Swedish artist-designer Gunnar Nylund — who worked at iconic porcelain manufacturer Rörstrand for decades — was never satisfied with the status quo. He played with organic shapes, rich colors and dazzling patterns to create some of the most exquisite ceramic and porcelain sculptures, vessels and other furnishings and decor of the 20th century.
Born in Paris to artists Fernanda Jacobsen-Nylund and Felix Nylund, Gunnar lived in Finland as a child but when the Finnish Civil War broke out in 1918, he moved with his mother to her native Denmark. He initially pursued architecture at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts but cut his schooling short when he accepted a position at the Bing & Grøndahl porcelain factory, where he worked for artist Paul Gauguin’s son, Jean, for several years, creating a range of stoneware pieces.
Dissatisfied with the factory's traditional approach to art, Nylund moved on from Bing & Grøndahl and sought to create works in a modernist style. In 1929, Nylund and chemist Nathalie Krebs opened their own ceramics workshop called Saxbo in Saxbo, Denmark. The company’s works garnered praise at a Svenskt Tenn exhibition, and the prestigious Swedish manufacturer Rörstrand offered Nylund a position as creative director.
While he later worked for Nymolle Ceramic Factory in Denmark for a short period, Nylund produced his most famous works while employed by Rörstrand. Fresh ideas and methods intrigued Nylund and he was always eager to try new techniques at the manufacturer. He worked in the Art Deco style, creating warm-toned matte-glazed stoneware sculptures and ceramic tableware that are devoid of lavish ornamentation. Later, he crafted numerous figurines and highly stylized animal sculptures. Nylund’s work can be found at the Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, the Designmuseum Denmark and elsewhere.
Find vintage Gunnar Nylund serveware, sculptures and vessels on 1stDibs.
Pure White And Gold, Crown Bowl Set By Gunnar Nylund For Rörstrand, Sweden
By Gunnar Nylund
Located in Rothley, Leicestershire
Fabulous set of three Crown bowls, designed by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand, Sweden Beautifully crafted fine porcelain of the purest white, each decorated with bright gilded bands Bel...
Porcelain
"Man, Woman and Horses, " Striking Art Deco Covered Urn by Nylund for Rorstrand
By Gunnar Nylund
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Gorgeously glazed in tones of rust, sable, ivory and chocolate, this unique lidded urn with foliated pinnacle and curving handles depicts a man with upraised arms and rearing horse o...
Porcelain
$2,160Sale Price|20% Off
"Grape Carriers, " Striking and Unique Art Deco Bowl w/ Wine Motif by Nylund
By Gunnar Nylund
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Depicting a Black male figure paired with a white female figure carrying clusters of grapes and ancient wine jars, this unique and striking Art Deco ...
Porcelain
Vanilla Colored Ceramic Bowl by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand, Sweden, 1930s
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in Barcelona, ES
Small vanilla colored Swedish Grace ceramic bowl designed by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand, Sweden, 1930s.
Ceramic
$2,360Sale Price|20% Off
"Perch & Angelfish, " Unique, Ambitious Art Deco Covered Urn by Nylund, Rorstrand
By Gunnar Nylund
Located in Philadelphia, PA
This ambitious, elongated urn with elaborate handles and a sunburst lid is beautifully decorated with perch on one side and angelfish on the other, all in tones of black, charcoal an...
Porcelain
"Nude with Dove, " Rare Art Deco Bowl by Nylund for Rorstrand
By Gunnar Nylund
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Before he became known for his organic forms and gorgeous glazes for the famous Rorstrand ceramic works in Sweden, Gunnar Nylund designed a line of very fine Art Deco pieces in what ...
Porcelain
$3,847 / set
H 7.09 in Dm 3.94 in
Group of White Ceramics by Nylund & Stålhane - Rörstrand - Midcentury Modern
By Gunnar Nylund, Carl-Harry Stålhane, Rörstrand
Located in Stockholm, SE
A group of six pieces of stoneware vases & one bowl with stunning white glazes designed by Gunnar Nylund and Carl-Harry Stålhane at Rörstrand in the 1950s. The vases are between 9 -...
Ceramic, Stoneware
1950s Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand ARO Bowl
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in St.Petersburg, FL
A ceramic bowl designed by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand circa 1950s. Gorgeous glaze and great movement with the bowl, this could work in a variety of interiors. Other notable ceramic...
Ceramic
Art Deco Crackle Glazed Lidded Bowl by Gunnar Nylund for ALP, Sweden, 1930s
By ALP Lidköping 1, Gunnar Nylund
Located in Malmö, SE
A beautiful stoneware art deco bowl with crackle glaze. Foot and mouth detailed in hand painted gold. Designed by Gunnar Nylund for ALP (Lidköpings Porslinsfabrik), Sweden, 1930s. G...
