Sweden’s oldest glass company, Kosta Boda, also enjoys a reputation as the country’s most artistic and experimental glassmaker. Since the late 19th century, Kosta Boda has hired painters, sculptors and other artists for short stints — generally two or three years — designing glassware, ensuring that the firm’s aesthetic is always lively and fresh.
Two former army officers founded Kosta Boda in 1742 in Sweden’s densely forested Småland province. (Plentiful timber was needed as fuel for the melting furnaces.) The glassworks’ early products consisted of everyday glassware, such as drinking vessels and windowpanes. As the company recruited master craftsmen from Bohemia, it created fine crystal for an aristocratic clientele.
Kosta Boda began making art glass — that is, unique and limited edition pieces — with the hiring of the painter Gunnar Wennerberg in 1898. Wennerberg worked in the Art Nouveau style and brought a lush, organic look to the company’s wares. He was followed to the firm by artists such as Edvin Ollers, who in the early 20th century created rich geometric and abstract floral patterns that were engraved on clear crystal.
Two postwar Kosta Boda designers stand foremost in the minds of collectors. One is Vicke Lindstrand, who excelled at a technique called cased glass, in which a vividly colored or patterned section of glass is surrounded by and seems to float within a clear crystal body. The other is Erik Höglund, who had an almost artisanal eye for glass shapes, and liked to produce glass that had a textured, warped look.
Kosta Boda created works in an astonishing array of styles, with something to suit any taste.
Find vintage Kosta Boda vases, bowls and other furniture and objects for sale on 1stDibs.
Kosta "Zebra" Glass Vase by Vicke Lindstrand, 1950s.
By Kosta Glasbruk 1, Vicke Lindstrand
Located in Asaa, DK
Kosta "Zebra" Glass Vase by Vicke Lindstrand, 1950s. Scandinavian hand blown art glass by Vicke Lindstrand for Kosta (later Kosta Boda), Sweden. This rare Swedish vase of the Zebra S...
Blown Glass
Vintage Zebra Art Glass Vase by Vicke Lindstrand for Kosta 1960s
By Vicke Lindstrand, Kosta Boda
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Vintage Zebra Art Glass Vase by Vicke Lindstrand for Kosta 1960s Art glass vase designed by Vicke Lindstrand for Kosta Glassworks in the 1960s. Signed on the base "LH 1054 Kosta". The elegant, flowing and simple form is decorated with glass layers in clear and red and white lines. Vicke Lindstrand (1904 - 1983) is considered one of the pioneers of the Swedish glass art scene. He also showed his feel for contemporary trends as a ceramic artist and painter. He celebrated his first international successes at the World Exhibition in Stockholm 1930. Vicke Lindstrand´s design works were part of the art competitions at the Summer Olympics in 1932 and 1936. He worked as a trend-setting designer for Orrefors and Kosta. In his final decade Vicke Lindstrand worked together with Hanne Dreutler...
Art Glass
$2,613
H 14.77 in W 7.09 in D 6.5 in
Signed & Limited Edition Art Glass Vase by Olle Brozén for Kosta Boda Sweden
By Kosta Boda
Located in München, BY
Tall, elegant and highly decorative art glass vase with stripes. Designed by Olle Brozén for Kosta Boda Sweden, 1980s. Signed at the bottom: Olle Brozén. 7341012. Kosta Boda. Lim. Ed...
Art Glass
Bertil Vallien, Vase, Glass, Sweden, 1980s
By Kosta Boda, Bertil Vallien
Located in High Point, NC
A blown blue glass vase designed by Bertil Vallien and produced by Kosta Boda, Sweden, c. 1984.
Glass
Hadeland Vase by Willy Johansson, Mid-Century Modern Art Glass
By Willy Johansson
Located in SYDNEY, AU
Hadeland Glasverk Vase tapering conical shape in crystal internally decorated with dark diagonal stripes.
Art Glass
Holmegaard Glass Vase Design by Mutsuo Inoue 1984, Denmark
By Holmegaard, Michael Bang
Located in Bronx, NY
Holmegaard glass vase design by Japanese designer Mutsuo Inoue for the Danish glass manufacturer Holmegaard 1984, in a translucent white milky and blue glass in mint condition.
