The Ursula Faince Dinnerware Series by Royal Copenhagen

This working paper is a case study about the development of a faience product line in Royal Copenhagen and illustrates several aspects of how, at what stages of development, and by whom, cultural products in general are evaluated. Three theoretical issues emerge. One concerns the constraints imposed upon design and production by the use of materials and, to a lesser extent, technology. Another argues that product development has to take place within a particular brand and genre – in this case, those of Royal Copenhagen. A third reveals the way in which the design and manufacture of a particular cultural product had to be negotiated within a particular organizational world embracing both management and workers, with differentiated skills. These issues lead to a more general discussion of craftsmanship and storytelling.