OLD CRAFTSMANSHIP MEETS MODERN DESIGN
Although the Lyngby vase has been around for more than 50 years, it is more in demand than ever before. The classic Lyngby vase that most people associate with Lyngby Porcelæn is no exception. The white cylindrical vase with its distinctive grooves is a symbol of modern functionalism in Danish porcelain history.
When the Lyngby vase is being produced, its production methods require heart and soul. Most of the elements are performed by hand, giving each vase a unique story.
To top it off, a green monogram is hand-printed at the bottom of each Lyngby Porcelæn product, indicating that the product is of high quality and a design icon that can be passed down through the generations.
The actual production starts at the moulds, which are made at the factory. The mould can be used approximately 50 times until the edges lose their sharpness. The new shape is made on a lathe and each groove is made by hand. As the vases shrink in the kiln on both first and second firings, the moulds are made 17% larger than the vases.
Most of the work processes are carried out by hand, and each work process has a designated specialist.
It’s a craft that requires precision.
Once the moulds are ready, the porcelain mass is mixed and transported via large pipe systems and hoses to fill up the moulds.
Forty moulds at a time are filled to the brim. As the moulds themselves absorb some of the mass, they are filled to the edge twice. The moulds must be turned and rotated during the process to ensure an even distribution of the porcelain mass.
As soon as the water from the porcelain has drawn for a sufficient amount of time, you have the exact thickness of the vase, and then it needs to dry. The moulds are opened and each vase is carefully removed from the mould by hand.
When the vases are ready, they are plastered and washed off with a sponge and water. Everything is inspected and quality-assured before being driven to the first firing.
To prevent the vases from cracking, the vases have to wait 48 hours before they can be fired. The vase is put in the oven for 10 hours at a temperature of 930 degrees. Then every vase is dusted and the base is given the characteristic green monogramme. It is now time for the vase to be glazed. The application of glaze requires good timing as it is a difficult process.
After the vase has been glazed, any glaze is washed off the base of the vase so that it won't stick during the second firing. Here, the vase is fired again for 12 hours at a temperature of 1,390 degrees – a degree of heat that connects the porcelain to the glaze. During the second burning, the vase shrinks as much as 13–14% and may become deformed and warped.
In the final stage of production, the base is sanded finely. Before the vase is packed for transport, a final quality check follows, after which the flawless vase leaves the factory. If the vase design requires colour, it will need a third firing for 3–4 hours at 1,150 degrees to fix the colour.
Everything takes place in the factory, and each process is just as important as the previous and the next.
