Bertil Vallien for Boda Glassworks, Handblown Iridescent Sandblast Art Glass Bowl, Unique, 1960s-71
Regular price£735.00
Save £-735.00
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.
Bertil Vallien for Kosta Boda, Att. Silver Boat Series, Sand Cast Art Glass Sculpture, Limited Edition
Regular price£1,800.00
Save £-1,800.00
This striking work of Swedish art glass design is by Bertil Vallien (b. 1938 - ), a celebrated glass artist, sculptor, ceramist, and designer. This piece is attributed as a variation of the Columbus series which Vallien created for Kosta Boda and is 1 of 100 pieces.
Suspended inside the sculpture are symbols through which Vallien communicates, icons, and mythological expression. This boat tells the journey from yesterday to tomorrow. The ship forms an encapsulated timeline where the stern is the past, and the bow is what is to come. The center of the boat bears the passenger, ladder, and a celestial body. The bow is clear, as the future is unwritten and hopeful. The piece is finished with solid clear interior created by the pouring of molten glass and silver plating on the exterior.
Vallien's sand casting technique has brought him worldwide acclaim. Using wooden models, he creates a hollow in the sand which is then filled with various powdered oxides giving finishings from textures to frosted patterns of colour. The 'story' is created by Vallien with the placement of the symbols and icons before molten glass is poured into the sand moulds.
CONDITION Excellent, no chips, cracks or repairs. Age-commensurate wear, most prominently on the exterior silver plating, please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report. The sculpture is inscribed with '7520114 Kosta Boda, Lim. ['Limited Edition'] B Vallien ' and labelled on the exterior with the 'KOSTA BODA, Sweden 1742' label.
MEASUREMENTS Height: c. 2.3" / 5.8 cm x c. 9.8" / 25 cm in length x c. 2.6" / 6.5 cm width. Unpackaged weight: c. 1.2 kg / 1,205 g
NOTES Sculpture 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.
Bertil Vallien for Kosta Boda Duo: Blue Rainbow Vase and Blue Starlight Palette Lidded Pot, Rare
Regular price£148.00
Save £-148.00
This elegantly ethereal duo of handblown Swedish art glass miniatures is by Bertil Vallien, (b. 1938 - ), internationally celebrated Swedish glass artist, sculptor, ceramist, and designer for Kosta Boda, one of Sweden's leading glassworks.
Those familiar with the process of hand-blowing or hot working glass will know that glass needs to reach 1,320 °C (2,400 °F) to melt and even the working temperature is 1,090 °C (2,000 °F). This knowledge helps to appreciate the care, effort, and skill required to create these miniature works of art glass.
The blue pipe vase bearing the signature winding stripes is from Vallien's Rainbow series, designed in the 1980s. However, it is created in the uncommon and translucent Pale Powdered blue with traces of a golden-sand toned frit glass interwoven into the body.
The lidded pot is even more unusual and has not been attributable to a series, though it is a Vallien signed piece with its original label intact. The body and lid are also in an airy, Pale Powdered blue tone, very similar to the tone used in Vallien's Starlight series. The piece is finished with a clear curl finial on the lid.
Both pieces carry labels that display the parent company of Kosta Boda AB, this name came into use in 1976 before changing to Orrefors Kosta Boda AB in 1989.
CONDITION Excellent. No chips, cracks, or repairs, please see photos as they form part of the condition report. - Blue Rainbow Vase - the piece is inscribed with "BODA, ARTIST COL, B VALLIEN, 48282" - Starlight Blue Lidded pot - the piece is inscribed with "Kosta Boda, B Vallien"
MEASUREMENTS - Blue Rainbow Vase: Height: c. 2.5" / 6.3 cm x c. 1.8" / 4.6 cm rim diameter. Base diameter: c. 1.3" / 3.2 cm. - Starlight Blue Lidded pot: Height: c. 4.1" / 10.5 cm (including lid). Diameter: c. 2.3" / 5.9 cm. Unpackaged weight [all pieces]: c. 0.2 kg / 225 g
NOTES Duo will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.
