Japanese Postmodern Brutalist Toyo Ito Style, Architectural Ceramic Studio Vase, 1980s

This hand-built and exquisitely illustrated work is by celebrated Danish illustrator and glass, silver, textiles, ceramics designer Bjorn Wiinblad (b. 1918 - d. 2006). We know that this piece was personally handled by Wiinblad as it is signed with both Wiinblad's signature and his artist caricuture icon. Per the dating of the piece, it is attributed to have been made for Wiinblad's very first ceramic workshop 'Værksted' in Copenhagen Denmark. 

The carefully crafted form of this piece is that of a centaur and from the botanical adornments, a dryad sits astride the centaurs back. Highly romantic, Wiinblad applied his exceptional creativity and imagination to both the tactile as well as the expressive line details all over both figures.

From the mildly rounded eyes to the raised leaf crowns and prominent centaur horns, attention is given right down to the pink tipped beak, crested head and tail of the small bird held between the hands of the two figures.

Handpainted onto the form is the slate-grey, blue design with complimented beautifully by intricate detailing of tiny pink rosettes, tendrils, and leaf detail. 

Stylistically timeless, the combination of the design and exceptional condition of this piece as well as Wiinblad's full signature with the beret-wearing artist caricature makes it a particularly rare and noteworthy find of Wiinblad's early work. 

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks, or repairs. There is mild wear that is most evident in the form of faint movement marks on the underside that is commensurable with the age of the piece. The underside bears the signature 'Bjorn Wiinblad, 59 [year of production], 363 [design number], DANMARK' and artist caricature.

MEASUREMENTS
Height c. 11.4" / 29 cm (from base to rim) x width c. 4.9" / 12.5 cm (across widest point). Length: c. 8.9" / 22.5 cm (longest point). Unpackaged weight: c. 1.3 kg / 1,255 g

NOTES
Sculpture will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Bjorn Wiinblad (b. 1918 - d. 2006) Born in 1918 in Copenhagen, Bjorn Wiinblad began his training and path to success in 1935. Wiinblad sought the path to his first passion of art and enrolled in graphic school at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, debuting in 1945 with an extensive exhibition in Palægade, Copenhagen. He met and became firm friends with Jacob E. Bang around this time, who engaged him to work for Nymølle Pottery.

From the beginnings at Nymolle, Wiinblad received multiple commissions, from designing textile and embroidery patterns to drawing posters, books, and magazine illustrations. Wiinblad drew for the United Nations in Paris and designed costumes and stages for several theatrical performances. His fame grew in Denmark but soon would extend to Norway and Sweden and in 1950 his ceramics were exhibited at Bonnier's in New York, which specialised in Scandinavian design.

Wiinblad's recognition and acclaim would continue to grow, bringing him a silver medal at the first international ceramics festival in 1955 in Cannes, France, and appointment as artistic director for Rosenthal in 1960. During the 1960s, Wiinblad would become the owner of a number of ceramic studios including Vaerksted, Nymolle, and Det Blaa Hus. He would make Det Blaa Hus his workshop and home until his death in 2006.

Wiinblad's successes did not stop in the Sixties, his continued achievements and international success were extensively documented and celebrated.

This striking work of Swedish Mid-Century Modernist design the signed work of Marian Zawadski (b. 1912 - d. 1978) a professor, artist, and ceramist who became artistic director for Tilgmans Keramik of Gothenburg, Sweden during the 1950s. 

Zawadski's experimentation with the Sgraffito technique brought great popularity and appreciation for Tilgman's ceramics and his work became exemplary for Tilgmans. 

Zawadski's stylised use of the Sgraffito technique is a significant feature in this piece, with deep incisions creating the heavily arched, angular, and textured décor. True to the roots of Modernist design, the simple bottle form with boldly geometric décor overlaid onto the base material speaks to an honest expression of the natural earthenware. From the incised décor to the glaze to the earthenware, all aspects are highly tactile. The unglazed sections create a confident contrast against the individually glazed sections of boldly geometric, Sgraffito décor. The vase is finished with an interior of gloss glaze that is coloured in Powdered Duck Egg tone. 

This Swedish Modernist work is stylistically bold and timeless, making it suitable as a statement feature for its surrounding space.

