Figgjo was established in 1941 by Harald Lima and Sigurd Figved on Norway’s west coast. The small pottery grew significantly after designer and ceramicist Ragnar Grimsrud became co-owner and general manager in 1946. Investment in factory buildings and a modern tunnel kiln helped the business develop industrial faience production, which began in 1949. Figgjo Fajanse and Stavangerflint merged in 1968.

Turi Gramstad Oliver worked for Figgjo from 1960 to 1980, creating surface decoration for vessel forms designed by Grimsrud and other colleagues. This distinction between the shape of a piece and its pattern is important to the company’s design history: a finished service could bring together the work of more than one designer.

Her Turi-Design patterns include Lotte, Market and Daisy, whose lively imagery helped define the appeal of Figgjo tableware during the 1960s and 1970s. Daisy, introduced in 1969, simplified the flower into a bold graphic motif with blue and orange decoration against the white glaze. It received an international design award in Utrecht that year.

Today, Figgjo continues manufacturing in Norway with a focus on porcelain tableware for the professional market. That contemporary output should be distinguished from the historic faience collected under the Figgjo Fajanse name. Together, the different periods show a continuing interest in useful forms, distinctive decoration and tableware designed for the way people eat and serve food.

Read more about Figgjo’s factory and design history here.

Read more about Turi Gramstad Oliver’s decoration here.

Read more about Figgjo’s present-day production here.