MUSSELMALET, bowl, no. 1177, full blonde, Royal Copenhagen, Denmark.

Porcelain. Bowl with openwork decoration. First-hand sorting. Length 15 cm.

The mussel pattern is a pattern inspired by the Chinese blue-white porcelain, which enjoyed great popularity during the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe. It began production in Meissen, Germany, in the 1740s under the name "Strohblumen" and soon spread to other porcelain manufacturers in Europe to satisfy the growing demand.

In 1775, Den Kongelige Porcelænsfabrik in Copenhagen (Royal Copenhagen or Kunglig Dansk in Swedish) introduced its own version of the pattern, called Musselmalet (Blue Fluted). This marked the beginning of its history as a classic Danish porcelain range. The mussel pattern was characterized by its blue pattern on a white background and included stylized flowers such as chrysanthemum and potentil, but it is also available in other color variations such as red, as well as with hints of gold.

During the 1880s under the leadership of Arnold Krog, Musselmalet underwent a renewal. Different variations of the pattern were created, including Full Lace with an openwork lace border, Half Lace with a painted lace border, and Fluted with a border decoration that resembled a brush stroke. This revamp gave the pattern a modern touch while preserving its classic features.

Arnold Krog, born in 1856 in Denmark, combined his training as an architect and painter with a versatile artistic competence that included ceramics and design. In 1884 he became artistic director of Royal Copenhagen and his work there has helped make the company internationally known and recognized.