The Swedish design philosophy of “beautiful things for everyday life” is actualized in the vintage glassware of Orrefors. Founded in 1898, this glass manufacturer was one of the leading companies in the Scandinavian modernism movement and is revered by collectors for the fine craftsmanship and innovation of its superlative art glass.
Orrefors began making art glass — works that, distinct from mass-production pieces, are made in small numbers to showcase the skills and talents of artists and artisans — in 1913. Two of the first artists hired by the firm were Simon Gate and Edward Hald, who worked initially in the organic Art Nouveau style, and later proved adept with the geometric imagery of the Art Deco period.
Hald and Gate worked closely with glassblowers to refine traditional glassmaking methods, creating new materials such as "graal" glass. In the graal technique a design made with colored glass is encased in layers of transparent glass, preserving the image while the overall glass form is worked and shaped. Orrefors won an international following when it presented such pieces in Paris in 1925 at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes — the design fair whose name gave rise to the term Art Deco.
In the years following that success, Orrefors attracted more dynamic and experimental artists such as Vicke Lindstrand and Edvin Ohrström, who joined the company in the 1930s. Lindstrand and Ohstrom worked with glassblowers to create the "ariel" glass technique, an innovation that produces deeper, richer imagery that seems to morph and flow as light is refracted by the glass.
As you will see from the items offered on 1stDibs, there is a special aesthetic quality to vintage Orrefors glass. Whether a vase or a set of wine goblets, the work of this premier Swedish company represents the apex of functional artistry.
Vintage Italian Vase in Massive Grey "Sommerso" Murano Glass, Flavio Poli Style
By Flavio Poli
Located in Milano, IT
Universally regarded as one of the most prolific and capable designers of Murano glass vases and objects at large, Flavio Poli teamed up with some of the most influential and skilled...
Murano Glass
Huge green vase in Murano glass from artisan masters, Flavio Poli 1970's
By Flavio Poli
Located in Milano, IT
Massive Decorative Glass Vase - Hand Blown Murano Vase - Collectible Vintage Glass - Murano Glass Uncommon Murano vase, hand blown in the Italian island during the 1970s - when the ...
Glass, Murano Glass, Art Glass
Vintage Green Decorative Vase in Blown Glass, Made in Italy, Vetrerie di Empoli
By Vetrerie di Empoli
Located in Milano, IT
Co0llectible Vintage Vase - Vetrerie di Empoli - Green Decorative Vase Beautiful vintage vase in green blown glass glass, made in Italy in the 1940s by Vetrerie di Empoli - renowned...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass
Large Green Murano vase by IVM Mazzega, art spiral glass
By Mazzega
Located in Milano, IT
Hand blown glass vase - Murano glass vase - Spiral Murano vase Wonderful green vase in hand blown Murano glass, decorated with a stamped spiral pattern running all along the surface...
Glass, Murano Glass, Blown Glass, Art Glass
Vintage Finnish Glass Vase by Erkki Vesanto, Signed, Rare Collectible Decorative
By Erkki Vesanto, Iittala
Located in Milano, IT
Murano Glass is a world-famous excellence. Not everyone, though, knows Finnish Glass – an equally refined, and possibly less common niche of blown and moulded vases and sculptures. The present vase is indeed an example of this latter school: designed by Erkki Vesanto, whose signature is clearly legible behind the base, it’s a “Sommerso” grey and clear vase, with a thick vase and a very fine construction. It is extremely well preserved and a wonderful decorative touch for your special interior. Will look great on a coffee table, console or bookshelf. For more rare glass and decorative Mid-Century Modern...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass
Decorative big and heavy green Murano Glass Vase by Vinicio Vianello
By Vinicio Vianello
Located in Milano, IT
Vintage big and massive vase in thick Murano glass by Italian designer Vinicio Vianello, deep bottle green with a yellowish hue near the top. Dating back to the late Sixties / early ...
Glass, Art Glass, Murano Glass
Swedish Modern Nils Landberg Orrefors Sommerso Smoked Grey Glass Large Vase
Located in Barcelona, ES
Elegant smoked grey and clear sommerso glass vase. Designed by Nils Landberg and manufactured by Orrefors. Sweden, 1970s. This hand blown glass va...
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass, Sommerso
Nils Landberg for Orrefors Smoke Gray Glass "Sommerso" Vase c.1950
By Orrefors, Nils Landberg
Located in San Francisco, CA
ABOUT "Sommerso" vase in charcoal gray and clear glass. Engraved Orrefors NU 3538/4" CREATOR Nils Landberg for Orrefors, Sweden. DATE OF MANUFACTURE c.1950-1960. MAT...
Art Glass, Blown Glass
Green Orrefors Crystal Glass Vase, Sweden, 1960
By Gustavsberg
Located in Bronx, NY
Orrefors crystal glass vase drop shaped inner is an earthy amber surrounded by a thick layer of clear glass, almost massive except from the mi...
Crystal
Green Orrefors Crystal Glass Vase, Sweden, 1950
By Nils Landberg, Orrefors
Located in Bronx, NY
Orrefors crystal glass vase inner is an dark green surrounded by a thick layer of clear glass. 1960 Nils landberg
Crystal
Venini Inciso Gray / Green Glass Vase, Three Line Acid Etched
By Paolo Venini
Located in Doraville, GA
A beautiful vase by Paolo Venini for Venini from the mid 1950's. The surface of the vase is "inciso" which in English means engraved or incised, this process is done by hand on a grinding wheel...
Murano Glass
Nils Landberg Glass Vase for Orrefors, Smoked Grey, Sweden, Circa 1950
By Orrefors, Nils Landberg
Located in Västra Frölunda, SE
A refined somerso art glass vase designed by Nils Landberg for Orrefors, Sweden, circa 1950s. The vase features a beautifully tapered form with a smoky dark grey core encased in cle...
Art Glass, Blown Glass
