MARY LAURENIUS

Mary Laurenius, daughter of Olga and Folke made beautiful waste paper baskets using the "raising compound" (upphöjningsmassa) her mother used for Chinese lacquer work. The compound is made with "English red" pigment, ground pumice stone and shellac and applied with a knitting needle.
In this particular item, shells and starfish have been incorporated in the design. All sides are covered and it must have been a labour of love.

This is one of Mary's more traditional waste paper baskets where she skilfully applied a picture and framed it with the raising compound on all sides.

During the 1950's when almost everyone smoked and just about every table in the house had an ashtray, it was desirable to have an elegant matchbox nearby  and Mary made and sold these in large quantities. The larger matchbox (above) was actually made by her mother Olga from old costume jewellery but later renovated by Mary.