Autumn Leafs Ravenna

Data: Signed Orrefors, Ravenna 151, Sven Palmqvist, Sweden”. Height; 16 cm.

Exhibited: (i) Orrefors Showrooms in Malmö 1985, (ii) in the catalogue "Orrefors Presents The Andres Laszlo Jr. Collection," (iii) full-page photo in "Svenskt Konstglas” 1991, page 94, and (iv) on page 10 of "Svenskt Konstglas," this Ravenna is depicted alongside two Ariel pieces as an example of Swedish crystal at its finest.

Provenance; This Ravenna from 1951 was originally commissioned by the Museum of Trondheim [Norway], but somehow it was diverted and ended up in private ownership. It was then inherited, and I purchased it from the heirs.

The piece. This boat shape was common among the earliest Ravennas, and it is perhaps in these early boat shapes - often featuring semi-figurative motifs, a clear base, a matching rim and a double layer of glass plates - that the Ravenna reaches its highest level. When I - in my book - talk about the best Ravennas combining technique and artistry to reach world-class status, this is the sort of object I am referring to. In later Ravennas, the colour powder was often neglected or regarded as an unnecessary nuisance. However, in the early Ravennas, the colour powder was an important ingredient, and this very early Ravenna illustrates this exceptionally well. Having the rim in a different colour from the background, particularly in the same colour as the motif, was not unusual for the early Ravennas.