This exquisitely simple yet detailed work of Modernist art glass is by renowned glass artist and designer Sven Palmqvist (b. 1906 - d. 1984), one of the great innovators of Swedish glass.
This sculpted piece features Palmvist's famous Kraka technique developed in 1944; which creates the illusion of a net and the controlled cascade of bubbles within the intersections of the netted glass. These beautifully patterned pieces were created by hand and the technique uses copper wire to trap air bubbles when the outer encasing of glass is applied. This piece is particularly rare as the Kraka technique is replicated in a much smaller form.
The Kraka series was produced from 1944 until 1986 and the colour palette of this particular piece is the well-known, with it's popular spectrum of oceanic blues cradled in an edging of yellow. The name “Kraka” was inspired by the old Nordic Legend of Kraka from when she appeared before Ragnar Lothbrok to answer his riddle of how you could be “neither dressed, not undressed”, Kraka solved the riddle by appearing wrapped in a fishnet.
CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks or repairs. There is mild wear o the underside of the base that is commensurate with the age of the piece, please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report. The base is inscribed with 'ORREFORS, Kraka, N. 349' and Palmqvist's 'Sven Palmqvist' signature. The number 349 dates this piece to production in 1955.
MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 4.7" / 12 cm tall (from base to rim) x c. 3.3" / 8.3 cm width (across widest point. Rim diameter: c. 0.8" / 2 cm x c. 0.4" / 1 cm. Base diameter: c. 1.2" / 3 cm x c. 1.4" / 3.6 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 0.9 kg / 850 g
NOTES
Vase will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.
A BIT OF HISTORY
Sven Palmqvist (b. 1906 - d. 1984) is best known for his collaboration with the famous glassworks Orrefors where he developed a number of new art glass techniques. He developed the Kraka technique in 1944 before the Ravenna technique was brought forth in 1948. Another notable success was Fuga, which involved centrifuging the glass in a scaled and rapidly rotating form, instead of blowing the glass.
Palmqvist’s distinguished career with Orrefors spanned over four decades, the creative and versatile designer also created a number of commissioned pieces for public spaces including glass sculptures that can be seen in churches in Sweden, the entrance to the SVT television studio in Stockholm, the National Museum of Sweden, the Kalmar Art Museum as well as in the decoration of a ministerial palace in Dubai.
Orrefors Glassworks (1898 - 1989)
Orrefors was a glassworks in the Swedish village Orrefors in Småland. Founded in 1898 on the site of an older ironworks, Orrefors originally produced mainly window glass and bottles and it would be 1913 before their range began to expand to drinking glasses and vases. Orrefors first attempts at art glass making were in the style of the famous French glassworks such as Daum and Gallé.
During its long history, Orrefors was host to a vast number of glass artists and designers including the likes Edward Hald, Vicke Lindstrand, Edvin Öhrström, Anne Nilsson and Sven Palmqvist. The original Orrefors glassworks became part of the Kosta Boda group in 1976.