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.
Pair of Black & Yellow Glass Handkerchief Vases by Ulrica Hydman-Vallien
By Ulrica Hydman-Vallien, Kosta Boda
Located in Barcelona, ES
Pair of "handkerchief" style vases by Ulrica Hydman-Vallien for Kosta Boda, Sweden, 1980s. Whimsical graffiti style hand-painted pattern on mouth-blown art glass. Marked UHV at bottom.
Art Glass
$180Sale Price|20% Off
H 4.25 in Dm 2.5 in
Miniature "Open Minds" Art Glass Vase by Ulrica Hydman-Vallien for Kosta Boda
By Kosta Boda, Ulrica Hydman-Vallien
Located in San Diego, CA
Miniature "Open Minds" art glass vase by Ulrica Hydman-Vallien for Kosta Boda, circa 1980s. This beautiful piece is hand painted and in very good condition with no chips or cracks. T...
Art Glass
$859
H 13.5 in Dm 6.25 in
Mid Century Modern Art Glass Large Vase for Kosta Boda by Ulrica Hydman Valliens
By Kosta Boda, Ulrica Hydman-Vallien
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fantastic simple and elegant designer Art Glass vase by Ulrica Hydman-Valliens for Kosta Boda. Open Minds is the vases name as it was blown in different sizes, this example being a t...
Art Glass
$535
H 7.25 in Dm 4.25 in
Mid Century Modern Art Glass Vase Kosta Boda by Ulrica Hydman-Valliens Open Mind
By Kosta Boda, Ulrica Hydman-Vallien
Located in Port Jervis, NY
Fantastic simple and elegant Art Glass Vase Open Minds cat face design for Kosta Boda by Ulrica Hydman-Vallien . This is a medium sized version of the vase, stands at 6.25 inches t...
Art Glass
Bertil Vallien Windpipe Vase by Kosta Boda, Scandinavian Art Glass
By Bertil Vallien, Kosta Boda
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Bertil Vallien vase in art glass. Made by Kosta Boda. Model Windpipe, signed
Art Glass
$760Sale Price|20% Off
H 8.25 in Dm 6.75 in
Ulrica Hydman-Vallien "Open Minds" Kosta Boda Art Glass Large Face Bowl Vase
By Kosta Boda, Ulrica Hydman-Vallien
Located in San Diego, CA
Ulrica Hydman-Vallien "Open Minds" Kosta Boda art glass large vase/pedestal bowl. Made in Sweden and is signed on the bottom. Excellent condition with no issues. No chips, no cracks,...
Art Glass
Ulrica Hydman Vallien for Kosta Boda. "Tiger" vase in art glass.
Located in København, Copenhagen
Ulrica Hydman Vallien (1938–2018) for Kosta Boda. "Tiger" vase in art glass. Late 20th century. In perfect condition. With label. Dimensions: H 20.0 cm x W 14.0 cm.
Art Glass
$645
H 7.5 in W 4.25 in D 2.25 in
Modernist Rectangular Translucent Glass Vase by Bertil Vallien for Kosta Boda
By Kosta Boda, Bertil Vallien
Located in New York, NY
This stunning modernist vase was realized by Bertil Vallien for Kosta Boda in Sweden during the latter half of the 20th century. It features a volumetric rectangular body in transluc...
Blown Glass
Ulrica Hydman for Kosta Boda Open Minds miniature vase , Sweden
By Ulrica Hydman-Vallien
Located in Delft, NL
Ulrica Hydman for Kosta Boda Open Minds miniature vase , Sweden Dimensions: 9,5cm Height , 5,5cm Width , 6cm Depth Condition: Good Materi...
Art Glass
Bertil Vallien Art Glass Vase by Kosta Boda, Scandinavian Modern
By Bertil Vallien, Kosta Boda
Located in Esbjerg, DK
Bertil Vallien vase in art glass. Made by Kosta Boda.
Art 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
Bertil Vallien, Vase, Glass, Sweden, 1980s
By Bertil Vallien, Kosta Boda
Located in High Point, NC
A blown blue glass vase designed by Bertil Vallien and produced by Kosta Boda, Sweden, c. 1984.
Glass
$200
H 1.58 in W 4.34 in D 4.34 in
Ulrica Hydman Vallien for Kosta Boda, Sweden, Triangular Candlestick
Located in København, Copenhagen
Ulrica Hydman Vallien for Kosta Boda, Sweden. Triangular candlestick in clear mouth blown art glass decorated with gold and black. Swedish design 1980s. Measures: 11 x 4.5 cm. In...