These might be Finland’s most famous flowerpots, but who was Richard Lindh, the man behind them?

Richard Lindh (1929–2006) studied in Helsinki, Finland at the Free Art School from 1950–1951 and at the former Institute of Industrial Arts from 1951–1954, and he ran his own ceramics workshop from 1953–1955. He spent most of his career at the Finnish ceramics company Arabia, from 1955–1989, starting in the art department and later serving as head of the industrial arts department, the product design department, artistic director, head of the gift department, and head of direct marketing.

Because of his many responsibilities, Lindh had less time for his own design work, but he occasionally designed for other companies too, such as Solifer, for which he designed the Solifer Export moped. Per-Erik Lindholm described him like this: “As a person, Dick was reliable, persistent, and modest. His favorite pastimes were sailing, photography, and dogs.”

In the years 1953–1976, Lindh was married to his first wife, ceramic artist Francesca Mascitti. In 1978, he got married to ceramic artist Inkeri Leivo.

Cornerstones of style

Richard Lindh’s body of work includes a few dinner services and individual dishes, ornamental items such as animal figurines, and flowerpots. His best-known pieces are the flowerpots, with the earliest, fairly traditional-looking ones dating from the late 1950s. The round pots from the SL series and the square pots from the LB series are clean and modern, yet timelessly subtle and elegant.

Richard Lindh’s most sought-after pieces

In many sales channels, the most popular items are pieces from the SN1 pot series, which are also the most common. Made of hard faience, they are easy to find because they were produced in large numbers from 1964 to 1985. Their price range is still low. The patterned pot is called Kerä (“bundle” or “ball”). Value: €20–60.

Other Richard Lindh gems

Lindh also created decorative items at Arabia. For example, the small sleeping bear figurine is made of stoneware. Value: €140–160.

This quite unusual SL-piece (1959–72) widens toward the top. It’s made of hard faience. Value: €30–50.

These storage jars were designed to take up minimal space. They come in white, blue, and decorated versions. The decorations were done by Esteri Tomula. Value: €80–140. Photo: Fifty Sixty.

This two-part teapot from the 1950s was a collaboration between Francesca Mascitti-Lindh and Richard Lindh. Value: €150–350.

Arabia produced this charming polar bear pitcher from 1984–1990. It measures 21.5 cm tall and holds 1.4 liters. Value: €150–200.

The Lady dinnerware set had various parts, from plates to serving dishes, and was produced from 1967–1974. Value: €400–500.