Cathrineholm of Norway

Lisa started Hazel Home three years ago mainly focusing on her love of mid-century modern design. My background was in fine art and folk art. We are now one in life and the shop. I have learned so much from her about mid-century design especially in housewares. One area completely new to me was the design work of Cathrineholm of Norway.

We always sell out any pieces we have in stock, many times shipping them back to Scandinavia. The most famous design is the Lotus pattern. It looks like this. This is a casserole we sold in 2014. The other photos are courtesy of Ampersand Vintage Modern

The designer responsible for this striking collection was a woman by the name of Grete Prytz Kittelsen. Kittelsen, often referred to as the “Queen of Scandinavian Design,” was known for her beautiful work with sterling, enamel, and other metals. Her designs earned her numerous awards, as well as well-deserved attention as an inspiration and integral part of the Scandinavian Design movement.

 Grete in her studio 1960's

 (1917-2010)

Surprisingly, Kittlesen was not really the creator of the famous lotus motif that graces her most popular pieces. As the story goes, Arne Clausen, one of the workers at Cathrineholm, came up with the pattern and it was added to Kittlesen’s designs without her approval. Reportedly, she was never a fan of it. When you look around her minimalist Norwegian home, as it was featured as a house tour in an online magazine, you can almost understand why. Likewise, when you compare Kittlesen’s own designs alongside the lotus collection, the styles are distinctly different. (courtesyampersanvintagemodern)

Be on the lookout for Cathrineholm products but beware, several companies produced cheaper copies throughout the 1960's and 1970's. Most times Cathrineholm is not marked so look for high quality, heavy enamel over steel pieces. The knock offs were thin, light and sloppy.