Milan 2013:Â this silver serving set for tea and cake was designed by Dutch studio Scholten & Baijings for Danish silverware and jewellery company Georg Jensen and launched at Spazio Rossana Orlandi last week.
Scholten & Baijings'Â Tea with Georg collection for Georg Jensen is based on items used in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony, but with added pieces to incorporate the Dutch designers' love of coffee.
The collection includes a teapot with a sieve, a teapot warmer, a creamer and a sugar bowl, all made from stainless steel.
There is also a porcelain cup and saucer and a double-walled stainless steel espresso cup and saucer.
The set is completed with light blue porcelain dessert plates, a glossy porcelain cake platter and a cake stand that combines a matt porcelain platter with a stainless steel stand.
The tea set was shown at Spazio Rossana Orlandi, where Slovenian designer Nika Zupanc also presented folding lamps powered by wind-up keys – see all news and products from Milan.
Scholten & Baijings recently designed a range of coloured glassware for Danish brand Hay and last year in Milan the studio launched tableware based on the archives of a Japanese porcelain company.
Last year Danish private equity group Axcel sold the Georg Jensen brand to a Bahrain-based investment bank for $140m.
Photographs are by Scheltens & Abbenes.
Here's some more information from the designer:
At the invitation of Georg Jensen, Scholten & Baijings designed a Tea & Cake collection entitled 'Tea with Georg'. The title is a nod to the company’s Danish founder, Georg Jensen.
The collection consists of a stainless steel teapot, tea warmer, porcelain cup and saucer, stainless steel espresso cup and saucer, creamer, sugar bowl, cake stand, cake platter and individual porcelain dessert plates.
The design for this everyday tableware is based on a study conducted into the Japanese tea ceremony, freely interpreted for Western use by Scholten & Baijings. Starting point for the design process is the symbolic value the Japanese attach to the tea ceremony, as well as their love of aesthetics, the appreciation of traditional handicraft and the beauty of the material in general.
The teapot with tea sieve and warmer, executed in stainless steel, form the basis of this collection. The design reflects all the qualities of the Georg Jensen brand: the skilful metalwork, the high degree of precision and the meticulous surface finish.
Aside from being tea enthusiasts, Scholten & Baijings are also passionate about high-quality espresso and cappuccino. That’s why in addition to the porcelain cup and saucer they also designed a special double-walled stainless steel espresso cup with accompanying saucer. The saucer features an exclusive detail: an etched line that runs till the centre of the saucer.
In the case of the porcelain teacup with saucer, the line has been executed in silver and runs through the centre of the saucer. This is a reference to the original 'Silversmithy', the workplace of Georg Jensen, renowned for his silver products. By also making use of other materials, such as porcelain and coloured synthetics, and by applying different textures, patterns and colours that are recognizable features of Scholten & Baijings’ signature, 'Tea with Georg' forms a perfect family. The pieces also combine attractively with existing services.
In addition to cups and saucers, the collection comprises plates and platters for cakes, savoury titbits, fruit and delicacies. The porcelain plates have been hand decorated with light-blue colour gradients. This makes every plate unique. There are two variations: one version with gradients from inside to outside, and vice versa.
There is a large, matching, high-gloss porcelain cake platter with soft blue colour gradients running from inside to outside. The cake stand, conversely, has a stainless steel foot holding a mat porcelain platter decorated with a fine black grid. For the true tea lover, there is a porcelain teacup that, of course, can also be used for cappuccino. The handle grows thicker as it extends over the cup in a flowing motion.
It is thanks to nearly 400 years of Japanese experience in the manufacture of porcelain and the use of innovative production techniques that this ingenious detail can be produced in series. Scholten & Baijings take pride in this unique collaboration. East literally meets West in this unique project that brings Japan and Denmark together.