Lindberg and Gustavsberg

Stig Lindberg was born in 1916 and grew up in Umeå in northern Sweden. Early on he wanted to be a musician, but after hurting his thumb in an accident during his teens, he turned his mind towards art. 1937, at the unusually low age of 21, he was emplyed by the Swedish porcelain factory Gustavsberg where he stayed for almost the rest of his life.

Stig Lindberg began studies at the university of arts in Stockholm, Konsfack, in 1935. 1957 he was appointed head teacher in ceramics, and in 1970 he received his title of professor.

The large series of porcelain were released during the late 1950's. Lindberg's first collection, Therm came in the mid-1950's and had a simple design without ceramic glaze. Five years later, 1960, Berså was released. Berså is to this day one of Gustavsberg's greatest commercial successes. Now, during the 1960's, Lindberg got the freedom to fully develop his ornamented design. Later during the 1960's Lindberg and Gustavsberg met the increased competition from cheaper porcelain by making more popular motives and by increasing the effectiveness of the production line. The LL-model and other services such as the 50's LI (Spisa Ribb) and the slim LH (Lotus and Linndbergs Festong) had new, ornamented decorations. The series Pall, Prunus, Feston, Pynta, Rödklöver, Margaret, Betula and Sippa were released during this time.

After the richly ornamented patterns of the 1960's, Lindbergs design took a more quiet tone. The Berså series were taken off production in 1974. The same year came the stoneware service LT, with the décor Birka. With its much milder design, Birka was a great success. The production lasted until 2001, almost 20 years after Lindbergs death.