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.
Erik Hoglund Attr. Smoked Glass Relief Plaque for Kosta Boda
By Erik Höglund, Kosta Boda
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Smoked glass relief plaque attributed to Erik Hoglund for Kosta Boda, cast with an embossed figure of a glass blower in a bent working posture, blowpipe in hand. The figure is render...
Metal, Wire
Swedish Apple Window Decoration in Glass from Kosta Boda, 1970s
By Kosta Boda
Located in Hamburg, DE
Swedish Apple Window Decoration in Glass from Kosta Boda, 1970s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1970 to 1979 official proof of authenticity such as vintage catalogs, designer reco...
Glass
Swedish Bird Window Decoration in Glass from Kosta Boda 1970s
By Kosta Boda
Located in Hamburg, DE
Swedish Bird Window Decoration in Glass from Kosta Boda, 1970s, in Very Good conditions Designed 1970 to 1979 official proof of authenticity such as vintage catalogs, designer record...
Glass
Swedish Fish Window Decoration in Glass from Kosta Boda, 1970s
By Kosta Boda
Located in Hamburg, DE
Swedish Fish Window Decoration in Glass from Kosta Boda, 1970s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1970 to 1979 official proof of authenticity such as vintage catalogs, designer recor...
Glass
Swedish Bird Window Decoration in Glass from Kosta Boda, 1970s
By Kosta Boda
Located in Hamburg, DE
Swedish Bird Window Decoration in Glass from Kosta Boda, 1970s, in Very Good conditions. Designed 1970 to 1979 official proof of authenticity such as vintage catalogs, designer recor...
Glass
Framed French White Marble Ecclesiastical Relief Plaque c.1912
Located in Wormelow, Herefordshire
A fascinating early 20th century French white marble relief plaque of ecclesiastical theme, dated 1912 and indistinctly signed ‘Guidig’ to the bottom right hand corner. The carved ...
Marble
Erik Höglund, Unique Relief, Glass and Concrete, Steel Frame
By Erik Höglund
Located in Stockholm, SE
A unique relief / wall plate in glass, concrete and steel frame. Made by Erik Höglund (1932-1998), Sweden. Not signed. Sweden, 1970s-1980s.
Concrete, Steel
Ceramic Tile Wall Art Decoration from a Cat
By Tackoen
Located in Antwerp, BE
Ceramic tile wall art decoration from a cat. Height 94 cm. Width 47 cm. Depth 3 cm.
Wood, Ceramic
Pair Art Nouveau Bronze Relief Wall Plaques
Located in Kastrup, DK
Pair of fine Art Nouveau / Jugendstyl gilt bronze relief wall plaques, with wonderful details, mounted in walnut frames. The reliefs depict Diana, ...
Bronze
1970s earthenware wall decoration with thistle decorations
Located in Frederiksberg C, DK
1970s earthenware wall decoration with thistle decorations. Earthenware wall decoration / dish with glazed front with thistle decorations and a matte backside signed by the ceramicis...
Earthenware, Ceramic
$1,040 / set
H 2 in W 12 in D 12 in
Pair of Victorian Neoclassical Giltwood & Alabaster Bas-Relief Plaques, 1900s
Located in Worcester Park, GB
A beautiful pair of antique Victorian neoclassical bas-relief plaques, featuring finely sculpted classical scenes in white marble or alabaster, presented in wonderfully ornate French...
Alabaster
Crane Copper Wall Decoration Wall Panel Plaque Vintage, 1970s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful, vintage copper crane themed wall decor. It would make a beautiful wall decoration in a seating or living area. Vibrant colors and excellent craftsmanship. Made in the 19...
Copper
$1,115Sale Price|20% Off
H 6.11 in W 17.33 in D 0.4 in
Fish Wall Plaque Panel Relief Master Work Helmut Schaffenacker Ceramic Pottery
By Helmut Friedrich Schäffenacker
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
A polychrome glazed pottery wall plaque decorated with several fish, created by Helmut Schaffenacker of Ulm in the 1950s. Helmut Schaffenacker was a renowned German ceramist known fo...
Ceramic, Pottery
Landscape Crane Birds Brass Wall Decoration Vintage, 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful vintage brass crane themed wall decoration. This decorative item would make a beautiful ornament on each wall. Made in the 1960s it di...
Brass
Large Flying Swallow Bird Nickel Metal Wall Decoration Vintage, 1960s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful large vintage nickel flying swallow wall decoration. This would make a beautiful ornament on a wall. It comes with some patina and looks it is an excellent craftsmanship....
Nickel
Pair Antique Neoclassical Bronze Bas Relief Wall Plaques
Located in New York, NY
Pair of antique (late 19th century) neoclassical patinated bronze bas relief plaques, attributed to Christofle, allegorical of winter and autumn. Winter shown with three cherubs aro...
Bronze
$460
H 9.88 in W 16.63 in D 0.5 in
Fossil Bonefish Fish Copper Wall Decoration Wall Panel Picture Vintage, 1970s
Located in Nuernberg, DE
A beautiful, vintage copper Bone Fish themed wall decor picture. It would make a beautiful ornament at your wall. Vibrant colors and excellent craftsmanship. Also a great wall hangin...
Copper
Erik Höglund Glass Relief Plaque for Kosta Boda
By Erik Höglund, Kosta Boda
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Decorative smoked glass plaque with embossed, medieval motif, of three knights on a horse. The plaque measures 10.25 inches wide by 11 inches tall and hangs from a black chain link m...
Smoked Glass
Petite Glass Eagle Wall Hanging by Kosta Boda
By Kosta Boda
Located in San Diego, CA
Petite glass eagle wall hanging by Kosta Boda. This piece has a nice texture and color.
Blown Glass
Sold
H 70.87 in W 19.69 in D 1.97 in
Rare Large Unicum Eric Hoglund Wrought Iron and Glass Wall Sculpture, Sweden
By Erik Höglund, Kosta Boda
Located in Antwerp, BE
This original Eric Hoglund for Kosta Boda wall sculpture was made of hand-wrought iron and rectangular colored glass pieces in amber, blue and green in various sizes, Swedish, circa...
Wrought Iron