Ekenäs Lake Engraved Swedish Vase, Greek God Dionysus with Amphora and Mask

This vintage glass vase from the 1960s is adorned with the image of a man in a tunic, trimmed in a Greek Dentil pattern. On his head is what may be a theater mask, and he holds an amphora (of wine?) with one hand and a cup with the other. He may be an actor in a Greek theater, or he may be Dionysus, the Greek god of fertility, wine, and revelry.

The petite vase has simple, clean lines, a favorite shape used by the designer, John Orwar Lake, at Ekenäs. The glass is blown by hand (and mouth) and copper-wheel engraved, and signed Ekenäs, Sweden, L642. A sweet little vase, it is about 1.5" in diameter and 5.5" tall, and it is in excellent condition.

Ekenäs glass mill was founded in 1917. It was bought after a bankruptcy in 1922 by Sven Westberg (1883-1962), 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.