Swedish glass master Erik Höglund reveled in unconventional techniques and practices — the Karlskrona native once drove glassblower Ruben Hjelm out of a studio at Boda after mixing potatoes into a crucible of molten glass to determine if he could generate bubbles in the finished object. Höglund always walked his own path, and his individuality and creative spirit defines the range of decorative objects, lighting fixtures and other works in glass that he created over the years.
Höglund was born in 1932 and studied drawing and sculpting at the Swedish School of Arts. Despite his limited experience with glass, Höglund joined Boda Glassworks when the manufacturer reached out to the school for the services of a young glass artist. He taught himself how to blow glass at night and found inspiration on travels through Europe as well as in his everyday life, creating sculptures that boasted exquisite color pairings and subdued, streamlined forms. He worked at Boda for 20 years.
The Swedish National Museum purchased Höglund’s early works for an exhibition of Swedish glass art, and in 1957, Höglund’s stunning and expressive objects and sculptures earned the Danish Lunning Prize — the highest honor for an up-and-coming Scandinavian artist. He garnered international acclaim and his colorful iron and glass candleholders, candelabras and vases went on display in New York City. His work is held in the collections of the Blekinge Museum, the National Museum of Stockholm and the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.
Höglund left Boda in 1973 to establish his own smithery. He returned to glass design in the subsequent years, when the legendary innovator created richly colored and provocative works for Pukeberg, Åhus, Nový Bor and other manufacturers.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Erik Höglund decorative objects, lighting and dinnerware.
Erik Höglund for Boda Swedish Modernist Cast Glass Face Paperweight, circa 1960s
By Erik Höglund
Located in San Diego, CA
A striking Swedish modernist cast glass face paperweight attributed to Erik Höglund for Boda, Sweden, circa 1960s. Formed from thick clear glass, the sculptural block features an exp...
Art Glass
$1,294 / set
H 1.58 in W 9.45 in D 4.73 in
Erik Höglund for Boda – Set of Three Relief Glass Trays, Sweden, 1960s
By Erik Höglund
Located in Staffanstorp, SE
Set of three rectangular art glass trays designed by Erik Höglund for Boda Glasbruk, Sweden, 1960s. Beautiful colour palette in cobalt blue, petrol blue and deep forest green. Each t...
Art Glass
Erik Höglund for Boda, Amber Figural Art Glass Decanter, Sweden, 1950s
By Erik Höglund, Boda
Located in Stockholm, SE
A rare and highly sculptural amber glass decanter designed by Erik Höglund for Boda Glasbruk in the 1950s, exemplifying the designer’s iconic fusion of primitive expression and Scand...
Art Glass
Erik Höglund Mid-Century Signed Orange Footed Art Glass Vase for Bodą c. 1960s
By Erik Höglund
Located in Atlanta, GA
Vintage Swedish Footed Orange Art Glass Vase by Erik Hoglund for Boda (1932 - 1998). Engraved on bottom: "H 1671/193."Vintage Swedish Orange Footed Art Glass Vase by Erik Hoglund for...
Blown Glass, Glass, Art Glass
Erik Höglund Mid-Century Signed Orange Footed Art Glass Vase for Boda c. 1960s
By Erik Höglund
Located in Atlanta, GA
Vintage Swedish Orange Footed Art Glass Vase by Erik Hoglund for Boda circa 1960s. Original foil label: "BODA, Sweden, Erik Hoglund." Engraved on bottom "H1671/220." Full of his sig...
Art Glass
Vintage Erik Höglund Signed Art Glass Vase for Boda c. 1960s
By Erik Höglund, Kosta Boda
Located in Atlanta, GA
Vintage Swedish Bubble Glass Vase by Erik Hoglund for Boda Glassworks c. 1960s. Slate blue/gray glass. Some of the original label still attached. ...
