Monday, August 27, 2012

Pleased to Meet You, Cathrine

I knew these

Cathrineholm kitchen canisters

were in the shed, somewhere! In fact, Anth has been storing bolts, nails and other manly sheddy bits in them for years (I know!) On Saturday I decided it was time for a S A R operation - I needed to find these babies and bring them home back into the kitchen where they belong. And I did.

Unfortunately, life has not been kind to these canisters over the years (particularly since we've had them, ahem!) 

the labels are original and were supplied on purchase with the canisters

Sadly, there's nothing I can do about the scratches (and even...sob, dents!) but they're clean (thank you Chux Magic Eraser), their teak lids are nice and shiny (I used this) and they're back in the kitchen in (almost all of) their Scandinavian mid-century glory (although in saying that, they were manufactured in Japan)


The leaf-like design is known as the lotus pattern (betcha knew that already) it was designed by Arne Clausen in 1962, and you can see it on all sorts of vintage C H kitchenware (usually enamelware) from kettles to serving dishes. The form, and colours, and enamel these pieces were made of, was designed by Grete Prytz Kittelson (one of the most influential designers in the history of Scandinavian design) You can read more about Grete here

(her amazing home is definetely worth checking out too. Click here     

Btw, (and I'm embarrassed to mention this) am I the only person out there who thought Cathrineholm was a person? Please tell me I'm not (the only ignoramus )?
Cathrineholm was actually the factory in Norway where this stuff was manufactured! (it ceased production in 1970)
Well, durr!!! (that's what you're probably thinking...)
Sorry, but C H sounded like a person to me.
You live and learn. Don't you?

Moving on (quickly) I'm thinking of buying this print to hang in our kitchen

like it?
more here

and


where did I take photos before I painted that pantry yellow? Hmmm, hope it's not getting too boring...


x

p.s. went to the flicks yesterday and finally saw Moonrise Kingdom, we loved it. Annabel wants to be Suzy and live in a house like the Bishops. (she also wants to be Margot Tenenbaum)  
A sumptuous but quiet little film. Watch it. 

p.p.s. thanks for spellcheck Sally, noted and corrected x   




















     
  

28 comments:

  1. Yep I totally thought she was a person too! They are a beautiful set of canisters, such a glorious shade of yellow , not a whiff of custard in sight. Cannot believe they were in the shed though, the scandal. I have been looking for this design in the oppies but no luck thus far. Suspect it will be rare as hens teeth. melx

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  2. By the way the poster is superb too, I have been contemplating a similar one but all pyrex. melx

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  3. HOLY MOTHER OF CATHRINEHOLM! MY EYES MY EYYYYYEEESS! i accidentally had caps lock on but it's more than appropriate right now. amazing lady, amaaaazing!!!!!!!!!!!!! cannot wait for my first piece, hopefully i'll scoop something up in norway. :) xxx

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  4. OMG, the shame of these wee beauties having to live in the shed!! I thought she/it was a person too. But being the pedantic person I am have to point out a wee spelling error - it's Cathrine. I have one piece of Lotus - a teapot in white with olive green leaves - which I found in an op shop few years ago, one of those heart stopping moments, where you realise what you've just spotted and hope that in the few seconds (which feel like minutes) that it takes to grab said object of desire, that no one else beats you! S:)

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  5. A great rescue from the shed Kylie!

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  6. Good on you for rescuing then Kylie, now you can admire their beauty every day.
    I've been eyeing off that print too, along with half the other ones in that etsy shop.
    x

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  7. well being even more ignorant i have never heard of her...even though she isnt a her, i would have thought she was (a her) :) i do recognose the pattern though, and i love the yellow x

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  8. It's your yellow pantry cupboard that made me buy a tin of yellow paint last week - that particular shade (and a photo you put up recently) is what I had in mind as I hunted through the shelves at B&Q!

