Upsala Ekeby Ceramic Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden
Upsala Ekeby Ceramic Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden
Upsala Ekeby Ceramic Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden
Upsala Ekeby Ceramic Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden
Upsala Ekeby Ceramic Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden
Upsala Ekeby Ceramic Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden
Upsala Ekeby Ceramic Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden
Upsala Ekeby Ceramic Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden
Upsala Ekeby Ceramic Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden
Upsala Ekeby Ceramic Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden
Upsala Ekeby Ceramic Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden
Upsala Ekeby Ceramic Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden

Hjordis Oldfors for Upsala Ekeby, 1958 Palma Series, Textured Gold and Teal Floor Vase, Sweden

Regular price £2,295.00 Save £-2,295.00

This stunning statement work of Swedish mid-century Modernist design is by Hjördis Oldfors (b. 1920 - d. 2014) for Upsala Ekeby. Oldfors was a celebrated Swedish ceramicist and designer, known for the many popular series she designed at Upsala Ekeby. Designed and in production from 1958, this particular piece with the form of a stylised bottle floor vase comes from Oldfors' Palma series. 

Currently held on consignment at Andrews Oakville

The series is characterised by its highly tactile, textured décor resembling the ridged petioles of palm leaves. The hand-painted decor is glazed with a base of rich and semi-matte Teal green, through which the Dark-Chocolate toned earthenware beneath can be seen at the ridges. The rich glaze graduates into the Golden Chartreuse dappling the length of the vase neck and ending with an accent of Ink black glaze on the interior.

Timeless in aesthetic style yet very representative of the mid-century Swedish Modernist design movement, the size and design of this Palma series work are very much sought after and rare to market. 

CONDITION
Very Good. There is mild surface wear that is commensurate with age, most noticeable as minor bruising to the glaze at the rim. The underside of the vase is inscribed with Upsala Ekebys stamp 'UE Sweden', bearing Oldfors 'HJ' monogram and the model number '5134'. 

MEASUREMENTS
Vase Height: c. 20.2" / 51.5 cm tall (from base to tallest point). Rim diameter: c. 4.7" / 12 cm x c. 3.3" / 8.5 cm. Diameter (across widest point): c. 6.1" / 15.5 cm. Base measurements: c. 5.9" / 15 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 4.8 kg / 4,755 g

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 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."


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