This is a pair of amazing crystal dessert plates, decorated with the beautiful engraving of plums and ethnic motifs. Plates are produced by the Johannes Lorup factory in Tallinn in the 1930s.
The form, engraving, and size of these plates are documented in the Joh. Lorup Crystal Products catalogue published in 1939 as Vorm nr. 4009 (130-135 mm), Lhv nr. 33-d. Note that in the same catalogue you can find a larger plate with the similar style engraving – worth matching into one collection.
Dm: 13 cm
Height: 1.5 cm
Background information:
An Estonian entrepreneur, Johannes Lorup, was rightfully called the "Glass King". He orchestrated an incredible leap forward in regional luxury glass craftsmanship in a very short period of time. He launched a glass and crystal production factory in 1934, where he had a dedicated crystal department. By aggressively modernizing production and recruiting top-tier foreign craftsmen, Lorup transformed standard glassmaking into a highly specialized art form.
The factory pioneered advanced decorative mastery, utilizing traditional copper and stone wheel-engraving techniques alongside acid-etching to carve flawless, three-dimensional imagery directly into the crystal. This relentless technical evolution allowed Lorup to elevate his designs from simple functional forms to intricate, avant-garde masterpieces. From complex swirling geometries to delicate, naturalistic motifs, the hyper-refined patterns and unrivaled glass purity captured international attention, securing the Johannes Lorup Factory a legendary legacy in Nordic and European design history.