    Wonderful canisters and I'd never heard of CH never mind knowing whether it was a person or place - so whose the ignoramus now? :)

    You know, things that are rescued from the shed are amazing in their beauty - I have a couple of things that I've dug out from the depths of Man Cave Land myself, and have repurposed them. Not as lovely as your canisters though (wow, they are FAB!!) .

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  9. Yep, those cannisters were certainly worth the rescue! I had no idea who or what C H was/is but I have had the pleasure of owning a number of kettles and coffee cups with this design on them in the past!! Pity, I had no idea back then to hold onto them!!!! (bet we could all say that) And go for it! in regards to the print - I too have been admiring them but I'm finding it hard to make a decision as to which one I want!

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  10. Your not alone with thinking Cathrineholm was a real person until i bought my saucepan and frying pan and did the research i did to ;-)) Infact i have just sold them as they were just sat there gathering dust. Love the canisters i haven't seen those before. Have a good week, dee x

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  11. Oh, they're beautiful. In all their scratched and dented glory. Tiny scratches and dents. I too was previously an ignoramus. Cheers!

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  12. They look great on the yellow counter! I'm ashamed to say I had never heard of Cathrineholm.
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  13. Utterly gorgeous. I have major Cathrinholm envy (yes, I did think it was a real person). I love yellow, yes sireeeeee. xx

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  14. Ohhh the cannisters are so pretty!
    And I love the picture your thinking of buying it is lovely.

    I wanted to see moonrise kingdom in the theatre but apparently it's already done playing here. *uhgggg*

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  15. Those canisters are brilliant... Good on you for bringing it back in the kitchen. And re poster... Apparently there is some controversy about this seller...but I do like this print! xx

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    1. What's the controversy? I'm itching to know? Tell me! TELL ME!!

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  16. Ooooh, what beauties! I'm so glad they were rescued from the shed. From your photos, I would never know they took such abuse. I think they're lovely.

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  17. Glad they've been repatriated to their rightful place!

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  18. They are fabulous... one day I will find some of these at a good price (I have hope) and that day I'll be very happy :)

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  19. Sheesh! In the shed collecting dust, with the Eames and Featherston no doubt? I love CH, I have a green cassorle dish, I still think she is a fancy smanchy designer! I wonder what the contro is on the prints?

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  20. I saw the shorts for that movie the other night and it looks delicious. What a cast! I too thought Catherine holm was a very groovy, kaftan wearing Scandinavia designer from the 60's . I feel a little sad at losing her however you shed booty is amazing.

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  21. I thought CatherinHolme was a woman who painstakingly enamelled every dam pot by hand. How stupid is that!?!

    I won FOUR pieces of CatherinHolme in my first every blog giveaway win. I almost wet myself with shock. I'm so grateful to the blogger who sent them to me from America. I love them, and use them. That's what Catherin would have wanted ...

    Now I'm going to question everything anyone tells me because I too imagined Catherin as a blonde-haired Scandinavian.

    I can't believe those three beauties were in the shed. I mean really. (Glad they're not there now).

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  22. Wow, I can't believe you had those in your shed! They're amazing (and weirdly I quite like that they're a bit scratched and dented). x

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  23. I do not have to tell you how fab I think those cannisters are...they are amazing and the perfect colour and I am glad to hear that you have recused them from the shed!
    Love that print too.
    x

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  24. in your shed???? blimey...

    teak lids??? oh my!!!

    wasn't cathrine holm a person then? mhm... shame shared.

    the kitchen print is a go-go-go. so, did-did-did you?

    yes, and of course... moonrise kingdom. am still waiting. i don't know on what exactly.
    n♥

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  25. I love the canisters and the print! Your lovely bright colours make my (green) kitchen look very boring – now, where did I put that tin of paint?

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  26. Those cannisters are gorgeous kylie, glad to see you've dusted them off and have got them in service. I love the poster too, i just know i'm going to love your kitchen judging by these little glimpses your giving us. Maybe you could take a photo of the photo in the book and get it blown up onto a canvas for annabel? Or turnedbinto a poster at the copy shop?

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