Bjorn Wiinblad, 1959 Centaur and Dryad Candleholder Sculpture, Signed and Monogrammed, V Early, Rare
Regular price£3,498.00
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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.
Lisa Larson Phoenix (Fenix) series for K-studion, Trio of Fingal, Gottfrid and Tekla Sculptures
Regular price£636.00
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This trio of sweetly adorable and hand-decorated bird sculptures is by leading Swedish ceramicist and designer Lisa Larson (b. 1931 - ) designed in the early 1990s. Originally designed for Larson's exhibition, the production of the figures were by Larsons pottery studio Keramikstudion Gustavsberg. Larson is famous for her Modernistic animal sculpture designs that has created many popular series such as Stora (Large Zoo), Lilla (Little Zoo), and Skansen (Nordic Zoo) for Gustavsberg Ceramics.
The elegantly rounded yet sleek forms with inquisitive expressions really bring these works to life. The trio's Modernistic forms are beautifully complimented by the silky smooth, semi-matte Warm Sand glaze with the bare minimum of detail depicted in the hand painted eyes or dustings of shadow. These sculptures are further elevated by the gold glaze detail. There are 4 Fenix designs in total, ranging from: Fingal (tallest), Gottfrid (roundest), Ossian and Tekla (smallest). These sculptures have been decorated in different colours including the Warm Sand of this trio, Cobalt blue and Charcoal black. Beautifully modern and charming, these works bring elevated simplicity and warmth to their surroundings.
CONDITION Excellent. No chips, cracks or repair. There is mild wear of movement marks on the underside of the base for the figures, please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the bases are signed with Larson's "LISA L" with the Gottfrid's wooden base bearing the full 'K-studion Gustavberg' signature
MEASUREMENTS - Fingal (Tallest) - Height: c. 7.6" / 19.2 cm tall (from base to tallest point ). Width c. 3.7" / 9.5 cm (across widest point). Base c. 2.8" / 7 cm (across widest point). - Gottfrid (Roundest) - Height: c. 7.5" / 19 cm tall (from wood base to tallest point ). Width: c. 4.6" / 11.6 cm (across widest point). Base c. 2.7" / 6.8 cm. - Tekla (Smallest) - Height: c. 4.5" / 11.5 cm tall (from base to tallest point ). Width: c. 3.5" / 9 cm (across widest point). Base c. 2.1" / 5.3 cm depth. Unpackaged weight [Trio]: c. 1.3 kg / 1,250 g
NOTES Sculptures will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.
A BIT OF HISTORY Lisa Larson (b.1931) is a Swedish ceramicist and designer. She is well known for many sculptures series including Stora (Large Zoo), Lilla (Little Zoo), and Skansen (Nordic Zoo), 'ABC-girls', 'Africa' and 'Children of the World'. Larson is well known for her warm-hearted, humorous, sometimes subtly ironic design and is represented at the Swedish National Museum of Art and Design.
French Studio Ceramic, Contemporary 'Sandstone' Stoneware Sculpture, Rectangle Vase | 1980s - 1990s
Regular price£88.00
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This richly detailed yet simply silhouetted studio ceramic sculpture is a work of contemporary French design.
Featured is a strong composition and fusion of techniques upon the clay as well as within the glaze. From the Sgrafitto-like etched accents, print impression to the clay to the layers of glaze which have been brush-painted and dripped. The colour palette is a harmonious blend of earth tones. The colours range across a spectrum of browns with some emphasised in a metallic tint and extends into the glossy Red Earth hues.
The sculpture features a combination of design influences from the Modernist celebration of functional form to the Brutalist ' celebration of raw materials. Crafted with a centralised reservoir, this piece is well suited to function as an Ikebana and indeed, both the form and colours hint at Japanese Raku pottery.
CONDITION Excellent. There is mild use wear in the form of movement marks on the underside of the base that is commensurate with the age of the piece. Mentioned for completeness: There is a hairline fracture on the underside of the base, however, this is from the crafting process and not damage or defect, it is also not visible when the piece is upright and on display. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the condition report. The piece is signed towards the base of one side panel.
MEASUREMENTS Height: c. 5.5" / 14 cm tall (from base to tallest point) x c. 3.5" / 8.8 cm width (across widest point). Depth: c. 2" / 5.1 cm (from front to back). Unpackaged weight: c. 0.5 kg / 500 g
NOTES Sculpture will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.