Ceramic, Stoneware
Glazed Ceramic Bowl by Gunnar Nylund for Rorstrand, Sweden, c. 1960
By Gunnar Nylund
Located in New York City, NY
Small bowl with a stunning glaze.
Ceramic
Royal England Blue and White Porcelain Bowl by Wood & Son
By Wood & Son
Located in Miami, FL
Marked "TRILBY" ROYAL SEMI-PORCELAIN WOOD & SON ENGLAND Brand: Wood & Son Style: flow blue Item: Bowl Pattern: Trilby Material: Porcelain Design:...
Porcelain
$629Sale Price|20% Off
H 8.67 in Dm 5.52 in
Art Deco Vase by Ilse Claesson, Rörstrand, Green and Black, 1930s
By Rörstrand, Ilse Claussen
Located in Stockholm, SE
A lovely vase designed by Ilse Claesson in the 1930s at Rörstrand, Sweden. It is 22 cm high and in very good condition except from some craquelure in the glaze because of the age.
Porcelain
Large Art Deco Crackle Glazed Bowl by Gunnar Nylund for ALP, Sweden, 1930s
By Gunnar Nylund, rorstrand studio, Röstrand, ALP Lidköping 1
Located in Malmö, SE
A beautiful stoneware art deco bowl with crackle glaze. Details in hand painted gold. Designed by Gunnar Nylund for ALP (Lidköpings Porslinsfabrik), Sweden, 1930s. Great condition. ...
Ceramic, Stoneware
Gunnar Nylund Rörstrand Vase 1950s Sweden
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in Farsta, SE
Gunnar Nylund (1904-1997) was a renowned Swedish ceramic artist and designer known for his significant contributions to the field of ceramic art and pottery. He was a prominent figur...
Stoneware
$2,040
H 6.3 in W 10.63 in D 9.45 in
Midcentury Modern Large Ceramic Bowl Rörstrand AXK Gunnar Nylund, Sweden, 1950s
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in Hillringsberg, SE
Wonderful largest model of the AXK bowl manufactured in the 1950s at Rörstrand, designed by Gunnar Nylund. The bowl has a wonderful glaze and it lifts the shape of the bowl to a won...
Ceramic
Gunnar Nylund Stoneware "GN ARU" Blue Bowl for Rörstrand, Sweden, 1960s
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Gunnar Nylund Stoneware "GN ARU" Blue Bowl for Rörstrand, Sweden, 1960s Beautiful stoneware bowl by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand in shades of light blue and brown trim hares fur gl...
Ceramic
Sculpture Ceramic Fish - Gunnar Nylund - Rörstrand
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in Stockholm, SE
A lovely fish sculpture in ceramic designed by Gunnar Nylund at Rörstrand. It is 16.5 cm (6.6") high. It is in excellent condition except from some minor chips on the fish mouth. G...
Stoneware
Gunnar Nylund Rörstrand Vase 1950s Sweden
By Gunnar Nylund, Rörstrand
Located in Farsta, SE
Gunnar Nylund (1904-1997) was a renowned Swedish ceramic artist and designer known for his significant contributions to the field of ceramic art and pottery. He was a prominent figur...
Stoneware
White Matte Porcelain Vase with Bubbles Cloud Rosenthal, Germany
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in Stockholm, SE
A lovely white porcelain vase with a matte glaze designed at Rosenthal. The vase has a lovely shape, like a cloud or bubbles. It is 26 cm high and in excellent condition.
Porcelain
Dog Figurine in Porcelain by Gunnar Nylund
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in Berlin, BE
Dog Figurine in porcelain by Gunnar Nylund Porcelain figurine from Rörstrand. Additional information: Material: Porcelain Artist: Gunnar Nylund Size: 20.0 H cm.
Porcelain
Mid-Century Modern White Porcelain Bowl by Gunnar Nylund
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in Courbevoie, FR
Mid-Century Modern bowl by Gunnar Nylund for Rorstrand. CANDIA KRONSKAL collection.
Porcelain
Rare Set of Eight Porcelain Crown Bowls by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in Krefeld, DE
Gunnar Nylund was a Swedish ceramist. He was born 1904 in Paris where his parents studied. His mother was a Danish artist and his father a finish Swedish sculptor. 1907 they moved to...
Porcelain
Swedish porcelain vases by Berndt Friberg and Gunnar Nylund
By Berndt Friberg, Gunnar Nylund
Located in New York, NY
Beautiful grouping of vases in light blues and eggshell white by Swedens Gunnar Nylund and Berndt Friberg.
Porcelain, Stoneware