A BIT OF HISTORY Born 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 1970's.
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 in 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.
Kosta Boda Mini Trio: Butterfly Bowl by U H-Vallien, Network by B Vallien, Sunny by M Backstrom
Regular price£148.00
Save £-148.00
This elegant trio of handblown Swedish art glass miniatures is by three of Kosta Boda's famously celebrated glass artists: Bertil Vallien, Ulrica Hyd-Vallien and Monika (Monica) Backstrom.
In this trio: - The charming white frit glass and hand-painted bowl is by Ulrica Hyd-Vallien from her 1979 series 'Butterfly'. - The white frit glass, abstract flask-form vase, with delicate and tactile netted surface pattern is by Bertil Vallien from his 1978 series 'Network'. - The elegant abstract bottle vase in tactile grey scavo and smooth, clear crystal casing is by Monika Backstrom attributed to her 1989 series Sunny. This piece is trimmed in Cerulean blue as opposed to the usual Scarlet red.
Both the Butterfly bowl and Network vase is from The Artist Collection, a concept was introduced by Vallien to give glass artists the freedom for personal, creative expression and to remove the 'mass produced' feeling. The final piece is from Kosta Boda Atelier collections. Whether pieces were created as part of The Artist Collection or Atelier, they are limited edition studio works and individual to the artist that created them. As each piece is handblown, this also makes the final décor of each piece unique.
Those familiar with the process of hand-blowing or hot working glass will know that glass needs to reach 1,320 °C (2,400 °F) to melt and even the working temperature is 1,090 °C (2,000 °F). This knowledge alone is enough to appreciate the care, effort and skill required to create these miniature works of art glass.
CONDITION Excellent. No chips, cracks or repairs, please see photos as they form part of the condition report. - Network White Flask - piece is inscribed with "BODA, ARTIST COL, B VALLIEN, 48012" - Sunny Grey Bottle - piece is bears label with "KOSTA BODA SWEDEN, ATELIER BY MONIKA BACKSTROM" - Butterfly White Bowl - piece is signed with "Ulrica H.V" and further inscribed with "Boda, Artist Col. 58236"
MEASUREMENTS - Network White Flask: Height: c. 3.8" / 9.7 cm x c. 0.8" / 2 cm rim diameter. Base measurements: c. 2" / 5 cm x c. 1" / 2.5 cm. - Sunny Grey Bottle : Height: c. 3.3" / 8.3 cm x c. 0.7" / 1.7 cm rim diameter. Diameter: c. 1.6" / 4 cm. Base diameter: c. 0.8" / 2 cm. - Butterfly White Bowl: Height: c. " / 4.7 cm x c. " / cm rim diameter. Diameter: c. 2.4" / 6.2 cm. Base diameter: c. 1" / 2.6 cm.
Unpackaged weight [all pieces]: c. 0.2 kg / 230 g
NOTES Trio will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.
A BIT OF HISTORY Kosta Boda, Sweden’s oldest glass company, was founded as 'Kosta' in 1742 and began making art glass — that is, unique and limited edition pieces — with the hiring of the painter Gunnar Wennerberg in 1898. Kosta has a strong history for many well-known glass artists such as Ewald Dahlskog, Vicke Lindstrand, Erik Höglund, Bertil Vallien and many many more.
Kosta Boda was formed in 1976 when the merger of Kosta, Boda and Åfors glass communities took place. Kosta Boda enjoys a reputation as Sweden's most artistic and experimental glassworks, featuring artists and sculptors.
Swedish Gullaskruf, 4 Colour Dot Relief Glass Bowl and Saucer Set for 4 and Serving Bowl | 1960s-70s
Regular price£117.00
Save £-117.00
THE ITEM This richly coloured 9 piece set of Swedish Modern design is by glass designer Lennart Anderssen (b. 1918 - d. 1999) for Gullaskruf glassworks.
