Cutlery by Portuguese Company Cutipol

Alongside some of the handcrafted goods that we talk about on the site, I also like to mix in manufactured or commercial goods from time to time, there’s just one caveat, each project has to have a strong emphasis on functionality and simplicity. One company that instantly caught my attention through their striking design was Portuguese cutlery maker Cutipol, and they certainly cover the two areas that I’m talking about sufficiently.

I found their cutlery quite exciting in the sense that they mix form and function in a unique way, I also like the fact that they’re not trying to reinvent the wheel. Sounds strange, but I get disheartened when I see other cutlery makers, or designers for that matter, try and redefine what it means to be cutlery. Obviously these classic shapes have been stripped down to the bare minimum over many years, so I feel what Cutipol has designed is within the boundaries and they’ve done a fantastic job at reducing down whilst still creating contemporary forms.

Cutipol was founded in 1964, with knowledge and expertise being passed down through several generations. In fact, the company is right at the very origins of the cutlery industry in Europe, with their commitment being to use the best materials alongside the best quality manufacture possible. Although modern machinery is now used for much of the initial work, the old traditional craftsmanship still plays a major role in the way the company produces cutlery.

One of my favourites has to be the ‘Goa’ set, seen above, designed by José Joaquim Ribeiro, which is both sleek and modern. José has designed various sets for Cutipol and is an award-winning minimalist designer, you can really see he has a great eye and considers balance in objects in a unique way. Another set that stood out was the ‘Bauhaus’ collection, I think the name speaks for itself and shows exactly the direction that Cutipol wanted to go with their design, timeless but industrial. So I’ve picked out some images to show here and I’d urge you towards their website to see more collections from previous years, a little bird told me that they’re also opening an online store soon to sell their goods in 2013. I shall certainly be picking up a set for myself.

cutipol.pt

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