Orrefors Lindstrand Art Deco Nude Woman 1933 Engraved Crystal Vase Sweden

Designed by Vicke (Victor Emanuel) Lindstrand in 1933, and copper-wheel engraved in 1938, this handblown glass vase was on the cutting edge of a new design movement in Sweden in the early 20th century. In place of the traditional filagree and flourishes that filled engraved glass from earlier artists, Lindstrand employed powerful central figures, filling the vase with human and animal subjects. This is among his earliest designs, and though it is scattered with small scratches, after eighty years, the story it tells shines through. Lindstrand, like Simon Gate and Edward Hald who proceeded him, captured the strength and beauty of the human form with only the depth and texture of the carving as a palette. I find that truly remarkable.

Vicke Lindstrand (1904-1983) was born in Goteborg, Sweden, and started his career with Orrefors in 1928, where he remained until 1940. He pioneered daring art glass designs at Orrefors, and together with designer Edvin Öhrström and master engraver Knut Bergqvist, he invented the Ariel technique. The tales of his departure vary, but it is known that he was under an agreement not to work in glass for a decade. Between 1943 and 1950 he became creative leader at Uppsala Ekeby, where he designed many different stoneware objects ranging from pots to figural sculptures. In 1950 he joined Kosta Glasbruk as an artistic director. He was the dominant designer until his retirement in 1973, lending his name to many now classic designs. As a glass designer, textile and ceramic designer, and painter, he is considered a pioneer of Swedish art. (He is also my favorite Swedish artist, and the one whose work I collect most.)

This beautiful vase is modest in size 4.875" x 3.375" x 4.125" (124mm x 86mm x 105mm) and weighs 1.67 pounds (0.76 kg). The style code 1279 tells me it was designed in 1933, as it appears in Orrefors Catalog 7 from January, 1934. The production date code A4 means that this particular vase was made in 1938, but, sadly, there is no engravers mark. The price of the piece is determined by its age, subject, artist, and condition, not its size. As you see by the last photo I posted, the market is picking up!

I hope this vase finds a new home with someone who can appreciate its timeless beauty and its rich history. If you have questions I haven't answered, please don't hesitate to ask; I could go on and on...

Thanks for reading.