CONDITION
Superb. No cracks or repairs. There are minor, negligible chips on the exterior which are commensurate with the age of the piece, and mild use wear on the interior. Please refer to the photos as they form part of the condition report. The base of the body is incised with Zawadski's signature 'A.M.Z' and dated '1966'. The underside of the base of the vase is stamped with 'Tilgmans Keramik' and 'Made in Sweden' stamp and model number '620'. 

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 22.2" / 56.5 cm tall (from base to rim) x c. 4.5" / 11.5 cm rim diameter. Base diameter: c. 6.1" / 15.5 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 5.8 kg / 5,800 g.

NOTES
Vase will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Marian Zawadski (b. 1912 - d. 1978)
Antoni Marian Zawadski (sometimes known as 'Zawadzki' or 'Zawadsky') was an associate professor, artist, and ceramist, was born in Poland in 1912 who, as a refugee, moved to Gothenburg in Sweden in 1953. In Gothenburg, he worked as an artistic director at Tilgmans Keramik. Zawadski is best known for his richly decorated objects in the Sgraffito technique.

His works included lamp bases, vases, bowls, urns and wall plates and he would receive commissions for public, municipal, and private buildings. Zawadski would leave Tilgman's Ceramics in 1970, moving to Vallda outside Kungsbacka where he opened his own workshop, Vallda Keramik. The production in his own workshop is very similar to his work at Tilgmans.

This striking handblown work of Swedish art glass design is by Bertil Vallien (b. 1938 - ), celebrated glass artist, sculptor, ceramist, and designer. Vallien's career in glass began at Boda Glassworks in 1963, upon his return to Sweden from his studies in art and ceramics, both in Sweden and the US. Vallien's experimentation with sand-casting glass techniques would eventually bring him fame and this fascination is evident even in this exploratory piece.

The exterior surface of this piece is undulating, uneven, and with a base colour of pearlescent green. The next layer is a dappling in rich Inky Indigo which encircles the bowl interspersed with what appears to be a Powdered Peach tone. The iridescence is underpinned with lava-rock-like texture and the whole piece is finished with a dusted Peridot-toned 'pebble'. The interior of the bowl is a smooth, semi-matte and frosted layer of glass overlaid in iridescence.

The overall effect is quite spectacular, giving the air of a delicate bowl carved from an extraterrestrial iridescent geode of quartz crystal and lava. 

This particular piece is numbered and marked as 'Unik', indicating that it is a unique piece and when combined with the design, craftsmanship and condition, makes this piece a rare find. 

CONDITION
Excellent, no chips, cracks or repairs. Age-commensurate wear, most prominently on the underside of the bowl, please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report. The bowl is inscribed with 'BODA UNIK 3645 B.VALLIEN. The exterior also bears the silver label 'Handmade Boda Sweden'.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 3.2" /  8.2 cm x c. 4.1" / 10.4 cm diameter (across widest point). Base diameter: c. 2" / 5cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 0.3 kg / 275 g.

NOTES
Bowl will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Born in 1938, Bertil Vallien was only 15 when he left home, drawn by the allure of the big city. After a series of occasional jobs, as a window-dresser at one of the main department stores in Stockholm, and as an apprentice in his father's decorating firm, Vallien would eventually decide to become an artist which would lead him into the world of ceramics. The guidance he received in his early career included that of Stig Lindberg - one of Sweden's foremost designers of ceramic art and one of the leading designers for Rörstrand in the 1970s.

Today, Vallien is one of the most well-known representatives of 20th-century Swedish ceramic and art glass design and is represented at the Swedish National Museum of Art and Design as well as abroad at the Everson Museum of Art of New York.

Vallien's works have only become more collectable over the years with sculptures from his Head and Journey (Boat) series fetching up to $20,000 USD.

This elegant work of Swedish Mid Century Modern design is by Hjördis Oldfors (b. 1920 - d. 2014) for Upsala Ekeby. Oldfors was a celebrated Swedish ceramicist, painting, and textile artist, known for many series she designed at Upsala Ekeby which went on to become classics.

This hand-glazed work comes from Oldfors popular Kokos series, for which there are ten works of earthenware dishes, bowls and vases designed in 1954 and in production until 1958. The series is characterised by the clean-lined, swelling forms and the deliciously tactile decor. The decor is an arrangement of sgraffito bands of glossy Dandelion yellow glaze alternating with the unglazed Dark Chocolate earthenware. The combination of the silky smooth glaze bands and the unglazed elements present a striking and tactile contrast.

