Sven Palmqvist vase

This is a model “Kraka” glass vase designed by Sven Palmqvist and produced by Orrefors in Sweden during the 1950s. It is signed “Orrefors Kraka nr 349 Sven Palmqvist” on the base, indicating both the model and the designer, and confirming its authenticity within the Kraka series—one of the most technically advanced and visually intricate bodies of work in Scandinavian studio glass.

The vase has an elongated, teardrop form with a tapering neck and broad, rounded body. It is executed in clear and blue glass with an internal lattice pattern of trapped air bubbles, known as the Kraka technique. This method, invented by Palmqvist in 1944, involves enclosing a fine mesh of air bubbles between two layers of glass, creating a shimmering, almost textile-like effect. The surface remains smooth and uninterrupted while the interior reveals complex spatial texture and optical depth.

The coloration transitions from deep cerulean blue at the top through pale aqua and clear glass below, intensifying the sense of internal volume and layering. The form is symmetric and smoothly finished, and the precision of the bubble matrix demonstrates the high technical demands of the Kraka process, which required meticulous control during the layering and blowing stages.

Sven Palmqvist (1906–1984) was one of the most influential Swedish glass designers of the 20th century. He studied at Konstfack and later trained under Simon Gate and Edward Hald at Orrefors. His innovations in glassmaking techniques—such as the centrifugally cast Fuga series and the internally patterned Kraka series—made significant contributions to Swedish art glass and helped establish Orrefors’ international reputation for technical and artistic excellence.

Orrefors Glasbruk, founded in 1898, played a central role in the development of modern glass design in Sweden, particularly in the postwar years when studio art glass gained popularity among collectors and museums. The Kraka series is considered one of the high points of Orrefors’ postwar production.

The vase is in excellent condition, with no chips, cracks, or restoration. The surface retains its clarity and gloss.

The dimensions are 13.5 cm in width, 8 cm in depth, and 20.5 cm in height, equivalent to approximately 5.3 inches wide, 3.1 inches deep, and 8.1 inches high.