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Posted 9 years ago
mikelv85
(1232 items)
This was quite a surprise from Goodwill today. I knew the mark was Orrefors but I wasn't aware of the exact age or the designer involved. I figured it had to be old simply judging from the wear ring on the bottom. I think the 31 may be the year. The mark matches up with a bowl that sold on 20thcenturyceramics.co.uk site for Orrefors designer Simon Gate. Since it's sold there was no price listed. What values I have seen go from hundreds to thousands so I guess it depends on the designer and the decor. There are others like Edward Hald and Vicke Lindstrand who designed similar pieces. Some with beautiful engraving and some without. This is an average size bowl 4" H x 8 " in diameter. It has a wonderful undulating lotus shape. The ring when you tap it is amazing ! There are no chips or cracks but there are a few hairline scratches in the crystal. Not objectionable for it's age as it was very dirty but cleaned up nicely. -Mike-
Simon Gate and Edward Hald
Courtesy of the metmuseum.org and orrefors.us
Production at Orrefors did not become significant until the 1910s, when Johan Ekman of Gothenburg, who had highly ambitious production plans and had realized the importance of design, acquired the glassworks. A number of proficient glass artisans were recruited. Ekman wanted to place production on a more artistic basis, and in 1916 he, therefore, engaged the services of Simon Gate, the portrait and landscape painter. Trained as a painter and an illustrator, Gate had no previous experience as a designer of three-dimensional objects. Unhampered by tradition or convention, he became one of the most innovative and influential figures in the early development of twentieth-century art glass. The artist Edward Hald arrived in the following year. This laid the foundation for a vital tradition of Orrefors, in the form of close cooperation between skilled glassblowers and gifted designers.
In view of the artistic background of both Gate and Hald, it is not surprising that their individual styles flourished in art glass, not household glass. Gate's more classical designs differed greatly from Hald's modern, freer creations. Hald had also studied with Matisse, the famous French artist, and this is reflected in his glass.
Great find!
Oh boy, Mikey~! It's a beauty.
Thanks Jensen and Bonnie.....I don't feel so bad about missing out on the Kosta Boda vases now and this one only cost me two dollars and fifty cents ! :)
There's a Simon Gate bowl on this page at the bottom. The engraving seems to match this bowl. It sold so no price point.
http://www.20thcenturyceramics.co.uk/
Sorry the link didn't go to the exact page. It's on page four the middle bottom.
This is a pretty nice consolation prize Mike!
Rarer, older, better.....even if not so readily saleable.
Thanks Karen...yes I think so too. The black and crystal combo seemed to be popular with a lot of the 30's glass designers. There was a very plain Keith Murray bowl on 1st Dibs I first saw researching this piece and I about fainted at it's price ! I really was hoping but, mine had the obvious Orrefors mark. Simon Gate is very cool too although this is just a production piece and not like the ones in the Metropolitan Museum. Now those are something to behold ! :)
https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/dining-entertaining/glass/art-deco-clear-glass-bowl-black-base-keith-murray/id-f_3683622/
I love the regular black foot and then the contrast of the gorgeous flowing curves above. Amazing find!
Thanks Sklo.....it is very elegant just like a 30's tux and top hat :)
Old orrefors was my starter crystal. I don't have prices for some of my pieces either. It is always a good day when I find an old piece of Orrefors.
Thanks Emme :)...I've been finding a lot of Swedish glass lately.
wonderful!!
Thanks so much Sean :)
Mike, I've read the posts and love the piece so much I didn't even click on the links. It's gorgeous. You have an amazing amount of knowledge so you are still very blessed. You're the guy I see that runs in the store while I'm sitting of the floor trying to hunt and peck just about everything I see because I don't know what it is. In and out and just "gets it".
I really appreciate all of your info!!!!
Thanks for the comment and compliment OGF.... the secret is the fact that I'm in these places almost everyday so I go into "Terminator mode" and scan the store shelves for anything new so I skip over anything that I've seen before. Sometimes it takes two or three times but I'm never there more than 10- 15 minutes and it's on to my next stop. In the case of this bowl it wasn't instant grab and go. I actually thought about it for a while. All I knew was that it was signed and that the "OF" meant Orrefors then wondered why the store let it slip through their fingers. The ladies at that store are smart and generally would not let anything like this get past them. Oh well everyone's entitled to and off day...lol :)
LOL...You sound like me Mike. I do not go to often but I do by a very quick scan, in order to find the (possible) jewel in the mixture first......then I make why way back, scanning again a bit slower. Yup, I am done in about half hour. For me that is all it takes
Great Find you found !!!
Thanks Rose :)...yes that was a good day and not typical of this particular store. I maybe find one or two nice things there a year. You can never discount any of these sleepers as not worth stopping at, although not on a daily basis. :)