Fireworks bowl thumbnail 1
Fireworks bowl thumbnail 2
On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Fireworks bowl

Vase
1921 (designed), 1930 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This bowl was part of an exhibition of Swedish industrial art in London in 1931.The designer, Edward Hald, trained as an architect and painter. He studied for a time with the artist Henri Matisse in Paris, where he also met many other influential artists. During this period he also developed a sharp eye for fashionable taste. Hald and Simon Gate were the first of the artist-designers employed by the Swedish glassworks Orrefors to create a new line of art glass. Their designs for engraved glass were stylish, elegant, technically superb and enormously influential. The English critic Morton Shand dubbed them 'Swedish Grace'.

Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Vase Body
  • Vase Stand
Titles
  • Fireworks bowl
  • Fyrverkeriskålen
Materials and techniques
Engraved glass
Brief description
Vase and stand, engraved glass, Sweden, Småland, designed by Edward Hald, and engraved by Karl Rössler at Orrefors glassworks, 1921-30
Dimensions
  • Width: 27.6cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
'OF30 H 248 KR' incised (Makers's mark)
Gallery label
Purchased with other glasses by Orrefors from the 'Exhibition of Swedish Industrial Art', Dorland House, London, 1931 which was drawn from the much larger exhibition 'Stockholmsutstållningen', Stockholm, 1930. Edward Hald (1883-1980) was educated as an architect and painter. He spent a period in Paris studying with Matisse where he also met many influential artists and this was undoubtedly formative. At the same time he also had a sharp eye for fashionable taste. With Simon Gate, he was the first of the artist-designers taken on by Orrefors (originally bottle manufacturers) to create a new line of art production. Their designs for engraved glass, stylish, elegant and technically superb, were dubbed 'Swedish Grace' by the English critic Morton Shand and was enormously influential.
Summary
This bowl was part of an exhibition of Swedish industrial art in London in 1931.The designer, Edward Hald, trained as an architect and painter. He studied for a time with the artist Henri Matisse in Paris, where he also met many other influential artists. During this period he also developed a sharp eye for fashionable taste. Hald and Simon Gate were the first of the artist-designers employed by the Swedish glassworks Orrefors to create a new line of art glass. Their designs for engraved glass were stylish, elegant, technically superb and enormously influential. The English critic Morton Shand dubbed them 'Swedish Grace'.
Bibliographic reference
Opie,J: Scandinavia, ceramics & glass in the 2othC
Other number
9524 - Glass gallery number
Collection
Accession number
CIRC.52&A-1931

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Record createdDecember 13, 1997
Record URL
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