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Author Topic: Swards & Gullaskruv - Oddly Appealing Vase  (Read 5806 times)

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Offline MarkHill

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Swards & Gullaskruv - Oddly Appealing Vase
« on: May 31, 2007, 09:54:01 AM »
Hi,
I'm hoping someone can help with me a rather odd vase I have just bought - I couldn't resist it as it is so weird! I don't have access to my digital camera right now, but will post a pic as soon as I can.
Until then, it's an almost teardrop form, with an asymmetric organic-feel pulled rim a little like Per Lutken's Naebvase, but less regular. The colourless clear glass body is decorated with alternate bands of thick gilt edged with black 'paint', and white 'painted' bands with a similar central thin black band. Looking closely, it looks like this 'paint' was applied as the piece was spinning slowly on something akin to a potter's wheel due to the varying levels of thickness. The unsigned base has a roughly circular concave polished pontil mark.
When I saw it first, I thought it was Czech, due to the gold bands, but was amazed to see it had a blue and silver foil shield-shaped label reading SWARDS GULLASKRUV, with a central motif made up of a goblet with two blowing rods or irons crossed over it, and a star beneath.
I've hunted around for Swards, even on gullaskruv.se, but found nothing. Whilst the form is very 1950s Scandi, the decoration is not - I've never seen such postwar, Modern central European decoration on a Scandi piece.
I'd be most grateful for any information!
All the best,
Mark
www.markhillpublishing.com
Text and images © Mark Hill
www.markhillpublishing.com

Offline Sue C

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Re: Swards & Gullaskruv - Oddly Appealing Vase
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2007, 01:02:17 PM »
Hi Mark, i think gullaskruf may be a place see here www.gullaskruv.se/carlos/texteng.htm hope this helps.
What a dope ::) you already mentioned gullaskruv.se DOH! :-[

Offline cjf

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Re: Swards & Gullaskruv - Oddly Appealing Vase
« Reply #2 on: June 08, 2007, 03:37:05 PM »
Edvin and Frida Swärd were originally glass painters at Gullaskruf glassworks, but later started their own company in nearby, where they mostly bought glassware from the glassworks, decorated it and then sold it. If you could post a picture, I could perhaps say some more about it...

Sklounion

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Re: Swards & Gullaskruv - Oddly Appealing Vase
« Reply #3 on: June 09, 2007, 06:43:12 AM »
Hi Mark,
Try this, http://www.precisensan.com/antikforum/showthread.php?t=897
and then possibly contact Raoul Karlsson, who is a member of this board.
Regards,
Marcus

Offline MarkHill

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Re: Swards & Gullaskruv - Oddly Appealing Vase
« Reply #4 on: June 10, 2007, 07:00:11 PM »
Hi cjf & Marcus,
Thanks for your help - I'll certainly pursue the web link you give Marcus - thank you!

Here are pics of the vase and label cjf:

http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-7395

http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-7396

It's 28cm high, rather heavy - and more fully described above! I'm tajking a wild guess that the form may have been designed by Hugo Gehlin, but that's only based on an organic, leaf-shaped dish I have engraved with his name and the factory name - so not much.
Thank you in advance for any information.
Best wishes,
Mark
www.markhillpublishing.com
Text and images © Mark Hill
www.markhillpublishing.com

Sklounion

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Re: Swards & Gullaskruv - Oddly Appealing Vase
« Reply #5 on: June 10, 2007, 07:48:10 PM »
Hi Mark,
No need to thank me, it was merely professional courtesy to let you know.
A pleasure as always,
regards,
Marcus

Offline cjf

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Re: Swards & Gullaskruv - Oddly Appealing Vase
« Reply #6 on: June 16, 2007, 06:34:27 PM »
Hi Mark,

I actually haven't seen this model at all before, at least not from Gullaskruf, and it would surprise me a lot if it turned out to be a model by Hugo Gehlin. If anything, the form reminds me of the striped vases designed by Sixten Wennerstrand for Johansfors (but without the stripes)...  ???

I'll drop Raoul an e-mail and ask him to have a look.

Offline cjf

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Re: Swards & Gullaskruv - Oddly Appealing Vase
« Reply #7 on: June 16, 2007, 06:40:07 PM »
By the way Mark, that leaf shaped dish you mention seems interesting, would it be possible to post a picture of that one?

BR
/Fredrik

Offline Raoul Karlsson

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Re: Swards & Gullaskruv - Oddly Appealing Vase
« Reply #8 on: June 17, 2007, 10:00:16 AM »
The vase is probably from Lindshammar, but don´t know for sure. Swärds bought a lot of pieces from Lindshammar, but it can also be cjf:s guess. It´s not Hugo Gehlin and not from Gullaskrufs glasbruk.

And yes, do take a picture of that leaf...

/Raoul
Collector of Gullaskruf.

Offline MarkHill

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Re: Swards & Gullaskruv - Oddly Appealing Vase
« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2007, 09:14:29 PM »
FANTASTIC!
Thank you both, cjf and Raoul. So you think Johanfors or (possibly more likely) Lindshammar for the form, and the decoration by Swards. So it looks a little like a label may have gone astray after decorating! Shame, it's a nice label and I don't think I'll remove it, slightly misleading as it is. I naturally never remove labels anyway, and at least this seems to be half right.
Here's the Gullaskruv bowl and mark you wished to see. It's a little hard to see the shape - the 'thicker' side rises curvaceously higher than the 'thinner' side, with the whole form being extremely 'fluid'. It's about 18.5cm at its widest, and the signature is executed with a diamond point. I hope it's what you expected and I haven't 'over sold' it. I don't usually buy Scandinavian glass as it's not really my thing, but it seemed too good to pass up and came up well after a jolly good soak. I'd be interested to know your thoughts.
All the best,
Mark
www.markhillpublishing.com

Bowl
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-7553

Signature
http://glassgallery.yobunny.org.uk/displayimage.php?pos=-7552

Text and images © Mark Hill
www.markhillpublishing.com

 

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