A 13-piece glazed porcelain tea set, “Karavan”, Rörstrand.

6 teacups, height approx. 7 cm.
6 barrels 634, ø approx. 16.5 cm.
1 sugar bowl 641, ø approx. 9 cm

Signe Persson-Melin was the daughter of the builder Eric Sigfrid Persson. She took an early interest in the clay; she interrupted her schooling to work at a pottery factory in Lomma. She was educated at Kunsthåndværkerskolen in Copenhagen 1946—1948 and at the Konstfakskolan in Stockholm 1949—1950, the line for ceramics and glass. She made her debut in 1953 at Galerie Moderne in Stockholm and had her breakthrough at the H55 exhibition (Släjdföreningen's Hälsingborg Fair 1955) with spice jars in clay and white tin glaze; the lid was a heavy cork and the contents were indicated in clear letters. It was new and cheeky and was accepted instantly by the audience. In the 1950s and 1960s, she became known for rustic pottery in simple and functional forms, as well as stoneware jugs and bowls; in doing so, she strongly emphasizes the utility aspect.

From 1967 Signe Persson-Melin worked as a designer at Boda Glassbruk together with Monica Backström and Erik Höglund. There, the beer/wine and schnapps glass series Ruben became her first design. In 1969, the square-shaped glass jars came in various sizes with cork lids. In the 1970s, she designed various glass products for Boda Nova, such as a teapot with a heating stand that was later often plagiarized, and refractory glass molds with cork coasters. She also had commissions for Höganäs Pottery, Kosta Boda and Rörstrands Porslinsfabrik.

Signe Persson-Melin has also performed several large public decorations, for example for the metro station T-Centralen in Stockholm. Her ceramic forms proved directly transferable to the pliable tin. In 2004, she created an elegant teapot in tin for Svenskt Tenn.

In 1985 Signe Persson-Melin became Sweden's first professor of glass and ceramic design at the Konstfakskolan in Stockholm. She was married to graphic artist John Melin (1921—1992) and mother of sculptor Truls Melin (1958—2022) and musician Per Melin (born 1955). Persson-Melin is represented at, among others, the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm.