$330.00

Currently AVAILABLE for sale from North Brisbane for AU $330 (approx. USD $198- see the description for further details). This piece can be posted INTERNATIONALLY at cost price PLUS $3 for professional packing using recycled packing materials. We pick-up clean, used packing materials from an electrical retail store before it ends up as landfill.

 

Out of stock

LOCATION- North BRISBANE (Australia). 

The listing price is for the PINK FEATHERED IRIDESCENT VASE shown in EVERY PHOTO (AU $330 which is approx. $235 AMERICAN). PRICES for others in the group photos  …

Tall Conical Vase with Blue Feathering. Hand-Crafted in England by UK artist, Will Shakespeare. Signed, SHAKS to the base. Comes with a letter from LIBERTY Galleries, Regent Street, London- AUD $229

Incalmo Bulbous Vase with Dusty Pink Base and Purple Top by celebrated Australian artist, Eileen Gordon. Signed to the base, Eileen Gordon, 1984- AUD $185

Smaller Bulbous Pink Iridescent Vase. “Minos” by Bertil Vallien. The base retains the paper label used by Kosta Boda in the early-1980’s- AUD $175

Background Info and Provenance

(Predominantly written in 2017 but updated in 2021.)

A LARGE HAND-MADE “Minos” art glass vase designed by Bertil Vallien for Kosta Boda Sweden. This is an early-1980’s piece. This vase had the paper label used by Kosta Boda in the early-1980’s. The label has virtually worn off- remnants remain in the position near the bottom where the labels were usually affixed to this design. I sold one of these vases in 2017- the construction of this one is identical. (I guarantee it’s Kosta Boda.) Vallien did a series of designs in this style at the time known as the “Minos series” (over a period of years). They’re all collectable (and very rarely seen in Australia). I’ve seen others, small ones (10cm in height) from the “Minos” series, sell for AU$400 on ebay out of America. This vouches for the collectability of these vintage pieces. I was immediately drawn to this piece because … even though pastel pink is not my style … I could see it in group displays with startling effects. I’ve had fun with this one. It offers an intriguing contrast with bold striking art glass and in a strange way it gets just as much attention as the bold pieces (even though you couldn’t call this bold or striking). Yes, it’s a beautiful piece but the beauty is in the flowing detail, its restrained styling and of course the expert workmanship.

This was done before Bertil Vallien reached the heights he has reached today. In those days, he was still testing his craft and these pieces show an exquisite command of his craft and more than a glimpse of what was to come next. As a result, the pieces in this series are sought-after the world over. When I sold my last one in 2017, I saw this exact design and size on ebay priced at AU $530 in America). Any Bertil Vallien piece will be worth watching value-wise in the next couple of decades. Vallien is over 80 years-old (written in 2021). To my knowledge he is still releasing remarkable creations but his output has slowed in recent years. Designs like this are a part of his past (I can’t see any reason why he’d design and release something like this again).

If you’ve read this far you’ll know that Bertil Vallien is one of the most successful artists the world has ever seen (past or present) and that his one-off pieces command up to AU AUD $20,000 … and more. Kosta Boda is one of the leading glasshouses in the world and has etched a place for itself in art-glass history that can never be shaken. If you believe art glass should be done by hands (and hearts) of people then don’t give this work to machines. Every time we buy a décor piece that’s been mass-produced by machines, we’re saying that hand-made art and creation need not be valued anymore. There are plenty of artists out there bursting to create for us! By valuing HAND-MADE art, you’re not only investing wisely in your home (vintage pieces like this only become MORE valued over time), you’re reducing your carbon footprint and landfill AND you’re supporting the idea that there is a place for art and creation in this world.

NOTE- All of the pieces in the 3rd group group have sold. The Minos vase in that photo was the one we sold in 2017. (These were hand-made so they’re not all “identical”.)

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