Lidded Dish, from the "Emilia" series by Raija Uosikkinen

Cat people unite! This is a charming example from Arabia Finland’s Emilia Series, designed by Raija Uosikkinen, one of the factory’s most talented yet overlooked designers. These are the women I love to uncover. Her wonderfully detailed black-and-white illustration depicts a stylish woman in a flower-filled setting, accompanied by her very large & very pampered cat. There are tiny dolls, textiles, and sewing implements tucked throughout the scene, giving the design the feeling of a little story unfolding across the surface. It is whimsical, slightly eccentric, and quintessentially Uosikkinen. The shape of the dish itself was designed by Kaj Franck.

Uosikkinen was a master of Arabia’s decorative techniques and drew much of her inspiration from Finnish nature, including the allotment garden she kept near the Arabia factory. Her extensive travels throughout Asia and the Americas also found their way into her work, giving her designs a wonderfully personal and imaginative character. Her positive outlook on life is evident to anyone who looks at this light and playful Emilia series from 1959. The joy conveyed in her motifs makes her pieces attractive to many collectors today.