The autumnal colors in the birch forests and moorland of the fells. Lichens patterning the surface of the boulders. The jagged edges of glacial erratics. When Anu Pentik and her family moved to Posio in southern Lapland in the early 1970s, the natural landscape made an indelible impression on her. She wanted to capture it all in a tangible form; to create something as raw and elusive as the nature in which she now lived. Thus, Kaamoskivi was born. A marvellous object embodying the power of Lapland – like a piece of nature in its own right.

Although many were initially sceptical of this rather ugly lump, it marked the beginning of Pentik’s success story.

A few ‘Kaamoskivi’ candlelabras had been managed to get onto the shelves at Esso in Posio. There people marvelled at them whilst filling up their cars’ petrol tanks before setting off on their journeys into the wilderness. Encouraged by this, Anu set off to offer them to a proper gift shop, all the way in Rovaniemi. The lady who owned the shop happened to be away, so the sales assistant took the initiative and put six Kaamoskivi stones on the sales shelf. The next morning, the phone rang. The owner wasn’t particularly thrilled with the new arrivals. “They’re awful; you’ll have to come and collect them,” she announced. Anu agreed that they would be collected the following day. But the next morning, the phone rang again. “They’re beautiful, they’ve all been sold – please make some more,” the lady gushed, and Anu did just that.

Soon, Kaamoskivi candleholders were also on sale at Stockmann, Helsinki, where they quickly sold out. Pentik’s success story had begun.