The purchase of a London-shaped cup and saucer with the image of a small city with the name "Christiania" introduced me to another learning experience. I had never heard of the city of Christiania. However, my husband David, who studied in Norway as a university student, informed me that Christiania was the former name of Oslo.
Oslo was founded in 1048 by Harald III (1015-1066), but the city's name was changed in 1624 to honor Christian IV (1577-1548) who was king of Denmark and Norway. He rebuilt Oslo after a devastating fire, which earned him the popularity of the people, so the city was renamed Christiania. In 1925 the city's original Norwegian name of Oslo was restored.
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| Saucer showing Christiania, Norway, 1830s |
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| Christiania, Norway cup and saucer, 1830s |
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| Christiania saucer impressed mark/R. Davies & Co. |
The cup and saucer (notice the bowl-like shape), were made by R. Davies & Co. of the Tyne Main Pottery in Gateshead (1833-1851) in the 1830s. Most likely, this cup and saucer were made for the Norwegian market, as R. Davies & Co. did supply much pottery to Norway.
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