VASE (BLUE-GRAY CARBORUNDUM) H559

This series, released in 1956, differs from techniques that generate bubbles using potatoes or sawdust, instead utilizing fine granular carborundum (silicon carbide).
Carborundum is a substance also used as an abrasive, possessing a hardness second only to diamond. When mixed with glass, it does not evaporate to form bubbles but remains enclosed within the glass, creating a visual effect like tiny bubbles (actual bubbles are also included).
Works made with carborundum (with some exceptions such as gray and clear) come in unique forms that do not have other color variations, were produced for a short period, and are therefore rare.
Furthermore, the way the cut signatures are applied also differs from other colored glass, indicating that it is a special series.

This model was designed around 1956.
The cut signature reads "Boda H559 Höglund."
*In good condition with no noticeable damage.
*Our shop issues certificates of authenticity based on our accumulated experience.
The last image is an advertisement from 1956.

ERIK HÖGLUND｜1932-1998｜SWEDEN
Erik Höglund was a leading artist/designer in Sweden.
After studying sculpture at Konstfack in Stockholm, he began his career as a designer at BODA in 1953 and was actively involved with the company for about 20 years.

Inspired by various traditions and indigenous cultures, he actively incorporated bubbles and distortions as part of the expression, pursuing forms that convey the warmth of the human hand.
His unique worldview, which elevated the primitive to the modern, brought new possibilities for expression in glass art.
His unconventional style initially caused controversy, but he built trust through his unwavering passion for creation and tireless efforts.

In 1957, he won the Lunning Prize, the most prestigious award in Nordic design, proving that his expression was "one of Nordic design."
Furthermore, at the age of 25, he was the youngest recipient among the illustrious past winners, including Hans J. Wegner, Tapio Wirkkala, Kaj Franck, and Timo Sarpaneva.
In the same year, he also won a silver medal at the Milan Triennale, solidifying his international reputation and marking a turning point in his career as a designer, as he rapidly transformed from an "outsider" to "the darling of the era."

His field of activity was not limited to glass; from the early 1960s, he created works combining wrought iron and glass, as well as woodwork.
In 1968, he co-founded the design company "Backström & Höglund AB" with Monica Backström, also a designer at Boda and his partner at the time, and worked on designs in a wide range of fields, including furniture and household goods.
Throughout his life, he created paintings and bronze works, and was involved in commission work such as church wall decorations, furnishings, interior design, and public monuments, expanding his creative activities into various fields.

The artist at the glass factory who appears in the film "Mitt liv som hund (My Life as a Dog)" directed by the Swedish master Lasse Hallström is based on Erik Höglund, and the film depicts him before he gained recognition.