Bertoncello Ceramiche, Sasso Bianco, Modernist Sculptural Geometric Vase, Italy, 1960s-80s

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 beautifully sculpted and handblown piece is the work of mid-century Japanese glassworks Sanyu with the iconic Citrine Amber and Emerald Green. This classic Sanyu palette is accentuated with a cradling of rich Lapis Lazuli Blue at the base of the vibrant green. Wrapped around this central well of colour is a diagonal ribbon of alternating gold and silver avventurrine. 

Last but absolutely not least, enveloping the jewel-like colour is the handblown clear crystal casing, shaped with a gentle twist. The highly tactile and undulating form gives this piece a brilliantly prismatic ability. The hidden prismatic magic in this piece is very apparent when it is placed in the pathway of sunlight and surfaces light up from the refractions thrown. 

Whilst the Amber and Green is a common Sanyu colour combination, the addition of the blue, the gold avventurine and the arched form makes this piece a rare find. 

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips or cracks or damage, There is very mild wear of movement marks on the underside of the base that is commensurate with age. Please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 9" / 23 cm tall x c. 4.7" / 12 cm width (across widest point). Base: c. 2.4" / 6 cm (across widest point). Unpackaged weight c. 1.8 kg / 1,800 g

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

A BIT OF HISTORY
Sanyu Glass Co. is based in Osaka, Japan and has been producing art glass since the 1950s. Similar to other better known Japanese glassworks of Iwatsu and Hineri, the quality and style is often mistaken for Murano and Czech glass from the same era. 

Though knowledge of the Japanese glassworks is scarce in the Western countries, what is known is that the quality of Japanese art glass during the 1950s to the 1970s rivalled that of Murano, Scandinavian, and Czech glass production. Recognition has been relatively low and most pieces imported into the Western market are often simply marked with the word 'Foreign' or not at all. It is rare to discover pieces with the original glassworks or importing company's label.

Discover the intersection of art and design with this Japanese studio work. On prominent display are echoes of Toyo Ito's visionary design ethos, and the evident appreciation for innovative structural and construction approaches. A seamless blend of Postmodern and Brutalist design, the central feature appearing on both sides of the vase is the highly tactile graduated steps in hues of gloss Charcoal overlaid onto the base of pale Sandstone tone. The layout of the steps carries design whispers of Escher and an almost Bionic quality. This is offset and complimented by an equally organic semi-matte Cyberpunk net in the ethereal golden tones resting on the opposing shoulder of the vase. 

A firm statement piece in excellent condition. 

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips or repairs. There are faint movement marks on the underside of the base commensurable with the age of the piece. Please refer to the photos as they form part of the condition report. The body of the vase bears the artist's mark that has yet to be identified. 

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 8.8" / 22.3 cm tall x c. 11" / 28 cm length (across widest point). Depth: c. 3.9" / 10 cm.  Unpackaged weight: c. 1.3 kg / 1,330 g

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

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 elegantly diminutive and subtly exquisite, handpainted work of late Art Deco design is by Enoch Boulton for the British Pottery Crown Devon. The baluster form is an excellent canvas for the semi-matt, satin glaze décor. The base glaze is a tone of Powdered Teal green, applied in the layered, overlapping scale manner characteristic of the Mattajade glaze technique pieces.

The handpainted featured decor is that of the Fairyland series, also sometimes known as the 'Fairycastle' series that Boulton designed. Mattajade Fairyland was a popular series during its time and the rarity of finding it now has since made it highly collectable. The scene-lets are of charming turreted buildings nestled in the fantastical fauna in tones of Powdered Teal green, Azure blue, Jet black, Coquelicot orange, yellow with stylised lineations of gold - all of which wake up the islands that rest on the stylized waves. 

The overall piece is finished with a hand-painted flora and fauna border that wraps around the external rim. The border is an echo of the main flora, with gold-edged black leaf clusters graduating into a band of Cerulean blue and Coquelicot yellow, finished with dotted blooms in orange and Verdigris. 

Timeless in style and when combined with the featured design; the size and overall condition of this piece make this an exceptionally rare find. 

CONDITION
Excellent. There are no chips or repairs. There is mild surface wear to the gold and hand-painted décor and movement marks on the underside of the base that are commensurate with the age of the piece. Please refer to the photos as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the base bears Crown Devon's stamp and the model number '2406'.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 6" / 15.3 cm (from base to rim) x c. 4.4" / 11.3 cm diameter (across widest point). Base diameter: c. 2.9" / 7.5 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 0.6 kg / 560 g

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

A BIT OF HISTORY
Enoch Boulton (b. - d. unknown) 
Little is known about the early years of the unsung hero that was Enoch Boulton, who has only now started to come into recognition for his contribution towards art deco design. Many accounts of his history begins with his apprentice years at the Grimwades factory and studying at the Burslem school of Art. Enoch, affectionately known as Ernie began to rise to significant fame when he became design chief in the early 1920s for Carlton Ware. A highly accomplished painter, Boulton is said to have created many of Carlton’s most collectible lines of the 1920s. The Tutankhamen ware is but one of his more notable contributions. The V & A Museum lauded Boulton's Carlton Ware Jazz patterns as the quintessence of British Art Deco design. The pattern 3352 is represented in the museum’s pottery collection and is dated by the museum as c1921-30.

Despite his success at Carlton, Boulton was said to have been lured to Crown Devon Fieldings in the late 1920s, and with him at the helm as design chief, designs were a harmonious yet contrarian merging of modernism with Sybaritic exuberance. Series after popular series of exquisiite were produced including Orient, Mattajade, Amazine and Mattitia adorning a myriad of geometric forms including ribbed bodies and mouldings that gave an asymmetrical look. 

Crown Devon Fieldings (1870 - 1982) The pottery was founded in 1870 by Simon Fieldings in Stoke on Trent but it would be 10 years later before they began to produce Majolica style pottery that was popular during the 1880s. Their product range began to expand in the 1890s, working with British United Clock company and they would continue to expand their product range as popularity flourished after successful world trade fairs in the 1900s. They sustained their success for over a century before sadly closing in 1982 at the time of the recession.

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.