Blown Glass
Thomas Buechner III for Vitrix Hot Glass Studio Striped Vase, NY Art Glass
By Thomas Buechner III
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Sculptural Organic Modern vase was hand blown with thin layer of white glass underlying the multicolored fused glass. The abstract, graphic pattern of soft, pastel purple, off-white...
Glass, Art Glass, Sommerso
Vintage Art Glass Vase by Vicke Lindstrand for Kosta 1950s
By Vicke Lindstrand, Kosta Boda
Located in Berghuelen, DE
Vintage Art Glass Vase by Vicke Lindstrand for Kosta 1950s A vintage art glass vase designed by Vicke Lindstrand and manufactured by Kosta Glassworks in the 1950s. Thick clear glass...
Art Glass
Bertil Vallien Hand Blown Glass Vase for Kosta Boda
By Bertil Vallien, Kosta Boda
Located in Brooklyn, NY
1980s, Sweden. This handblown glass vase by Bertil Vallien, part of the Kosta Boda Artist Collection, features textured iridescent glass with a pearlescent finish. Renowned for his m...
Blown Glass
Peill & Putzler Zebra Glass Vase, Mid-Century Modern, Germany, 1970s
By Peill & Putzler
Located in Barntrup, DE
Beautifully shaped Zebra Kenya design glass vase by Peill & Putzler, Germany, 1970s. The finely frosted outside finish is beautifully contrasted by the glossy glass of the inside sur...
Glass
Scandinavian Art glass "UNIK" vase, by Göran Wärff Kosta, Sweden
By Göran Wärff, Kosta Boda
Located in Skarpnäck, SE
A rare vintage collectiable and crystal "Unik" vase. Swedish modernism design, made by Göran Wärff for Boda, Sweden. This is handmade by the artist using a very special technique whe...
Blown Glass
Brutalist art vase by Mari Simmulson for Upsala Ekeby, Sweden
By Mari Simmulson, Upsala Ekeby
Located in Skarpnäck, SE
A fantastic vintage handmade brutalist art pottery vase made by the talented and well-known artist Mari Simmulson for equally famous Upsala Ekeby in the 60s. It has a dark brown base with fantastic details in the graphic patterns and will be an eye-catching centerpiece. It is signed and in a good condition. The rustic ambience of this vase, makes it a piece of art. The price includes free shipping. It is 16cm (6.29") high and around 11cm (4.33") in diameter and in a very good condition. Mari Simmulson (1911-2000), was born in St. Petersburg and was an Estonian-Swedish ceramicist, painter and textile artist. After graduating from Tallinn in 1930, Simmulson studied for Professor Jaco at the State...
Ceramic
"Red Galaxy" Glass Art Vase from "Artist collection" by Vallien, Kosta, Sweden
By Bertil Vallien, Kosta Boda
Located in Skarpnäck, SE
An amazing and rather tall vintage handblown studio production art glass vase known as "Red Galaxy" made by Bertil Vallien for Kosta Boda, Sweden, this is a limited edition and numbe...
Art Glass
A trio Glass Vases Rainbow Handmade and Signed by Bertil Vallien for Boda Sweden
By Kosta Boda, Bertil Vallien
Located in Skarpnäck, SE
A fantastic pair of glass vases handmade and signed by talented Bertil Vallien for Kosta Boda, Sweden. These vases are simple but so beautiful, simple yet very sophisticated and they...
Art Glass
Scandinavian Glass Art Vase Known as "May" by Kjell Engman for Kosta Boda, 1980s
By Kosta Boda, Kjell Engman
Located in Skarpnäck, SE
A rather large and very beautiful vintage art glass vase, known as "May" handmade and signed by Kjell Engman for Kosta Boda, Sweden, in perfect condition. This vase is simple in shap...
Art Glass
Crystal Glass Vase made and signed by Bengt Edenfalk for Skruf, Sweden, 1970s
By Bengt Edenfalk, Skruf
Located in Skarpnäck, SE
A stunning handblown vintage crystal vase known as "Spun" from Skruf, Sweden signed by the talented Bengt Edenfalk. This vase is really special, he has spun clear glass around a cyl...
Crystal
