Wilhelm Kåge and Heinz Erret for Gustavsberg, Argenta Series, ‘Bear Lifts Tree’ Vase | 1950s - 60s

This delicious handblown work of Postmodern art glass is by leading Swedish glass artist Kjell Engman (b. 1946 -) for Kosta Boda. From his popular series named Bon Bon that was designed by Engman in 1989, the series remained in production until 2005. 

Accoladed with the name 'Glass Wizard' for his seemingly unlimited imagination with art glass, it's easy to see why Engman named this series Bon Bon. With candy-coloured pieces ranging from pairing Candied Mint with Coquelicot orange to Sky Blue paired with Jewel yellow shaped into forms as joyful as the vibrant colour palette. 

The central part of this particular piece is spheroid-shaped, beautifully curved, and toned in Candied Lemon. Embedded into the spheroid are the stripes of Amethyst and Lilac purple forming the neck, the merging of the two colours finishing in a lightly sanded texture. This work is further accented with a handle in Candied coral and finished with a clear base.

Vivid and vibrant, this excellent work is an addition of delight to its surrounding space.

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks, or repair. There is negligible surface wear and movement marks on the underside of the base that is commensurable with the age of the piece - please see photos as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the base is signed, denoting 'Kosta Boda, Artist's Coll[ection], K Engman, 89065'

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 10.5" / 26.7 cm tall (from base to rim) x c. 5.3" / 13.5 cm in width (across widest point). Depth: c. 2.2" / 5.7 cm. Rim: c. 1.9" / 4.7 cm. Base: c. 3.3" / 8.6 cm. Unpackaged weight: 0.9 kg / 860 g

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

A BIT OF HISTORY
Kjell Engman (b. 1946 -), was accoladed with the name 'Glass Wizard' for his seemingly unlimited imagination with art glass and known for being one of ten highly talented artists. Since joining Kosta Boda in 1978, Engman has designed a number of iconic series, drawing inspiration from diverse sources such as the animal kingdom, the world of music and entertainment.

Engman's style is distinctive and immediately recognisable. Common characteristics to his work include being bold, bright and colourful, ranging from the playful to the delicate to the sensuous. It could almost be described as Dali-esque and does not conform to preconceptions of simple, minimalist Swedish design.

Engman has often been commissioned at home in Sweden and abroad, designing works for public display and even famous pieces such as the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest trophy. Engman's latest works and installations can be found at his dedicated website: http://www.kjellengman.com/

This delicious handblown work of Postmodern art glass is by leading Swedish glass artist Kjell Engman (b. 1946 -) for Kosta Boda. From his popular series named Bon Bon was designed by Engman in 1989, the series remained in production until 2005. 

Accoladed with the name 'Glass Wizard' for his seemingly unlimited imagination with art glass, it's easy to see why Engman named this series Bon Bon. With candy-coloured pieces ranging from pairing Lavender lilac with Lemon yellow to Marmalade orange with Sky blue in forms as joyful as the vibrant colour palette. 

The central part of this particular piece is spheroid-shaped, beautifully curved, and toned in Candied Sapphire blue. Embedded into the spheroid are the stripes of Coquelicot and Coral orange forming the neck, the merging of the two colours finishing in a lightly sanded texture. This work is further accented with a tiered stopper in candied tones of Sapphire, Lemon, Mint and Cherry. 

Vivid and vibrant, this excellent work is an addition of delight to its surrounding space.

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks, or repair. There is negligible surface wear and movement marks on the underside of the base that is commensurable with the age of the piece - please see photos as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the base is signed, denoting 'Kosta Boda, Artist's Coll[ection], K Engman, 89650'

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 10.4" / 26.5 cm tall (from base to stopper) x c. 6.2" / 15.7 cm in width (across widest point). Depth: c. 4.1" / 10.3 cm. Rim: c. 1.8" / 4.5 cm. Base: c. 2.6" / 6.5 cm. Unpackaged weight: 1.3 kg / 1,310 g

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

A BIT OF HISTORY
Kjell Engman (b. 1946 -), was accoladed with the name 'Glass Wizard' for his seemingly unlimited imagination with art glass and known for being one of ten highly talented artists. Since joining Kosta Boda in 1978, Engman has designed a number of iconic series, drawing inspiration from diverse sources such as the animal kingdom, the world of music and entertainment.

Engman's style is distinctive and immediately recognisable. Common characteristics to his work include being bold, bright and colourful, ranging from the playful to the delicate to the sensuous. It could almost be described as Dali-esque and does not conform to preconceptions of simple, minimalist Swedish design.

Engman has often been commissioned at home in Sweden and abroad, designing works for public display and even famous pieces such as the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest trophy. Engman's latest works and installations can be found at his dedicated website: http://www.kjellengman.com/

THE ITEM
This remarkable 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.

The form of this piece is crafted with beautifully soft, flowing and sculpted curves which subtly highlight the bear's peacefully observant posture. The piece is glazed with Nylund's distinctive semi-matte Hare's Fur running glaze, which is one variation of his famous matte feldspar glaze. This high-quality glaze is sumptuous and richly coloured in its varying tones of gold and brown, which finely striates and flows over the contours, mimicking that of a real bear's fur.

The silky-smooth glazed decor and form makes this a very tactile piece. This piece would be well suited to a room with decor inspired by Mid Mod, Modernist, Contemporary themes.

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks or repairs. There is mild wear, predominantly in the form of movement marks on the underside of the bear's feet. Please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report. The base bears the stamp that bears Rorstrand's logo and Nylund's initials 'GN'.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 4.5" / 11.5 cm by length c. 5.4" / 13.8 cm (from ears to tail). Width c. 2.9" / 7.5 cm (across body's widest point). Unpackaged weight: 0.4 kg / 386 g

NOTES
Figure 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 and is perhaps best known as the artistic director of Rörstrand. Nylund was first a well-established ceramic artist in Denmark, at the Bing & Grøndahl Porcelain factory in Copenhagen and later at Saxbo.

Nylund was resident at Rörstrand from 1931 until 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, 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 have 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.

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 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.