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and the Academie Rancon in Paris. From the beginning, his silver work was abstract and sculptural. His early designs were for jewelry. In the late 40s, Koppeli began designing bodies instead and his work has a sculptural quality that goes back to his training as a sculptor. In 1957, Koppel created the Carvel pattern of cutlery, considered by some to be the most beautiful silver pattern created in modern times. In 1963, he won the prestigious Der Goldene Loffel award. Throughout his career, his designs, whether it was jewelry, cutlery or corpus, were a radical departure from all the Jensen designers that went before. From the ornate, nature-inspired designs of Jensen himself to Sigvaard Bernadotte's austere, functionalist designs, Koppel's was highly original and modern art. This attracted international attention and put Georg Jensen at the forefront of the Scandinavian modern design movement. Koppel also designed porcelain pieces for Bing and Grondahl, candles and clocks for Louis Poulsen & Co, glass for Kastrup and Orrefors and furniture for Kventy and Sonner. His work earned him a reputation as the leading Danish silver craftsman. He won many awards: the Lunning Prize in 1953, gold medals from the Milan Triennale in 1951, 1954 and 1957 and the International Design Award from the American Institute of Interior Designers in 1963. For Georg Jensen's 75th anniversary, he was commissioned to design a limited series of prints. The lithographs are made by Hostrup-Pedersen and Johansen, numbered and signed by Henning Koppel

Once upon a time, in beautiful Copenhagen, there was a ceramics workshop that would revolutionize the art of porcelain making. This workshop later became known as Royal Copenhagen. The story of Royal Copenhagen began in 1775 when the Danish king, Frederik V, decided to set up a ceramics workshop in Copenhagen. The workshop was founded under the name "The Royal Porcelain Factory". The king wanted to create a unique and exclusive production of porcelain goods that could match the quality of the European aristocracy's collection of finest porcelain. Soon, masters of the art were called in from both Germany and the Netherlands to contribute to the workshop's success. Together, these potters created the finest porcelain using their skill, precision and artistic flair. Every single pot, plate and figurine was hand-painted and unique, making Royal Copenhagen porcelain something truly special. Royal Copenhagen's popularity quickly grew and it became known worldwide for its aesthetics and craftsmanship. Royal families, nobles and important people across Europe almost competed to own the exclusive porcelain that bore the famous blue color, also known as "musselmalet". Over the years, Royal Copenhagen has developed and expanded its product line, but there has always been a strong focus on the finest craftsmanship. Despite industrial advances, the pottery masters have maintained the tradition of painting each piece of porcelain by hand, ensuring that each vase, bowl or cup is a unique work of art. Today, Royal Copenhagen remains a remarkable part of Danish cultural heritage. The beautiful blue and white porcelain wares have become a symbol of Danish design and quality and can be found in homes all over the world. Royal Copenhagen still strives to preserve the proud tradition of craftsmanship and beauty that made the workshop famous so many years ago. The story of Royal Copenhagen is a story of dedication to craftsmanship, love of beauty and an age-old tradition that lives on in our modern world. It is the story of a small ceramics workshop that grew to become an iconic brand and a symbol of Danish culture.