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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Pentti Sarpaneva

Pentti Sarpaneva
Pentti Sarpaneva (1925-1978) was a Finnish jewelry designer. The older brother of more famous glassworker and sculptor Timo Sarpaneva, he was a graphic designer before he began to work with metals in his thirties.

He worked primarily in silver and bronze, occasionally using local stones such as rose quartz, smoke quartz and amethyst in his designs. It is thought that memories of his shamanistic, blacksmith grandfather and the landscape of his native Finland must have influenced the textures of his pieces, which evoke molten metal, melting icicles, volcanic lava and tree bark. His work reflects an interest in nature in Finnish design at the time.

His bold, modern design was produced by the firms of Turun Hopea and Kalevala Koru. While it evoked strong emotion, it was unlike any other jewelry being produced in his country at the time, and it was not particularly well received by the public.

From hopea20.com, modernsilver.com and watchprosite.com


Ring
watchprosite.com

Bracelet
watchprosite.com

Pendant
watchprosite.com

Pendant
lysandercollection.com
Pendant
wigerdal.com

Pendant
watchprosite.com


Necklace and ring
rubylane.com

Pendant
ebay.com - oppis46

Necklace
ebay.com - oppis46

Pendant
watchprosite.com

Pendant
watchprosite.com


And is it just me, or does Eric Clapton bear an uncanny resemblance to Pentti Sarpaneva? I know I've been a bit Clapton-obsessed for the past 40 years or so, but surely I'm not the only person who sees it.

10 comments:

  1. Definitely Clapton, Dana:-) Oh I love Sarpaneva´s jewellery so much, they´re all really stunning. Have you seen the great online store HOPEA? I´m sure you know it already, but if not, you´ll love it! Check it out at www.hopea20.com.
    I´ve always been intrigued by brutalism, and it translates so well into jewellery. I also adore the work of Guy Vidal and Jorma Laine. I got a bronze brooch by Laine for my communion. Imagine giving that to a teenager in the early eighties, i thought it was hideous! I love it now, of course...

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    1. I'm glad I wasn't imagining the Clapton thing. :)

      There are so many things at HOPEA that I want. I also love the work of Jorma Laine, as well as Bjorn Weckstrom. They have a Wirkkala pendant right now that I'm swooning over. Lucky you to have received a Laine brooch, although I can imagine that you didn't appreciate its cool factor till you got older.

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    2. Holy cow that website is amazing!!!! Thanks Tove xx

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  2. I love learning about all these designers. Thank you! Now, if I could only learn how to pronounce his name! ha ha

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    1. I compiled a list of pronunciations in May, 2011. I still update it regularly as I post about more designers. I don't claim that it's 100% correct, but I've searched high and low, emailed companies and families and used forvo.com a lot! Here's a link:

      http://mid2mod.blogspot.com/2011/05/somebody-oughta-invitation-to.html

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  3. What a creative family! I'm learning so much from you Dana! xx

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    1. I never tire of researching the period. Writing posts for this blog has really been educational for me too.

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  4. More! ...the jewellery is divine! ...I found a piece of brutalist jewellery on the weekend now I should share that!

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    1. Please share! Jewelry is one of my weaknesses.

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  5. His daughter is my architecture mentor! A very special family!!!!

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