On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Blue bubbles

Vase
1956-1960 (made)
Artist/Maker
Boda Glassworks (manufacturer)
Höglund, Eric (designer)
Place of origin
Småland (made)

Eric Höglund's work for Boda Glassworks was pioneering in its use of 'retro' shapes. Designs from the 1950s and 60s combined traditional forms with glass-blowing techniques that resulted in trapped air bubbles. These pieces were often brightly coloured, in greens, browns, blues, oranges and reds. The blue colour was introduced in 1956, and the orange in 1962-3. Höglund's work for Boda was exported to the UK and sold at Liberty's and other retailers.

Object details

Categories
Glass
Vases
Object type
Vase
Titles
  • Blue bubbles (manufacturer's title)
  • Blå Bubblor (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Soda glass with bubbles
Brief description
Vase, Sweden, Småland, designed by Eric Höglund, for Boda glassworks, 1953-1960
Dimensions
  • Height: 10.3cm
Style
20TH CONT
Marks and inscriptions
'H961/90' incised (Makers's mark)
Gallery label
Erik Höglund (b.1932) trained at the National College of Art, Craft & Design, Stockholm. Like many of his contemporaries, he has worked in a variety of materials including metal, stone and wood as well as glass and as a painter. He designed at Kosta Boda from 1953-73 and his innovatory contribution was in challenging the prevailing fashion for purity of line and of quality lead-based 'crystal' glass. He introduced bubbled, irregular and often brightly coloured glass and found inspiration for his designs in primitive Swedish glass forms. Launched in 1953, this series was made first in greens and browns and, from 1956 in blue. In 1960 Höglund introduced red and later orange and turquoise. Höglund was awarded the Lunning Prize in 1957 for his work in glass and also in wood, clay, iron and bronze. Since the late 1980s he has been freelance and at Studioglas AB, Strömbergshytten
Summary
Eric Höglund's work for Boda Glassworks was pioneering in its use of 'retro' shapes. Designs from the 1950s and 60s combined traditional forms with glass-blowing techniques that resulted in trapped air bubbles. These pieces were often brightly coloured, in greens, browns, blues, oranges and reds. The blue colour was introduced in 1956, and the orange in 1962-3. Höglund's work for Boda was exported to the UK and sold at Liberty's and other retailers.
Bibliographic references
  • House and Garden, September 1963, pp. 72-3.
  • Gunnel Holmér, Från Boda till New York, Växjö (1986)
Other number
9614 - Glass gallery number
Collection
Ceramics Collection
Accession number
CIRC.281-1963

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Record createdDecember 13, 1997
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O6540/blue-bubbles-vase-höglund-eric/
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