Blue Rörstrand Christmas Plates with Stories from Sweden
An old Swedish farm, a medieval castle, or a goose flying over the landscape. Rörstrand's blue and white Christmas plates feature many different motifs from Sweden's nature, history, and traditions. Some tell stories about Christmas in the old days, while others take us on Nils Holgersson's journey through Sweden.
The oldest Christmas plates from 1904 to 1925 are round with traditional Christmas and winter motifs, while Gunnar Nylund's series from 1968 to 1999 are square with rounded corners. Both series share the blue and white underglaze decoration and can be used for table setting, wall decoration, or as part of a collection.
Rörstrand's Oldest Christmas Plates from 1904 to 1925
In 1904, Rörstrand published the very first Swedish Christmas plate. This marked the beginning of a series that continued until 1925, allowing us today to see how Christmas and winter motifs were depicted in porcelain over 100 years ago.
The round plates are decorated in blue and white, and although they are among the oldest Swedish Christmas plates, they fit well in modern homes, especially when combined with other blue-painted porcelain where different patterns and editions can be mixed.
Gunnar Nylund's Christmas Plates from 1968 to 1999
In 1968, Rörstrand began publishing a new series of Christmas plates, designed by the Swedish-Danish ceramic artist Gunnar Nylund. Unlike the older Christmas plates, these are square with rounded corners and have blue motifs on a white background.
The first two editions from 1968 and 1969 featured traditional Christmas motifs, but from 1970 the series took a completely different direction. Gunnar Nylund began drawing inspiration from Selma Lagerlöf's story about Nils Holgersson's wonderful journey through Sweden.
Nils Holgersson's Journey through Sweden
In the story, Nils travels on the back of the wild goose Akka through Sweden, and this journey is depicted on many of the plates. Along the way, we pass old castles, medieval towns, Swedish forests, lakes, and small villages.
But the motifs are not only about the places Nils visits. They also tell about Swedish culture and history, including scenes with musicians, timber rafting, agriculture, and old traditions. Gunnar Nylund often combined several characteristic places and details from the same area on one plate, so there is much to look at.
Use Blue Rörstrand Christmas Plates for Table Setting and Serving
Rörstrand's blue and white Christmas plates are not just for collectors. The blue motifs are painted under the glaze, making the plates suitable for eating from when the porcelain is in good condition and food safe.
The plates measure 19 cm and are a good size for lunch plates, for cake or smaller servings. You can easily set the table with different editions so each guest gets their own motif. The blue and white colors tie the plates together, even though the motifs differ.
You can, for example, combine them with white porcelain, blue-painted sets, and clear glasses. And there's no reason to put them away after Christmas because the Swedish landscapes and buildings fit just as well on a lunch table the rest of the year.
Make a Cake Stand with Rörstrand Christmas Plates
Rörstrand's blue and white Christmas plates can also be used for multi-tier cake stands. It's a lovely way to use the old plates for serving cookies, confectionery, and other treats while the different motifs become part of the table setting.
At DPH, we can help you make your own cake stand. You can either bring your own plates to the store or choose from those we have in stock. We assist with drilling the plates and finding the fittings needed to assemble them into a cake stand. If you prefer a ready-made solution, we also have a selection of cake stands that are already assembled and ready to use.
Rörstrand Christmas Plates as Wall Decoration
Both series have holes on the back for hanging, making the plates easy to use as wall decoration with a few plate hooks.
Gunnar Nylund's square Christmas plates are nice to hang in straight rows, while the older round plates can be grouped with different editions. You can also mix the two series if you want to combine the different shapes.
If you don't want to hang them, you can place the plates on a plate stand on a shelf or sideboard. Here they can be combined with vases, candlesticks, and other porcelain you already have.
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