Sweden’s oldest glass company, Kosta Boda, also enjoys a reputation as the country’s most artistic and experimental glassmaker. Since the late 19th century, Kosta Boda has hired painters, sculptors and other artists for short stints — generally two or three years — designing glassware, ensuring that the firm’s aesthetic is always lively and fresh.
Two former army officers founded Kosta Boda in 1742 in Sweden’s densely forested Småland province. (Plentiful timber was needed as fuel for the melting furnaces.) The glassworks’ early products consisted of everyday glassware, such as drinking vessels and windowpanes. As the company recruited master craftsmen from Bohemia, it created fine crystal for an aristocratic clientele.
Kosta Boda began making art glass — that is, unique and limited edition pieces — with the hiring of the painter Gunnar Wennerberg in 1898. Wennerberg worked in the Art Nouveau style and brought a lush, organic look to the company’s wares. He was followed to the firm by artists such as Edvin Ollers, who in the early 20th century created rich geometric and abstract floral patterns that were engraved on clear crystal.
Two postwar Kosta Boda designers stand foremost in the minds of collectors. One is Vicke Lindstrand, who excelled at a technique called cased glass, in which a vividly colored or patterned section of glass is surrounded by and seems to float within a clear crystal body. The other is Erik Höglund, who had an almost artisanal eye for glass shapes, and liked to produce glass that had a textured, warped look.
Kosta Boda created works in an astonishing array of styles, with something to suit any taste.
Find vintage Kosta Boda vases, bowls and other furniture and objects for sale on 1stDibs.
Swedish Midcentury Glass Bowl by Erik Höglund, Boda, Sweden, 1950s
By Boda, Erik Höglund
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Beautiful large glass bowl by Erik Höglund, made from clear glass in thick quality. Engraved with a pattern of fish and wawy decor with a playful expression. Erik Höglund was one of...
Blown Glass, Glass, Cut Glass
$295
H 3.75 in Dm 5.5 in
Mid-Century Swedish Modern Art Glass Footed Bowl by Goran Warff for Kosta Boda
By Kosta Boda, Goran and Ann Warff
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fantastic art glass footed bowl with Bullicante decorative trapped air bubbles as the subtle artistic creation along with green to blue in the center. Signed on bottom. In excellent...
Art Glass
$200Sale Price|20% Off
H 3.08 in Dm 6.97 in
Kosta Boda 1980s White Swirl Crystal Bowl, Modern Decorative Design
By Kosta Boda
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Heavy mouthblown Swedish modern solid crystal decorative vide poche by Kosta Boda manufactured in the 1980s. Soft semicircle shaped clear art glass bowl with encased layered white or...
Crystal
KOSTA BODA - Ann Wärff - Med. Scandinavian Modern Glass Bowl - Sweden - C.1970's
By Goran and Ann Warff, Kosta Boda
Located in Chatham, ON
KOSTA BODA (Manufacturer) - Ann Wärff (Designer) - Kosgrap (Series) - Scandinavian modern art glass crystal salad bowl - medium size - molded form - featuring high walls with a textu...
Crystal
$600
H 5.75 in Dm 9 in
KOSTA BODA - Ann Wärff - Scandinavian Modern Glass Bowl - Sweden - Circa 1970's
By Kosta Boda, Goran and Ann Warff
Located in Chatham, ON
KOSTA BODA (Manufacturer) - Ann Wärff (Designer) - Kosgrap (Series) - Scandinavian modern art glass crystal salad bowl - molded form - featuring high walls with a textured finish and...
Crystal
$330Sale Price|20% Off
H 5.12 in Dm 9.85 in
Holmegaard Art Glass Serving Bowl by Peter Svarrer, Denmark, 2003
By Orrefors, Holmegaard, Peter Svarrer, Kosta Boda
Located in Copenhagen, DK
Large soft shaped white art glass bowl with square edges from the Quadro series designed by Peter Svarrer for Holmegaard in 2003. Labelled on side. Beautiful condition. Denmark, 20...
Glass, Art Glass
Kosta Glass Bowl by Vicke Lindstrand, 1950s
By Vicke Lindstrand, Kosta Glasbruk 1
Located in Asaa, DK
Kosta glass bowl by Vicke Lindstrand 1950s Small hand blown glass bowl in clear glass with a dash of green. With decorative air bubbles in...
Blown Glass
Midcentury Glass Bowl by Erik Höglund, for Boda Glassworks Sweden, 1960s
By Boda, Erik Höglund
Located in Bochum, NRW
Scandinavian Mid-Century Modern Art Glass Bowl by Erik Höglund Vintage glass bowl designed by Erik Höglund for Boda Glassworks in Sweden. Often features encapsulated air bubbles, cr...
Art Glass, Blown Glass
$798
H 6.7 in Dm 13.98 in
Beautiful Kosta Boda Decorative Custom Made Decorative Glass Bowl by Anna Ehrner
By Anna Ehrner
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
We are delighted to offer for sale this stunning decorative Anna Ehrner circa 1980's glass Kosta Boda large bowl. This piece looks sublime fro...
Glass
One large Holmegaard Glass bowl Provence by Per Lütken Denmark
By Holmegaard, Per Lütken
Located in Krefeld, DE
Large hand-blown light blue glass bowl designed by Per Lütken and manufactured by Holmegaard in Denmark. Price for one bowl, more available.
Glass, Opaline Glass
Ulrica Vallien for Kosta Boda Artist Collection Flared Rim Glass Vase
By Kosta Boda, Ulrica Hydman-Vallien
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Colorful Scandinavian Modern vase with flared rim features speckled fused glass decor in light pink color with underlying color block accents in cobalt blue and pastel green on the ...
Art Glass, Blown Glass
Edvin Öhrström for Orrefors Crystal Engraved Vase, 1942 Scandinavian Modern
By Orrefors, Edvin Öhrström
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage Orrefors engraved crystal vase features "Wish To The Moon" pattern, created by Edvin Ohrstrom in 1942. The pattern depicts a young woman or g...
Crystal
Rare Nils Landberg for Orrefors Centerpiece Bowl, Smoke Grey and Clear, 1950s
By Nils Landberg, Orrefors
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
The bowl is clearly signed on the bottom with engraved "Orrefors" and production mark PU 3092/21. Nils Landberg (1907-1991) joined the engraving school at Orrefors and continued as...
Art Glass, Glass, Sommerso
Vintage British Studio Art Glass Bowl by Pauline Solven
By Pauline Solven
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Pauline Solven’s blown and applied glass bowl features asymmetrical, free-flowing rim and cobalt blue and soft mocha brown fused applied glass band, reminiscent of blooming flowers....
Glass, Art Glass, Blown Glass
Åke Holm Stoneware Bowl, Sweden, 1950s
By Ake Holm
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage stoneware pottery bowl features cylindrical form with rounded edges, elevated on short foot. The bowl is decorated with smooth flambe style glaze in soft green, steel grey, ...
Ceramic, Pottery, Stoneware
Geoffrey Baxter for Whitefriars Glass Deep Bowl with Applied Spots, 1969
By Whitefriars, Geoffrey Baxter
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage Midcentury Modern studio art glass centerpiece bowl features textured oval green glass spots on kingfisher blue glass background. It is listed on Whitefriars website as Deep...
Glass, Art Glass, Sommerso
