This striking work of Swedish mid-century Modernist design by Marian Zawadzki (b. 1912 - d. 1978) who was a professor and later, artist and ceramist for Tilgmans Keramik of Gothenburg, Sweden. Zawadzki's experimentation of the Sgraffito technique brought great popularity and appreciation for Tilgman's ceramics and his work became exemplary for Tilgmans. Zawadzki's stylised use of the Sgraffito technique is absolutely a feature in this piece and is rare as it bears the artist's personal monogram and dating on the body of the vase.

True to the roots of Modernist design, the simple form and boldly geometric décor of this vase speaks to an honest expression of the natural earthenware. The texture of the earthenware is very tactile, with sections left deliberately coarse and unglazed. The unglazed sections create 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 a Spearmint green towards the neck and a softer cream towards the base.

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 photos as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the base of the vase is stamped with 'Tilgmans Keramik' and 'Made in Sweden' stamp and model number '606'. The body of the vase is inscribed with Zawadzki's 'M' logo and dated with '1966'.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 14.7" / 37.3 cm tall (from base to rim) x 5.9" / 15 cm rim and base diameter. Unpackaged weight: c. 3.1 kg / 3,120 g .

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

A BIT OF HISTORY
Marian Zawadzki (b. 1912 - d. 1978)
Antoni Marian Zawadzki (sometimes known as 'Zawadski' 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. Zawadzki's 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. Zawadzki 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 touch-inviting work of art pottery is by the internationally famous English ceramic artist and Art Director of Newport Pottery, Clarice Cliff (b. 1899 - d.1972). This particular piece comes from the Waterlily series by Cliff in 1938 with the form and hand painted décor being inspired by the flower of the same name.

The exquisitely tactile design came during a time when taste was towards heavily modelled ware. Cliff reflected this preference into the curved and lightly gathered petals, the diminutive flower buds nestled on the lily pads which cushion the flower and floating reed leaves resting on the lake surface. This design also came during the time of Cliff's successful breakthrough into international fame, where she received unprecedented publicity and when the phrase 'career woman' did not exist. 

This refined piece is an excellent representation of Cliff's innate ability to bring forth and elevate the unique qualities in something that is otherwise seemingly simple. Stylistically timeless, the combination of the design with the colour palette and its condition makes it a beautiful statement piece that is also a tangible piece of history.  

CONDITION
Excellent. There are no chips or repairs. There is a single hairline rupture on the interior of the bowl that does not affect the display or functional qualities as well as crazing to the glaze that is commensurate with the age of the piece. Please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the dish is stamped with Cliff's 'Clarice Cliff, NEWPORT POTTERY, ENGLAND' 

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 4.7" / 12 cm (from base to rim) Width: c. 7.9" / 20cm cm x c. 6.1" / 15.5 cm. Base measurements:: c. 8.7" / 22.2 cm x c. 6.9" / 17.5 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 1.1 kg / 1,080 g

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

A BIT OF HISTORY
Clarice Cliff (1899 - 1972)
Born in the city of Stoke on Trent that was made famous by its pottery in 1899, Cliff was working in one of the many factories by the time she was 13 and by the late 1920s she was designing the colourful pottery that would blossom her career. Her striking signature characteristics appeared in her use of colour, pattern and form design. Innovative and talented, she would go on to become Art Director for Newport Pottery in 1930. 

Cliff became successful and internationally famous on an unprecedented level for a woman ceramic artist despite being known for being shy. Her colourful life and unmistakable skills in design are still being celebrated in modern day. 

This striking work of Swedish mid-century design is from the 'Hedgehog' vases that were part of the larger 'Chamott' (Chamotte) series designed between 1936 to 1948 by the celebrated Swedish ceramicist and designer Gunnar Nylund (b.1904 - d.1997). These vases were often made into lamps, as this piece is here and typically come in 5 colours (Emerald, Topaz (Mustard), Turquoise, White, and Yellow). There are 3 forms to the Hedgehog vases; this piece comes from the 'AI' form and is the largest of the 3 available sizes at 21 cm in height (small 12cm, medium 16cm, large 21cm). Nylund became well known for his Chamotte sculptures, designing the series during his time as artistic director at Rörstrand.

Personally, I see a resemblance to the thick shaggy fleece of a Scandinavian mountain sheep in the Hedgehog Chamotte décor. Chamotte is also known as 'firesand', a raw ceramic material that has a high percentage of silica and alumina. It can be produced by firing selected fire clays to high temperatures before grinding and screening to specific particle sizes.

