Ekenäs Vase Two People Under Umbrella and Tree Engraved Swedish Crystal

This small vase, designed by John Orwar Lake, has an engraving executed by Gert Claesson, who was a craftsman at Ekenäs Glassworks for many years. It depicts two friends or lovers huddling under an umbrella, beneath the bare winter branches of a large tree. The traditional copper-wheel engraving is skillfully done, wrapping the tree branches around the vase. The scale of the tree to the people gives one a heightened sense of the struggle they are having against the elements, or of the peace they will find under the protection of the massive tree.

This piece was probably made in the in the late 1960's or early 1970's; while Lake was artistic director at Ekenäs. The vase is a perfect size for displaying on a shelf or in a cabinet. It is about 6 inches tall, and it weighs 1.5 pounds. This well-loved vase does have many small scratches and one patch of odd finish in the glass, but it is not chipped nor cloudy. As you see from the photos, it still shows well. The price reflects the condition.

Ekenäs glass mill was founded in 1917. It was bought after a bankruptcy in 1922 by Sven Westberg, who held it until 1962. Thereafter, it was run by members of the Tell family, until it was sold in 1976. Greta Runeborg-Tell and John-Orwar Lake were artistic leaders at the glass mill from 1942-1952 and 1953-1976, respectively. Other designers were Edvin Ollers 1946-1947, Astrid Rietz in the 1940s, and Michael Bang from 1966-1988. [wikipedia]