Blown Glass
Vintage Erik Höglund Signed Ruby Red Swedish Art Glass Vase for Boda c. 1960
By Kosta Boda, Erik Höglund
Located in Atlanta, GA
Vintage Swedish Ruby Red Art Glass Vase by Erik Hoglund for Boda circa 1960. Engraved on bottom: "H 998/110." Full of his signature air bubbles in the design. Erik Höglund (1932-1...
Blown Glass
Vintage Swedish Red Art Glass Vase by Erik Höglund for Boda
By Erik Höglund, Kosta Boda
Located in Atlanta, GA
Vintage Swedish Ruby Red Art Glass Vase by Erik Hoglund for Boda circa 1960. Engraved on bottom: "H 961/160." Full of his signature air bubbles in the design. Erik Höglund (1932-1...
Blown Glass
Glass Vase by Erik Hoglund for Kosta Boda, Sweden
By Erik Höglund
Located in Niederdorfelden, Hessen
Glass vase made by Erik Hoglund for Kosta Boda, Sweden in the 1960s. Not signed. Small chips at the base.
Blown Glass
Clear Glass Decanter "People" by Erik Höglund, Boda, Sweden, 1950s
By Erik Höglund, Boda
Located in Hägersten, SE
"People" decanter designed by Erik Höglund. produced by Boda during the 1950s. Made from hand blown clear glass. Signed underneath according to picture. Good vintage condition with a...
Blown Glass
$475 / set
H 5.5 in W 5.5 in D 3 in
Rare Erik Höglund for Boda Sweden Pair of Bottles with Embossed Bull, 1960s
By Boda, Erik Höglund
Located in Clifton Springs, NY
Vintage Scandinavian Modern clear glass bottles with embossed motif of bull were designed by Erik Höglund and made by Boda (later Kosta Boda) of Sweden in 1960s. The bottles are inf...
Glass, Art Glass
$935 / set
H 3.94 in W 3.35 in D 3.15 in
Swedish glass book stands by Erik Höglund Boda, Sweden, 1960s
By Erik Höglund, Boda
Located in Eskilstuna, SE
Beautiful sculptural book stands designed by Erik Höglund. Produced by Swedish company Boda suring the 1960s. Made in frosted glass. Signed on bottom.
Glass
Erik Höglund Glass Vase for Boda, Sweden, Late 1960s
By Erik Höglund
Located in Knivsta, SE
Erik Höglund Glass Vase for Boda, Sweden, Late 1960s A striking and characterful glass vase designed by Erik Höglund for Boda Glasbruk, Sweden, dat...
Art Glass
Sold
H 1.19 in Dm 3.15 in
Erik Höglund Art Glass Medallions - Sculptural Ashtrays or Paperweights, Sweden
By Erik Höglund
Located in Bochum, NRW
Erik Höglund Art Glass Medallions - Sculptural Ashtrays or Paperweights, Sweden, 1960s A striking pair of hand-cast glass medallions by renowned Swedish artist Erik Höglund, circa 19...
Art Glass
Eik Höglund - Glass Paperweights
By Kosta Boda, Erik Höglund
Located in MAASTRICHT, LI
Product Description: These paperweights by Erik Höglund will definitely brighten up your workplace. Höglund was a family man who got inspired by the creative process in his younger years already. A smart rebellious moderniser at heart Höglund, having his work refused at the glass shops of Sweden, set up his own exhibitions and convinced the art director at boda that with time customers would flock in. Hard work paid off and Höglund won the prestigious Danish Luning prize in 1957. Sales skyrocketed along with his fame, earning him the name "wonder boy" in the United States. Höglund did not consider himself a glass-artist solely. Höglund combined his glass art with iron in his famous chandeliers, painted on canvas and sculpted in bronze and terracotta. All the paperweights have a figurative relief pressed into them. A naked woman is pressed into two of the paperweights, the two blue paperweights hold a ship anchor, the blank rectangular paperweight a robot and a cat houses...
Glass