Arabia of Finland Ceramic Kitchen Jars and Spice Jars, 16-Piece Set, 1966–68

A fantastic and rare set of 16 Arabia ceramic jars, comprised of six Kahvi jars or canisters designed and decorated by Esteri Tomula, and ten Maustekuva spice jars designed by Ulla Procopé and decorated by Esteri Tomula.
.
It’s the clever artistry and precise execution of the crisp screen printed graphic decorations by Tomula that make these great porcelain-like glazed ceramic jars so attractive, especially to admirers of typography, linguistics, and Scandinavian and mid-century modern design. This is a very rare opportunity to acquire a sizable number of two sought-after vintage Arabia classics at once—they’re almost always sold individually, and seldom seen stateside. The set was acquired from the original owner who brought them with them when they moved to the United States from Norway in the 1970s.
.
Set of six Kahvi jars is comprised of the following:
.
Tall square coffee jar (x2), sugar, and flour. Contents are listed in a repeating pattern in nine (or ten) languages, each in their own typeface: French, Finnish, Danish/Swedish, Russian, English, German, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. Short square coffee jar with contents listed in six (or seven) languages: French, Finnish, Danish/Swedish, Russian, English, and German. And a short round tea jar with contents listed in three (or four) languages: English, Finnish/Swedish, and Danish.

All but one of the jars feature a brilliant red melamine lid; the remaining lid is a bright white melamine. All lids retain their original rubber gaskets that are still pliable and seem to provide a tight seal. Lid tops are designed so that the jars are stackable. The striking combination of crisp black-on-white graphics and red lids is distinctly 1960s Mod, and very eye-catching from across the room.

On the bottom of each jar is the Arabia maker’s mark and the year and month in which it was produced. The jars here have dates ranging from 1966–1968, placing them at the begin and middle of the Kahvi line’s production, which ran from 1966–1969.
.
Jars and lids are very clean and show little to no signs of use, aside from two jars with condition issues described elsewhere. We’ve included them gratis for the sake of keeping the entire original set together.
.
Set of ten Maustekuva jars is comprised of the following:
.
Cardamon, Cinnamon, Curry, Ginger, Marjoram, Nutmeg, Sage, Tea (x2), and Thyme. (The photographer who neglected to arrange them in alphabetical order has been terminated. Our apologies for the unforgivable oversight.)
.
Each jar lists its contents in four languages around the neck in a charming traditional Scandinavian typeface: Finnish, French, English, and Swedish. On each side are finely detailed illustrations of various spices and seasonings. All jars feature their original natural cork stoppers, which fit snugly and look really good.
.
On the bottom of each jar is the Arabia maker’s mark and the year and month in which it was produced. The spice jars here all date from some time in 1968, the first year of the Maustekuva line’s production, which ran from 1968–1974.
.
Jars are very clean and show little to no signs of use.
.
Dimensions listed are of the tall kitchen jars. Individual dimensions are as follows:
Tall Square Jar w/ Lid (FF3) = H 7.75 in. x W 3.75 in. x D 3.75 in. x 42 oz. Short Square Jar w/ Lid (FF2) = H 5.25 in. x W 3.75 in. x D 3.75 in x 28 oz. Short Round Jar w/ Lid (FF1) = H 2.63 in. x Dia. 3.88 in. x 8 oz. Mouth = Dia. 2.88 in. Lid = H .5 in. edge x Dia. 3.88 in.
.
Spice Jar w/ Cork (H varies a bit) = H 3.5 in. x W 2.38 in. x D 2.38 in. x 4 oz. Spice Jar sans Cork = H 3 in. Mouth = Dia. 1.88 in. Cork = H 1 in. x Top Dia. 2 in. / Bottom Dia. 1.75 in.
.
Condition: GoodRepaired: Short coffee jar broken on three sides. Original owner meticulously pieced it back together decades ago with silicon glue. We strengthened some cracks with Milliput. Despite appearance, it feels structurally sound, though may no longer be food-safe. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor structural damages. In great vintage condition overall. Short coffee jar repaired (details elsewhere); tall coffee jar (L) w/ moderate crazing; tall coffee jar (R) with 3″-long hairline crack; curry and sage jars each with fleabite on bottom; cork tops cleaned.