Pair of Dark Glass Vases, Kjell Engman for Kosta Boda, Sweden, 1980s

The clear, deliberately unfinished foot beneath the dark color is this pair's quiet signature: a technical detail that reveals the hand-blown glass process and sets the piece apart from simple opaque tinting. This tension between dark mass and clear base is characteristic of Engman's work at Kosta Boda. Kjell Engman joined the Swedish glassworks Kosta Boda in 1978 and became one of the house's leading designers, known for sculptural forms and expressive use of color. This pair of hand-blown vases, tinted a deep near-black brown, reflects a more restrained vein of his work: a curved silhouette, ringed neck, and cleanly cut base. Very good overall condition. The glass shows no chips or cracks; the surface retains its original shine throughout. Engraved signature visible on the underside of the larger vase. Dimensions: large vase, 24 cm high, 17 cm wide, 9 cm deep; small vase, 19 cm high, 14 cm wide, 7 cm deep. Displayed together on a console or mantel, with or without flowers: the pair reads as a sculptural set on its own.