Currently held on consignment at Andrews Oakville
This striking and sculptural work of 1950s Swedish Modernistic design is by Lillemor Mannerheim (b. 1927 - d. 1994). Mannerheim was a countess, ceramicist, and illustrator who designed this Singoalla vase for Gefle Keramiks, together with a number of her other well-known series such as Kulisaner, Dixie, Labyrint, Mambo, and Pärlor.
This elegant work from the Singoalla series features its characteristic gently swelling moon flask form together with the rich, semi-matte Onyx black glaze called Mangania. Many of Mannerheim's most popular series were glazed in Mangania. On both faces of the vase is a beautifully integrated Pale Lapis blue foam-glaze design worked into the silky Mangania.
The combination of the form, glaze and Modernistic accents gives the overall piece an otherworldly and stylistically timeless presence. And yet the design of this piece is completely suited to the Atomic Design period that it's from, when space exploration and futuristic influences were at the forefront of world news.
CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks, or repairs. There is mild use wear, predominantly in the form of movement marks on the underside of the base that is commensurable with the age of the piece. The underside of the base bears 'Gefle' and 'Lillemor' stamp.
MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 8.7" / 22 cm tall (from base to rim) x c. 7.1" / 18 cm width (across widest point). Depth: c. 1.8" / 4.5 cm. Rim measurements: c. 2.5" / 6.3 cm x c. 1.5" / 3.9 cm. Base Measurements: c. 2.9" / 7.4 cm x c. 2.1" / 5.3 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 0.6 kg / 625 g
A BIT OF HISTORY
Lillemor Mannerheim (b. 1927 - d. 1994)
Ingeborg Aina Sophie Constance "Lillemor" Mannerheim-Klingspor was a countess, a ceramicist and illustrator who began her studies into art and design in 1945, at the end of WWII. Mannerheim began her career at Gefle in 1949, designing a number of popular series such as Kulisaner, Dixie, Labyrint, Mambo, Pärlor, Föl, Solros and Singoalla. She also designed a number of figurines and sculptures during her time at Gefle where she remained until 1957.
Mannerheim spent time studying in Italy and France at the end of the 1950s before taking her career to the next step at Rorstrand in 1960. Her art is represented in a number of museums in France, Sweden and Finland.