The story behind the porcelain dog guarding Svenskt Tenn

Well, this story is, in many ways, still waiting to be written : D I’ve noticed this porcelain dog on several occasions. It appears in photographs found on the web​/​social media, in posts and memories, in fragments. Sometimes connected to Svenskt Tenn, sometimes resurfacing at auctions. This decorative dog figure - linked to the Svenskt Tenn store - has shown up on platforms like Bukowskis and Tradera, often described as "possibly Svenskt Tenn, possibly from the mid-20th century". The photograph featured here as first is from the Liljevalchs exhibition in 2024, celebrating 100 years of Svenskt Tenn. 
The dog appeared there too but without an accompanying wall text or widely published explanation (or maybe I missed it?). What we do know What is clear is that animal motifs and decorative objects, even whimsical ones like these dogs, are entirely at home in Svenskt Tenn’s universe. Estrid Ericson drew inspiration from many countries, and Italy was one of her great loves. The store itself has always been more than a retail space, it is staged like an interior, a lived-in world. Decorative elements are not just products, they are part of a larger narrative about home, taste and curiosity. Dogs, in that sense, don’t feel out of place at all, right?. A possible history? If there is a history behind the porcelain dogs, it likely lives at the intersection of European decorative tradition and Estrid Ericson’s personal inspirations. Porcelain dog figures such as greyhounds, spaniels and other breeds, have long been part of European interior styling. From the 18th through the 20th century, such figures were produced across Europe, with particularly strong traditions in Italy, including makers associated with Ginori and later Fornasetti. These objects were playful, elegant and often symbolic. Svenskt Tenn has long sourced and showcased porcelain and decorative objects from international makers, including Italian ones. It’s entirely plausible that porcelain dogs were not only used in window displays or at the store entrance as part of design storytelling, but also were sold in the store (as some sort of mascots?) and atmospheric guardians of the home-concept that aligned with the brand’s philosophy. The one written trace There is, however, one concrete reference to these dogs. In the book “Estrid Ericson – Founder of Svenskt Tenn”, it is noted that during the 1950s, the street entrance to Svenskt Tenn was guarded by Italian porcelain dogs. Bingo! That single sentence is, so far, the clearest written trace. No extended explanation. No origin story. Just a factual note to the archives image (here displayed as nr 4). In that way, the dog feels very Svenskt Tenn: an object that invites curiosity, rewards attention and reminds us that design history is often carried by small, quiet presences rather than grand declarations. To add to the real story, I’d love to get in touch with anyone who knows more (have more pics?!) and we can unravel more details in this micro-museum. To be continued!