PORPHYRY TAZZA

Mid 19th Century

In “Rod Rannas” attributed to Älvdalens Prfyrverk (Known as Old Porphyry). 

The Älvdalen's porphyry company was established in the late 18th century and made a vast variety of objects sometimes for retail but predominately supplied the Swedish Royal court, it was severely damaged by fire in 1867 and finally closed in 1885. The machinery was sold to Älvdalen’s New Porphyry, unfortunately with royal patronage fading and the last royal royal commission being completed in 1953 the plant wained and finally closed in 1984.

Igneous rocks are very hard and Swedish ones are no exception, it’s recorded that it took a total of  approximately 72 hours to cut, grind and polish a single butter box and larger objects often took years to finish. This Tazza being 42 cm in diameter presumably was in the workshop for many weeks before it was ready for presentation. Swedish porphyries come in a wide variety of colours and textures and were often favoured for their relation to the stones of classical antiquity. The Älvdalen area itself had approximately 10 distinct types but other specimens can be found across Sweden. 

Two similar examples can be viewed in the National Museum of Sweden