The jewel-like colour palette of the set consists of a vibrant Cobalt blue, Ruby red, Ocean green and Grape purple. The form of the bowls is beautifully silhouetted with rounded angles, as is characteristic to Modern design with matching plates that have a gentle inversion and is otherwise smoothly disc-like. Each piece is finished with an accent of dotted reliefs arranged in 3 concentric circles. This set gives an incredible pop of colours to compliment the dining table.
CONDITION Superb. No significant damage such as cracks or repairs to the set, the following negligible wear and has been mentioned for completeness: - Large serving bowl: small chip on the rim measuring c. 0.2 mm. - Blue plate: very mild scratches. Please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report. The gold foil Gullaskruf label denoting 'GULLASKRUF, SWEDEN' is present on all pieces except for the small blue bowl.
MEASUREMENTS - Large Serving Bowl: Height c. 4.8" / 12.2 cm x c. 8" / 20.3 cm width (across widest point). Base diameter c. 2.5" / 6.3 cm. - Small Bowl: Height c. 2.3" / 5.8 cm x c. 4.2" / 10.6 cm width (across widest point). Base diameter c. 1.8" / 4.5 cm. - Saucer / Plate: Height c. 0.8" / 2 cm x c. 5.9" / 15 cm diameter (across widest point). Unpackaged weight [Full Set]: c. 2.3 kg / 2,291 g
NOTES Set will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.
A BIT OF HISTORY Gullaskrufs glassworks (1927 - 1983) was a Swedish glassworks founded in Gullaskruv in by William Stenberg, glass production began in 1927. By 1930 Gullaskruf would exhibit their works at the Stockholm exhibition and around the same time, the glassworks came into contact with the foreign market. At that time, exports accounted for 45% of Gullaskruf's production and in addition to the USA and England, glass was exported to Norway, Denmark, Switzerland, Canada, South America, Australia and South Africa.
Over the years, the glassworks would be resident to many great glass designers and artists, some of who became artistic director for Gullaskruf. Designers and artists included: Hugo Gehlin (b. 1889 - d. 1953), Lennart Andersson (b. 1918 - d. 1999), Arthur Percy (b. 1886 - d. 1976) and Kjell Blomberg (b. 1931 - d. 1989).
Rubus Series by Gunnar Muskos, 'Hjortron' Cloudberry Lantern, Amber Glass and Brass, Swedish, 1980s
Regular price£263.00
Save £-263.00
This very rare, adorable and utterly charming piece of Swedish history is the 'Hjortron' [Cloudberry] lantern from the Rubus series designed by Gunnar Muskos at Trollhedens Design in Boden, Northern Sweden.
The Rubus series includes many designs for lighting based on the raspberry, cloudberry and blackberry. The lanterns, like this Cloudberry piece are all with brass leaves as feet. The actual glass is likely to have been handblown at Mantorp Glasbruk, a glassworks based in the town of Mantorp with a population of c. 3,700.
The bubbly form of the glass provides a fantastic canvas for candlelight within to play with and during brighter days, sunlight. The warmth and glow created, as well as the refractions from the tactile bubble surface, is positively joyful.
CONDITION Superb. No chips, cracks or repairs. Mentioned for completeness: the rim of the glass has one negligible flake measuring c. 0.1 mm and 2 similar sized flakes on the base rim, and the brass has minor surface wear that is commensurable with age. Please see photos as they form part of the condition report.
MEASUREMENTS Height c. 4.3" / 11 cm x c. 6.3" / 16 cm in width (max diameter across base). Diameter of glass: c. 4.6" / 12 cm (across widest point).Unpackaged weight: c. 0.4 kg / 354 gm.
NOTES Lantern will be securely packaged and shipping will be insured. Shipping will be combined for multiple items.
