Tilgmans ceramic table lamp from Sweden, 1960s.

Table lamp in Swedish ceramic by Tilgmans Keramik. Glazed exterior depicting fish and seaweed. Good condition. Paul Harald Tilgmann was born in Dresden, Germany, in 1904. He emigrated to Sweden during World War II and founded Tilgmans Keramik in 1948 in the small town of Utbynäs, near Gothenburg. Tilgmann employed 16 people, and when he hired Polish refugee Marian Zawadzki (1912-1978) as artistic director in 1953, Tilgmans Keramik began experimenting with the distinctive sgraffito technique. The sgraffito technique involves carving fine lines into the background of a pattern through a light-coloured glaze down to a dark grey clay slip. This created a unique textured surface that became a style particularly associated with Tilgmans Keramik. The decorative elements also appear to be highlighted by a sculpted line, then hand-painted with overglazes where birds, fish, flowers, butterflies, and other animals were common themes. Tilgmans Keramik remains one of the most popular and sought-after pieces of artistic ceramics in Scandinavia.