Orrefors Lindstrand Apollo 1935 Engraved Vase

Designed by Vicke (Victor Emanuel) Lindstrand in 1935, and copper-wheel engraved, this iconic hand blown glass vase was on the cutting edge of a new design movement in Sweden in the early 20th century. In place of the traditional filigree 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 after eighty years, the story it tells shines through a few tiny scratches.

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 when he left, he was under an agreement not to work in glass for a decade. Between 1943 and 1950 he became creative leader at Uppsala Ekeby Ceramics. 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 significant in size, 7 inches tall and 5.5 inches across, and it weighs 3 pounds. The style code 1519 tells me it was designed in 1935, and it appears in Orrefors Catalog 11. The production date code and engraver's initials are not readable due to heavy shelf wear.

I hope this vase finds a new home with someone who can appreciate its timeless poignancy and its rich history. If you have questions I haven't answered, please ask.