Gunnar Nylund for Rorstrand, Rare 'Caolina' Black Glaze, Modernist Stoneware Bull Sculpture, 1960s
Regular price£496.00
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THE ITEM This exceptional work of mid-century Modernist design is by the renowned ceramic artist and designer Gunnar Nylund, (b.1904 - d.1997). Nylund became well known for his 'matte feldspar' glazed stoneware, crystal glazes and for his stoneware animal sculptures. This piece was designed during his time as artistic director at Rörstrand.
This sculpture is flowing in form, with beautifully sculpted minimalist contours which quietly highlights its muscular feinting posture. The piece is glazed using the matte black on pale green glaze used in Nylunds 'Caolina' series.
Both the form and the glaze of this piece is a rarely seen combination by Nylund, the silky smooth glazed decor and form makes this a very tactile piece. This sculpture would be well suited to a room with decor inspired by Mid Mod, Modernist, Contemporary or even Industrialist themes.
CONDITION Excellent. No chips, cracks or repairs - please refer to photos as part of the condition report. The base bears the inscribed Rörstrand stamp that bears the inscription of 'Rorstrand' and Nylund's initials 'GN'.
MEASUREMENTS Height: c. 4.5" / 11.5 cm by c. 7.8" / 20 cm in length (from nose to tail) by c. 3.6" / 9.1 cm in width (across body's widest point). Unpackaged weight: 0.8 kg / 845 g
NOTES Sculpture will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.
A BIT OF HISTORY Gunnar Nylund (b. 1904 – d.1997) Nylund was a Swedish ceramic designer since the 1930s and is perhaps best known as the artistic director of Rörstrand and was already a well-established ceramic artist in Denmark - first at the Bing & Grøndahl Porcelain factory in Copenhagen and later at Saxbo.
Nylund was resident at Rörstrand from 1931–1955 and for the majority of this time, as artistic director. He became well known for his new matte feldspar glazed stoneware in hare’s fur and crystal glazes and for his stoneware animal sculptures. Over five decades, Nylund crafted some 30 reliefs and sculptures commissioned for public spaces, including Europe’s largest stoneware fountain the “Scanisarius” in Bromölla, Sweden.
Most of Nylund’s original sculptures in stoneware chamotte ended up in museums, as did much of his other work. Sculptures such as the “Lion Head” is found at the National Museum in Stockholm, “Blue Bird” is at the Sèvres museum in Paris, his antelope head “Abyssinian mountain nyala”, is at the Röhsska museet in Gothenburg and the “Hamadryas Baboon” is at the Malmö Museum.
His piece “Bulls head in oxblood” was bought by the Ateneum museum in Helsinki. And a lot of his other work can be found at other museums around the world.
Murano by Licio Zanetti Neodymium Alexandrite Handblown Art Glass Bird Sculpture, Signed, 1970s
Regular price£329.00
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This exceptional sculpture of handblown stylised art glass is by the glass master Licio Zanetti.This work is crafted from Alexandrite Neodymium glass and the technique used is likely Masello, given the weight, size and delicate elements of the sculpture and favoured by Licio.
The allurement of this piece extends beyond the craftsmanship and that is in the Neodymium glass, a chemical element that is incorporated into the glass during the crafting process. Neodymium is sometimes known as Alexandrite, which changes colour from lilac under incandescent light or daylight and blue under fluorescent, household lights.
A BIT OF HISTORY Founded in 1956 by Oscar Zanetti, Zanetti Murano Glassworks is a true family-run business and has since been handed down father to son for four generations. The glassworks quickly distinguished itself from the artistic quality of master Licio Zanetti's glass sculptures.
The glass studio soon took its place among the most prestigious companies on the island and has become one of the most important furnaces on Murano. Today, sculptures are sold through exclusive galleries in the city of Venice and selected partners around the world.
Massello is the technique used in Murano since the 1930s. The technique gives shape to hot glass held by a rod and uses the same tools as is used in blown glass-working. It's a technique with a strong visual impact, where the glass master uses precise movements.
CONDITION Excellent, no chips, cracks or repairs, there is minimal wear in the form of mild movement marks on the underside of the base that is commensurable with age. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the base bears Licio Zanetti's signature 'Zanetti L'.
MEASUREMENTS c. 17.7" / 45 cm in height x 13.7" / 35 cm width from beak to tail. Base diameter: 3.9" / 10 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 2.3 kg / 2,259 g
NOTES Sculpture will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.
