Simon Gate
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a 'Slottsglas' ("Palace glass") footed bowl, Orrefors, Sweden 1920s.
Dark green 'optic blown' glass, twisted stem, engraved signature Orrefors. Height 17 cm, diameter ca 15.3 cm.
Literature
Derek E Ostergard, Nina Stritzler-Levine (ed), 'The Brilliance of Swedish Glass, 1918-1939', New Haven 1996, sid 202-203.
Sara Danius, Jan Hellner, "A love of glass, Agnes Hellner's collection of Orrefors glass", Raster förlag 1998, compare pp 203-203.
More information
The first 'Slottsglas' glass pieces were shown at the Gothenburg Jubilee exhibition in 1923. There were thin flower-like glasses on twisted stems in dark green, blue or brown colours. They were designed by Simon Gate and executed by Knut Bergkvist for Orrefors.
The slottsglas were produced in a series with models from A to V, in 20 different designs. It was intended that each model would be produced in an edition of maximum 30 pieces, but it turned out to not being the case. Most models were produced in an edition of less than 15 pieces.
Designer
Simon Gate was a Swedish glass artist, painter, and designer. After studying at the Academy of Arts, he started working at the Orrefors glass factory. Together with the glass artist Edward Hald, he contributed to the glass factory's first international success. From 1916, Simon Gate produced the so-called ’graal’ glass, which master blower Knut Bergqvist further developed from cameo glass. Today, the graal glass pieces from Orrefors are among the most sought-after pieces of art glass among Swedish collectors. Together with Knut Bergqvist, he also created the so-called ’slottsglas’ which have received much attention recently. Simon Gate also became famous for his engraving compositions on the glasses, which were decorated with, among other things, processions and dancing women.
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