Wilhelm Kåge vases

This set of four stoneware vessels was conceived in the 1950s by Wilhelm Kåge for the Gustavsberg porcelain factory in Sweden. Each piece is coated in Kåge’s signature Carrara glaze, a matte, marble-like white finish that underscores the purity of form and imparts a softly tactile surface. The glaze’s subtle depth and slight undulations recall natural stone, even as it remains firmly rooted in the functionalist ethos of mid-century Scandinavian design.

The collection comprises a shallow bowl, a tapering cylindrical vase, a rounded conical vessel, and a tall upright cylinder. The bowl, 18 cm in diameter and 5 cm high, presents a broad, low profile that emphasizes horizontal geometry. The small vase, 6 cm across and 17.5 cm tall, rises in a slender cylinder, its proportions lending an elegant vertical accent. The conical vessel, 12 cm wide and 15 cm high, flares gently from its narrow base to a wider mouth, creating a softly sculptural silhouette. The tall vase, 8 cm in diameter and 23 cm high, extends the Carrara glaze’s fine crackle pattern along its height, drawing the eye upward and accentuating the vessel’s refined austerity.

All four pieces rest on discreet footed bases that lift the forms slightly from the surface, reinforcing their sculptural presence. The interior surfaces show minor discoloration and fine craquelure—especially evident on the taller vase—testifying to decades of careful use and the natural aging of the glaze. On the underside of the conical vessel, the Gustavsberg anchor mark and series number “CARRARA 1094 LV” are clearly stamped, confirming the set’s provenance.

Wilhelm Kåge (1889–1960) served as artistic director of Gustavsberg from 1917 onward, steering the factory toward a synthesis of artistic expression and industrial functionality. The Carrara series, introduced in the 1930s and produced into the 1950s, stands as one of his most enduring contributions to ceramic art, marrying his sculptural sensibility with the era’s clean-lined restraint. Under Kåge’s guidance, Gustavsberg became synonymous with thoughtful, high-quality wares that balanced everyday utility with sophisticated form.

In both their individual geometries and collective harmony, these Carrara vessels exemplify the mid-century Scandinavian commitment to material honesty, formal clarity, and understated beauty. Their very restraint—eschewing decorative motifs in favor of pure shape and surface—makes this set a distinguished example of Kåge’s legacy and Gustavsberg’s mastery of ceramic production.