Kosta Boda Mine Black Decorative Bowl, 5.25 X 2.75

Renowned for her expressive and energetic work, artist Ulrica Hydman-Vallien designed the Mine line for Kosta Boda with free-flowing color and organic shaping. The collection - a blend of bowls, dishes, and tumblers - is at once bold and subtle, with richly layered veils of a single hue in each piece. Subtle ribbing, polished rims, and simple flared silhouettes complete the design. The colors throughout the collection offer a striking complement to one another or stand alone with confidence. Handcrafted in Sweden, each Mine edition is distinctive in its details.

Suitable for both display and function, this substantial little bowl features beautiful wisps and swirls of color against a clear background. The thick sides and flat bottom create a handsome, artisanal quality. Completely lead-free, the bowl measures 5-3/8 inches in diameter and stands 2-3/4 inches high. It should be washed by hand for best results.

Born in 1939, Ulrica Hydman-Vallien has been on retainer at Kosta Boda since 1972. One of Sweden's best known and most popular artists, she creates unmistakable figures that can be seen on Ericsson mobile phones and the tails of British Airways airplanes, among other places. Hydman-Vallien's most important form of expression, however, is through her glass designs, which also played a large part in Kosta Boda's success in the 1980s and 1990s. "For me," she explains, "glass must always be close to your hand, to your innermost feelings, to your heart." Working with free and unrestrained energy, Hydman-Vallien paints her striking and humorous designs straight onto the glass. Her distinctive female faces, tulips, and snakes have decorated big-selling classics such as Open Minds, Tulipa, and Caramba. Her work is also exhibited in museums and collections all over the world.

With characteristic craftsmanship and good design, Kosta Boda has become one of the leading glasshouses in the world. The company's three glassworks in the villages of Kosta, Boda, and Åfors each have exciting individual stories, yet stand together under the common brand name Kosta Boda. The corps of designers currently on retainer at Kosta Boda works with both utilitarian and art glass. Glass results from a great many meetings between people - artists, craftspeople, and lovers of glass. The artists of Kosta Boda have a decisive role to play in all the creative stages of the process. The cooperation between the designers and the skilled craftspeople is very close; indeed, it is essential if the designers are to transfer their intentions to the glass.

Kosta, the parent glassworks of Kosta Boda and the oldest glassworks in Sweden still in operation, has a fascinating history that forms a valuable part of Swedish cultural heritage. The glassworks was founded in 1742 by the governors of the counties of Kronoberg and Kalmar, Anders Koskull and Georg Bogislaus Stael von Holstein, both former generals in the army of Karl XII and distinguished veterans of the battle of Narva, among others. During the first 150 years, the glassworks in Kosta produced only utility glass, including window glass for the building of Tessin's Royal Palace, bottles and glass for the royal household, and chandeliers for churches. Until the end of the 19th century, the glass from Kosta was designed by the glassblowers themselves, but the idea of enlisting designers and artists in production led to the employment of the first designer, Gunnar Wennerberg, in 1898.

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