The form of this piece and of the series is undeniably Modernist in design, highlighting the seamless harmony of function, form, and raw materials

CONDITION
Excellent - there are no chips, cracks or repairs. There is mild and age-commensurate surface wear to the exterior. The underside of the base is inscribed with Upsala Ekebys 'UE' and Oldfors 'HJ' monogram and the model number '5026'.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 3.3" / 8.5 cm tall (from base to rim). Rim measurements: c. 6" / 15.3 cm x c. 5.8" / 14.8 cm. Base diameter measurements: c. 2" / 5 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 0.3 kg / 315 g

NOTES
Dish will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.

A BIT OF HISTORY
Hjördis Hanna Maria Oldfors (b. 1920 - d. 2014) was a celebrated Swedish ceramicist, painting, and textile artist. Oldfors is known for many series she designed at Upsala Ekeby which went on to become classics; including Poäng (Points), Kokos (Coconut), Trio (Trio), Palma (Palma), and Granit (Granite). Oldfors is represented at a number of museums including; National Museum (Sweden), Röhsska Museum, and at the Nordenfjeldske Konstindustrimuseum.

Though Oldfors was a late arrival to her ceramics career, beginning her studies in 1947 in Gothenburg, she became incredibly successful. Her career at Upsala Ekeby began in 1950 when she was 30 and she would go on to set up her own studio 'Bränd Form' with a number of exhibitions representing Upsala Ekeby and her own studio. The curators of the day are notably known to have said "She has an astonishing certainty in the abstract decor and its adaptation to the form. In this area, she does not have many competitors in our ceramics."

This sleek work of Scandinavian Modern art glass is by Vicke Lindstrand (b. 1904 - d. 1983). Lindstrand is considered one of the most influential 20th-century glass artists and a glass art pioneer. His prolific career held many design highlights, including his ability to excel at a technique called Sommerso in which a vividly coloured or patterned section of glass is surrounded by and seemingly floats within a clear crystal body.

This particular piece comes from the Colora series, named after the technique pioneered by Lindstrand. The technique applied to this piece involved carefully layering the Cobalt, Lapis coloured glass, reheating and manipulating the layered glass to form the final shape before encasing it in the clear, crystal casing and magnifying the underlying pattern. The piece is finished with a bevelled around the rim and base, giving the effect of a polished gem.

The design of this work embodies the tenets of simplicity, minimalism and functionality influences of the Scandinavian Modern design movement. 

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks, or repairs. There is negligible surface wear and movement marks on the underside of the base that are commensurable with the age of the piece - please see photos as part of the condition report. The underside of the base is signed with the inscription 'Kosta' and the model number: '06085'

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 6.6" / 16.7 cm (from base to rim) x c. 3.4" / 8.6 cm in diameter (across widest point). Base measurements: c. 3.4" / 8.6 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 1.5 kg / 1,500 g

A BIT OF HISTORY
This sleek work of Scandinavian Modern art glass is by Vicke Lindstrand (b. 1904 - d. 1983). Lindstrand is considered one of the most influential 20th-century glass artists and a glass art pioneer. Lindstrand, together with his peer Edvin Öhström, pioneered a new glass-colouring process called the Ariel technique.

Lindstrand's prolific career began in commercial illustration before finding employment at the glass manufactory Orrefors. He would join Kosta Boda 1950, remaining there until 1973. Beyond his commercial work, he also produced several massive public sculptures around the world. Today, his works are in many museum collections, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and The Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Kosta Boda, Sweden’s oldest glass company, was founded in 1742 and would only begin making art glass — that is, unique and limited edition pieces — with the hiring of the painter Gunnar Wennerberg in 1898. Kosta Boda enjoys a reputation as the country’s most artistic and experimental glassworks, featuring artists and sculptors.
Two post-war Kosta Boda designers stand foremost in the minds of collectors, one is Vicke Lindstrand, who excelled at a technique of 'Sommerso', or cased glass. The other is Erik Höglund, who had an almost artisanal eye for glass shapes, and liked to produce glass that had a textured, warped look.