The décor makes this an exceptionally tactile piece, the highly textured, rough surface with the glossily glazed décor is a fabulous juxtaposition. The size of this piece gives it extra presence and the finishing accent of stylised bulb holder collar in Antique gold-tone makes it a statement piece.

CONDITION
Excellent. There is light use wear to the underside of the base that is commensurable with the age of the piece. Mentioned for completeness: there is a minimal hairline crack on the underside of the base that is from production and not damage. Please refer to photos as they form part of the condition report. The base bears Rörstrand's stamp. Length of cord: c. 89.3" / 227 cm and is fitted with a European plug. Lamp takes standard A-series Screw bulb.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 8.3" / 21 cm (excluding bulb holder) height: c. 11.8" / 30 cm (including bulb holder). Width: c.5.5" / 14 cm (across widest point). Base diameter: c. 3.3" / 8.5 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 3.7 kg / 3,670 g

NOTES
Lamp 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.

This stylised work of British art pottery piece is of English late-Art Deco design from the 1930s and is by the pottery Empire Ware.

Beautifully sculptural and seemingly simple, this piece is a manifestation of the significant technique needed to result in its evenly hand-formed body. The Art Deco accents appear most prominently in the softly geometric, diamond form. The hand-painted, silky, semi-matte glaze décor on the interior is a beautifully dappled blending of Iced/Powdered Turquoise that graduates into the Iced Peach Tea tones. The exterior décor is a reflection of the interior with the same tones.

This piece has a gracefully elegant presence, an embodiment of English Art Deco design from c. 85 years ago. The combination of its form, colour palette and condition makes it a particularly rare find.

CONDITION
Superb. There are no chips, cracks or repairs. There is mild age-wear in the form of movement marks on the underside of the base and faint crazing all over that is commensurate with the age of the piece. Please refer to photographs as they form part of the condition report. The underside of the base is marked with Empire Ware's stamp.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 3.5" / 9 cm by c. 12.4" / 31.5 cm length (across longest point). Width c. 8" / 20.2 cm (across widest point). Base measurements: c. 3" / 7.5 cm. Weight: c. 0.6 kg / 600 g

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

A BIT OF HISTORY
Empire Ware began life as Empire Works, producing earthenware and porcelain in 1896 in Stoke-on-Trent. The company lasted through the decades reinventing themselves a few times until the works became too difficult to modernise and led to their closure in 1967. In more recent times, the mark 'Empire Ware Made in Portugal' appeared on the market however, pieces from this company are known as a tribute and reproductions of the original company.

This delicious work of Swedish Mid Century Modern design is by Mari Simmulson (b. 1911- d. 2000) for Upsala Ekeby. Simmulson was a celebrated Swedish ceramics designer and ceramicist, known for many series she designed at Upsala Ekeby which went on to become classics. 

This hand-thrown and hand-glazed work comes from Simmulson's Eritrea series, these earthenware works were designed in 1960. The series is characterised by the delightfully textured and tactile Chamotte clay-formed works, glazed in a glossy Caramel-toned glaze with Deep Burnt Sugar brown vertical bands which trims the neck and shoulders of the body. The form of this piece and 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 age commensurate wear in the form of faint movement marks on the underside of the base. The underside of the base is inscribed with Upsala Ekebys 'UE Sweden' and Simmulson's 'ms' monogram as well as the model number '4475'.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 8" / 20.3 cm tall (from base to rim). Rim measurements: c. 1" / 2.5 cm. Diameter: c. 2.7" / 6.8 cm (across widest point). Base measurements: c. 2.7" / 6.8 cm. Unpackaged weight: c. 0.4 kg / 425 g

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

A BIT OF HISTORY
Mari Peterson Särgava, ceramicist and textile artist (b. 1911- d. 2000) began her career with an internship with Arabia in Finland and it was during this time she married Gustaf Simmulson.

Simmulson moved to Sweden in 1944 and began working with Wilhelm Kåge at Gustavsbergs, staying until 1949. Her career took her to Uppsala Ekeby in 1949, where she designed vases, figures, reliefs and wall paintings, many of them noted as unique pieces. She became a leading designer at Uppsala Ekeby where she remained until the early 1970s. Simmulson also received commissions for public pieces including at Luleå Kol, Upplandsbanken and Pharmacia.