How do you translate 400 years of history into a contemporary design?

For its 400th anniversary in 2026, the House of Nobility in Stockholm commissioned a new porcelain service for its ceremonial dining rooms, one that could reflect its history and identity while becoming part of future gatherings for generations to come.

The brief was both simple and complex: create a design that could unite more than 650 noble families and some 28,000 individuals in one shared expression.

Bernadotte & Kylberg found the answer in the knight’s spur, riddarsporre in Swedish, a historic symbol of honour, merit and royal recognition.

The expression merere calcaribus tuis – to earn your spurs – refers to the tradition of earning one’s place and recognition through action and merit. This became the conceptual foundation for the design.
Rather than representing any individual family, the spur was transformed into a bespoke pattern. Repeated and interlinked across the porcelain, the individual elements become part of a larger whole – symbolising the connections between families and generations within the House of Nobility.

The result is Riddarsporre: a contemporary interpretation of a centuries-old symbol, created specifically for the House of Nobility and its 400th anniversary.

The collection is made in Sweden by Gustafsbergs Porslinsfabrik, drawing on more than two centuries of porcelain-making expertise. Crafted in durable bone china and finished with hand-painted details, it brings together Swedish craftsmanship, history and contemporary design.

Created not only to commemorate 400 years of history, Riddarsporre is designed to become part of the history that comes next.