Gertrud Lönegren vase

Rare ceramic vase from the Florens series, designed by Gertrud Lönegren for Rörstrand in Sweden. Florens was designed in 1936, and Nationalmuseum dates production of the series to 1936–1941, placing this example within the late 1930s/early 1940s period. Nationalmuseum also records that Lönegren joined Rörstrand in 1936 after previously serving as artistic director at S:t Eriks Lervarufabriker.

The vase is made of glazed stoneware and has an ovoid, almost egg-shaped body, narrowing toward a circular opening at the top and resting on a small circular foot. Its surface is structured by closely spaced vertical ribs divided into successive horizontal bands. Toward the upper and lower sections, the ribs follow the curvature of the body and converge radially around the opening and foot. This combination of repeated vertical elements, horizontal divisions and a symmetrical rounded volume gives the vase an architectural geometry associated with the Art Deco period.

The relief is integral to the appearance of the glaze. Raised areas range from cream and pale beige to yellow and ochre, while the recessed channels contain considerably darker brown, charcoal-grey and near-black tones. Brown and amber transitions occur irregularly across the individual ribs, so the underlying repeated geometry remains consistent while the coloration varies across the surface.

The underside provides useful documentation of the object. It is impressed “HANDDREJAD” meaning hand-thrown, and carries the Rörstrand and Lönegren marks together with the model designation L 166.

Gertrud Lönegren (1905–1970) worked at Rörstrand during a relatively short but clearly documented period. Nationalmuseum records her Florens design as dating from 1936–41 and notes that much of her work for Rörstrand included fruit services and ornamental series such as Kreta and Miranda. Her work belongs to the development of Swedish studio stoneware during the interwar period, when individual designers increasingly combined serial forms with hand-worked surfaces and varied ceramic glazes.

Rörstrand was one of Sweden’s principal ceramic manufacturers, and Florens was produced during a period in which the factory was developing modern stoneware alongside its established porcelain production. In this vase, the hand-thrown body and repeated relief treatment create a clear distinction between the basic vessel form and its textured outer surface. The pattern also changes according to viewpoint: from above, the ribs form concentric and radial rings around the opening, while in profile they read as stacked horizontal registers.

The vase measures 15 cm in diameter and 18 cm in height, corresponding to approximately 5.9 inches in diameter and 7.1 inches in height.

The vase is in good vintage condition with small signs of usage.