Carl-Harry Stålhane

Petter Eklund, "Stålhane", Carlssons, 2006, see pp 100-101 and pp 120-121, "Unikat i Kinaugnen". In 1984, Designhuset built a 1:4 scale wood-burning kiln based on drawings from a Chinese kiln in Ching-Tê-Chên, (Jingdezhen), which is an ancient center of porcelain manufacturing in China since more than 1000 years. Objects fired in Designhuset's Chinese kiln from 1985 were signed in this way and marked "Ching-Tê-Chên" after the world-famous porcelain district, where the Chinese kiln's prototype once stood.

Carl-Harry Stålhane (1920-1990) was a Swedish ceramicist, designer, sculptor and painter. He started at Rörstrand as a decorative painter already as an 18-year-old in 1939, but then studied art at Grünewald's art school in 1944-46 and sculpture at the Académie Colarossi in Paris in 1947-48. After that, Stålhane was connected to the Rörstrand factory until 1973. The first time, in the 1940s, was the time of colorful faiences and Stålhane assisted Isaac Grünewald. During the 1950s, Stålhane replaced Gunnar Nylund as artistic director at the factory. Stålhane's stoneware was characterized at this time by soft classical forms in the Chinese style and with some connection to Gunnar Nylund's design with matte 'rabbit's fur' glazes. At this time, Stålhane also designed some sought-after series goods, together with Aune Laukkanen who was responsible for the decor, he created the Spanish-inspired series Torro, among other things. The stoneware of the late 1960s and 70s was rougher and more rustic in both shape and glaze. In 1973, Stålhane left Rörstrand to start his own company, Designhuset. The business here was characterized by Stålhane's experiments with his own earthen and mineral glazes and the objects were often powerful in their expression.

Stålhane's clear and elegant stoneware vases from the 1950s with mottled eggshell-like and 'rabbit's fur' glazes in dull shades have seen a marked increase in demand in recent years and are often included in international interiors.