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.
Swedish ceramic floor lamp "Rubus" series by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand 1960.
By Gunnar Nylund, Röstrand
Located in JOINVILLE-LE-PONT, FR
Adorable, iconic Scandinavian "Rubus" table lamp designed by Swedish ceramic artist and designer Gunnar Nylund. This lovely glazed ceramic lamp features warm, soft, brown tones inspi...
Ceramic
$1,072
H 7.09 in Dm 4.22 in
Small Brown Ceramic Table Lamp by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand, Sweden, 1950s.
By Gustavsberg, Gunnar Nylund, Carl-Harry Stålhane, rorstrand studio, Rörstrand
Located in Malmö, SE
A beautiful mid-century stoneware table lamp with amazing glaze Made by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand, Sweden, 1950s. Great original condition. Signed 'G.N.' and makers mark 'R'. So...
Ceramic, Stoneware
$1,315
H 39.38 in Dm 10.63 in
Scandinavian ceramic floor lamp by Marian Zawadzki for Tilgmans, Sweden, 1960s
By Marian Zawadsky, Tilgmans Keramik
Located in Forserum, SE
A large and impressive ceramic floor lamp crafted by the Polish-Swedish artist Marian Zawadzki for Tilgmans Keramik in Gothenburg, Sweden. The ceramic base is decorated with a polych...
Ceramic, Textile
Large table lamp “Rubus”, Gunnar Nylund, Rörstrand, Sweden, 1940s
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in Eskilstuna, SE
Large-scale Swedish stoneware lamp, model Rubus, designed by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand in the 1940s. A sculptural and expressive design within Swedish modern, characterized by its ...
Stoneware, Teak
$1,136
H 13.78 in Dm 7.88 in
Gunnar Nylund Rubus Table Lamp for Rörstrand Sweden Scandinavian Modern Ceramic
By Gunnar Nylund, Rörstrand
Located in Silkeborg, Silkeborg
Ceramic table lamp by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand, Sweden. It's part of the "Rubus" series and was designed and made in the 1950s-1960s. It has a structured, tactile surface with sem...
Ceramic, Fabric
Scandinavian modern ceramic glazed table lamp 'Rubus' by Gunnar Nylund
By Gunnar Nylund, Rörstrand
Located in Eindhoven, NL
Beautiful iconic table lamp 'Rubus' designed by the Swedish ceramic artist and designer - Gunnar Nylund. This pretty lamp in ceramic glaze has warm soft and brown tones inspired by t...
Ceramic
Gunnar Nylund, Table Lamp, Stoneware, Rörstrand, Sweden 1950s
By Rörstrand, Gunnar Nylund
Located in High Point, NC
A blue-glazed stoneware and brass table lamp, designed by Gunnar Nylund and produced by Rörstrand, Sweden, 1950s. Dimensions of Lamp (inches): 11.1875” Height x 5.0” Diameter Dimen...
Brass
A Chamotte Ceramic Table Lamp by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand
By Gunnar Nylund, Rörstrand
Located in New York, NY
A small, course-glazed table lamp designed by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand. The lamp base made of chamotte stoneware, glazed in a rich turquoise color. Price includes new wiring, lamp...
Ceramic
Gunnar Nylund 'Rubus' Ceramic Table Lamp Rörstrand, Sweden, 1965
By Gunnar Nylund, Rörstrand
Located in The Hague, NL
This striking table lamp was designed by Gunnar Nylund and produced in Sweden in the 1960s. Nylund, renowned for designing many classics for the Swedish ceramic factory Rörstrand, cr...
Ceramic, Stoneware, Fabric
$3,349Sale Price|20% Off
H 17.72 in Dm 9.45 in
Gunnar Nylund 45cm Mother-of-pearl 1936 Lamp Rorstrand Sweden
By Gunnar Nylund, rorstrand studio, Rörstrand
Located in Forest, BE
This is a real lamp in mother of pearl finish by Swedish master ceramicist Gunnar Nylund. Made in 1936. It's a real lamp not as most of them a vase transformed as a lamp. There's a n...
Clay, Linen
$897
H 5.91 in W 4.73 in D 4.73 in
Mid-Century Swedish Stoneware Table Lamp by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand, 1950s
By Gunnar Nylund
Located in Berlin, BE
Beautiful sculptural ceramic base in a warm, finely textured glaze typical of Nylund’s post-war stoneware work for Rörstrand. The form is compact and elegant, with a subtle organic s...
Ceramic, Stoneware
$3,224
H 13.39 in Dm 4.53 in
Gunnar Nylund, Blue Speckled Stoneware Table Lamp for Rörstrand, Sweden, 1940s
By Gunnar Nylund, Gustavsberg, rorstrand studio, Carl-Harry Stålhane, Rörstrand
Located in Malmö, SE
A beautiful mid-century stoneware table lamp with amazing glaze. Made by Gunnar Nylund for Rörstrand, Sweden, 1940s. Great original condition. Signed 'G.N.' and makers mark 'R'. S...
Ceramic, Stoneware
$1,315
H 10.24 in Dm 6.11 in
Gunnar Nylund Glazed Ceramic Table Lamp, Model 669, Rörstrand, Sweden, 1960s
By Gunnar Nylund, Rörstrand
Located in The Hague, NL
This rare table lamp was designed by Gunnar Nylund and produced by Rörstrand in Sweden during the 1960s. The base is marked on the bottom with Rörstrand’s symbol (R), "GN" for Gunnar...
Ceramic, Fabric
Sold
H 43.51 in Dm 11.82 in
Gunnar Nylund 'Rubus' Stoneware Floor/ Large Table Lamp Rörstrand, Sweden, 1960s
By Gunnar Nylund, Rörstrand
Located in The Hague, NL
This striking floor or large table lamp was designed by Gunnar Nylund and produced in Sweden in the 1960s. Nylund, renowned for designing many classics for the Swedish ceramic factor...
Stoneware, Fabric
Pair of Table Lamps by Gunnar Nylund, Sweden, 1960s
By Gunnar Nylund, Rörstrand
Located in Östermalm, Stockholms län
Pair of cool table lamps by Gunnar Nylund, with stoneware bases from the series “Sintra”. The series was introduced in 1965 and drew inspiration from Danish midcentury stoneware desi...
Brass