Topic: Hadeland Gro Bergslien Signed Vase Date & Value Question

[vintage treasures]

I have a vase signed Hadeland  Gro. piece . In my research I have found out it is noway by  Gro Bergslien.
I  have been unable to find anything similar  to it so I can determine  it's date and  value.  Can anyone offer a date , and value on this piece? TIA

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x299/vfrankens/signedglass.jpg

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x299/vfrankens/signedglass2.jpg

http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x299/vfrankens/signedglass3.jpg

[langhaugh]

Can't help you too much, and I'm sure that thre are many more people out there who are far better informed about Norwegian glass than me.  But to start the ball rolling: I have a couple of Bergslien pieces, the same as two pieces that are currently for sale on eBay,  110381146398 and 170324823607, which are listed at $400 US each. I should point out that they've been on sale for quite some time. I paid $49 for the plate and the first bowl I bought (it arrived smashed). The second one I paid $39.00 US for.  I don't know if I paid too much or not as I quite like them (in contrast to my wife). Leslie Pina in Fire amd Sea lists a similar plate at $300-400. That might be in a retail place, but not on eBay. Ivo in Glass Fact File says that Bergslien started at Hadeland in 1964. I've never found a date for her leaving, although the current Hadeland site implies she has left.  The plate and bowl I have seem to come from late 1960's /early 1970's. Interestingly, your piece looks more like a Severin Brorby piece I have than my Bergslien.

Good luck.

David

[dirk.]

I quite like them (in contrast to my wife)

   

sorry David, couldn´t resist...

[langhaugh]

 

I quite like them (in contrast to my wife)

   

sorry David, couldn´t resist...

Dirk: The perils of late night posting. I have three options. The first I'll ignore. The second is to claim that what I meant was in contrast to my wife, whom I like a great deal. Or the third is to come clean, say I've always had this problem with misplaced modifiers, and go buy some flowers for her.  Anyhow, I'm sure she knows I like her much more than my glass collection. Time and money aren't the true indicators of love... I'll stop before I make it worse.

Thanks.

David

[alexander]

Gro B.'s art glass is not terribly expensive in Norway at the moment, her apples are still popular at between £25-50 depending on venue,
but (non-apple) spatter colored glass abounds in the marketplace.

This piece might fetch £20-40 at a fair or bootsale. 

I would be surprised if the two items mentioned by David sell for the asking price,
you could get a similar Benny Motzfeldt item for that price and her art is in a different price-league compared to Gro B.

I'd say David got his pieces at a good price.

I could be wrong tho, tastes and fashions change.

Gro Bergslien was employed at Hadeland until 1971, attached as a freelancer until 1985, after which she went to work for Hallingglass.
(Moderne Antikviteter by Rolf Simeon Andersen  & Astrid Olsen, ISBN 82-520-3560-4)

[langhaugh]

Alexander:

Thanks for the very useful info. I hadn't heard of Hallingglass before.  You're right about the two listed pieces I mentioned; the seller will never get that price. I agree with what you see re Bergslien compared to Benny Motzfeltd. It's still possible to pick up some Motzfeltd in North America for what I think is a very reasonable price.

David

[chopin-liszt]

 :cry:

All images seem to have disappeared from this thread.
I have a few bits of Benny Motzfeldt but just the one Gro Bergslien, I have to disagree about them being in different leagues though. I like the Bergslien more than several of my Bennys.
Here's my Gro Bergslien - it's just marked Hadeland though.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/GroBergslien1.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/Gro3.jpg
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b227/chopin-liszt/Gro4.jpg

[alexander]

Nice piece
Definitely Gro B.

I didn't mean that Gro's art was lesser than Benny's - only that as far as pricing goes there is a big difference, at least in Norway.
A piece signed by Benny (not signed "BM Plus" but script initials with YY digits) will typically go for £100 to £1000 whereas a piece signed by Gro may fetch £20-£50,
the apples are fairly common and sell for around £25.

BM's art has been in fashion here for over half a century and interest shows little sign of abating.
Her "Groups in Glass" was a hugely popular series for Randsfjord, and probably remains her most easily recognized design.
I've attached three pieces from the Groups series. These are pretty easy to find, never signed and prices vary from £25-65 depending on size and design.
 
GB's apples are still popular and sell easily, but I suspect her colorway may be outside of current fashion here.

[chopin-liszt]

I like those, I have a few. Think I've got 17 bits altogether, all different markings. Hadeland, Plus, Randsfjordglas and some with the spidery scratched initials and years. I didn't know that was how she signed them though. One's pretty awful - it's a second - the initials are scored out. I call it the Quasimodo vase - it has a huge hump it shouldn't have. I was a bit narked with the seller who did not declare or show this. It ws sold as an "early experimental rare Monart pumice piece", but I knew it was Benny.

My very favourite bit is a Hadeland piece - pic shortly.

[alexander]

Got a few myself

The "BM Plus" etched signature was on her designs at Plus but she was not involved in their actual making.
She signed her own pieces the same way from Randsfjord through Plus.

I'm a big fan of BM myself, I love the organic look and feel of the glass, bumps and imperfections and all
They display brilliantly on a windowsill where the natural light can play with the colors.

My most favorite Norwegian piece is by Willy Johanson tho, a solifleur sommerso vase in clear, purple and light green.

Looking forward to seeing your Hadeland piece