On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

B-set

Plate
1998-1999 (made)
Artist/Maker
Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum (manufacturer)
Jongerius, Hella (designer)
Place of origin
Netherlands (made)

Dutch product designer Hella Jongerius creates factory-made ceramics imbued with subtle, hand-crafted, individual details. Her table service ‘B-set’, first designed in 1997, is fired at unusually high temperatures, with the result that the vessels warp slightly and develop unique irregularities. Each piece has been impressed with her porcelain and glaze recipes, further evidence of the production process.

Object details

Category
Ceramics
Object type
Plate
TitleB-set (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Porcelain
Porcelain
Brief description
Plate, large, porcelain, 'B-set' tableware, designed by Hella Jongerius, for Royal Tichelaar, Makkum, Netherlands, 1998-1999.
Physical description
White, circular porcelain plate.
Dimensions
  • Height: 2.1cm
  • Diameter: 25.4cm
Gallery label
(2021)
Individuality in serial production

Although mass-manufacture requires easily-produced uniform parts, designers have found ways to introduce elements of individual expression to their products. In the 1990s, Dutch designer Hella Jongerius experimented with firing porcelain at very high temperatures to create a dinner service of infinitely irregular plates, bowls and beakers. More recently, the retail concept ECAL Digital Market has exploited the possibilities of 3D printing for serial production. There are over 40 designs that feature details that cannot be achieved in a single step in more conventional manufacture. The designs are available to buy on demand, or customers can purchase a digital file to print the products themselves.

Porcelain beakers, plates and bowl
B-set, 1997 (manufactured 1999–2009)
Designed by Hella Jongerius
Manufactured by Koninklijke Tichelaar Makkum, Netherlands
Porcelain
Museum nos. C.142, 148, 149, 152-2009
Museum nos. C.134, 137, 139-2009: Given by Reino Liefkes

3D printer
Form 2, 2018
Designed and manufactured for Formlabs, USA
Plastic, metal and electronic components
Museum no. CD.63.1-2020

3D-printed objects
2018
Designed by Thilo Alex Brunner and Jörg Mettler (flint), Chelsea Park (comb), Miji Noh (scissors), Mu-Hau Kao and Oscar Estrada (trinket tray), Carolien Niebling and Olli Hirvonen (bracelet), Alexis Georgacopoulos (candle holder), ECAL/Ignacio Merino (shoehorn), Big-Game (Whistle) for ECAL, Switzerland
Printed resin
Museum nos. CD.26, 27, 32, 36, 49, 50, 53, 54-2020

The object sits in the 'Automation and Labour' section of the Design 1900-Now gallery opened in June 2021.
Credit line
Given by Reino Liefkes
Summary
Dutch product designer Hella Jongerius creates factory-made ceramics imbued with subtle, hand-crafted, individual details. Her table service ‘B-set’, first designed in 1997, is fired at unusually high temperatures, with the result that the vessels warp slightly and develop unique irregularities. Each piece has been impressed with her porcelain and glaze recipes, further evidence of the production process.
Collection
Ceramics Collection
Accession number
C.137-2009

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Record createdFebruary 1, 2011
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1190441/b-set-plate-jongerius-hella/
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