Swedish

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).

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.

THE ITEM
This exceptional 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.

This sculpture is flowing in form, with beautifully sculpted minimalist contours which quietly highlights its muscular feinting posture. The piece is glazed using the matte black on pale green glaze used in Nylunds 'Caolina' series.

Both the form and the glaze of this piece is a rarely seen combination by Nylund, the silky smooth glazed decor and form makes this a very tactile piece. This sculpture would be well suited to a room with decor inspired by Mid Mod, Modernist, Contemporary or even Industrialist themes.

CONDITION
Excellent. No chips, cracks or repairs - please refer to photos as part of the condition report. The base bears the inscribed Rörstrand stamp that bears the inscription of 'Rorstrand' and Nylund's initials 'GN'.  

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 4.5" / 11.5 cm by c. 7.8" / 20 cm in length (from nose to tail) by c. 3.6" / 9.1 cm in width (across body's widest point). Unpackaged weight: 0.8 kg / 845 g

NOTES
Sculpture 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 piece is a beautiful design of Art Deco from the iconic Rubin series by Gefle Upsala Ekeby's renowned artistic director, Arthur Percy.

Percy combined the gentle curves in the form of this piece, the colour and stylised floral gold gilding into a modernised statement of Scandinavian influenced chinoiserie. The design overall, is seamless blend of the luxury, glamour and exuberance of which the Art Deco design movement represented.

CONDITION
Superb. No chips or cracks, there is age-wear present in the form of mild wear to the gold gilding which is commensurable with age of the piece. The base bears the Upsala-Ekeby Gefle stamp, 'Rubin', the numbers '252', '19' and the inscribed initials of 'DP'.

MEASUREMENTS
Height: c. 3.9" / 10 cm tall (from base to rim) x 4.1" / 10.5 cm in diameter (rim). Base diameter: c. 2.4" / 6 cm. Unpackaged weight: 0.3 kg / 345 g

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

A BIT OF HISTORY
Carl Arthur Carlsson-Percy, a ceramist and artist, born in Vickleby on August 10, 1886, son of sailor Nils Petter Carlsson and Johanna (Hanna) Sofia Andersson, married to Kerstin Beckman from 1911.

Percy traveled to Stockholm during the early 20th century to train himself as a decorative painters. In 1905 he went to the school of artistic association and in 1908 he traveled to Paris for studies at Académie Collarossi and Matisse Painting School. He would go on to become artistic director in 1923 at Gefle Porslinsfabrik(which became part of Upsala Ekeby in 1936). In 1942 he became artistic director at Karlskrona Porslinsfabrik until 1946.

His early work was characterised by items with soft decorations of flowers and birds, he was also inspired by Italian 14th and 16th centuries, which was also reflected in his work. During the 1920s, his renowned work includes the series "Gefle", "Vinranka", "Floating Blue", "Iris", "Three Flowers", "Silversties" and "Christina". During the 1930's and 40's came "Suecia", "Exotica" and his perhaps most famous décor "Rubin".

Percys art is represented in a large number of Swedish and foreign museums, including National Museum and Modern Museum, Prince Eugens Waldemarsudde, Art Museum in Gothenburg, and museums in Malmö, Norrköping, Lindköping, Västerås, Borås, Jönköping, Kalmar, Karlstad, Gävle and Östersund, etc. Abroad, one can find his art at the Sévres Museum in Paris, the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Pau, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Metropolian Museum in New York and the Lubeck Museum in Germany and others.