The tray with rounded corners enhanced with silver repousse work, the sides with mother of pearl inlay depicting the four seasons; buddhas hand, chrysanthemum, prunus, and pommegranate, Chinese characters and birds. Measurement 23.5 x 23.5 cm.
Wear, damage, three of the silver mounts at the top side of the corner is missing.
Purchased at Lundgrens Antikhandel, Stockholm in 1975. From the Collection of Gösta Thames (1916-2006). Thence by descent.
From the Collection of Gösta Thames (1916-2006). Thence by descent.
Gösta Thames is well known in design circles as the designer of the Ericofon, also called ”the Cobra”, designed for L.M. Ericsson. The model was presented in 1953.
Gösta Thames was employed in 1938 as an engineering apprentice at Ericsson. Gösta Thames was appointed to lead development work for the Ericofon, as the one-piece phone was called.
That he was fascinated with beautiful things is well known, but not many knew about his passion for Asian Art. He had from an early age a fascination with aesthetics and beauty of the Asian Art. He was a true academic collector and catalogued his collection and discussed the pieces with his friend Dr Bo Gyllensvärd, (director of the East Asian Museum in Stockholm 1959-1981. Head of Gustaf VI Adolf Asian Collection 1955-1973.)
Exhibited at Kulturen in Lund in 1994.