Scandinavian 20th-century glass

Over the past few decades, mid 20th-century Scandinavianglass has become increasingly collectable and valuable. Brightly coloured, mould-blown pieces are still fetching low sums because so many were produced, but the best handmade pieces by known designers can be worth thousands of pounds.

Nanny Still for Riihimäen Lasi Oy

During the 1930s, Scandinavian designers strove to produce glass that had a handcrafted quality despite being mass produced and affordable. The success of this initiative led to a boom in glass design, production and export, which, in turn, led to Scandinavian style becoming increasingly influental. Across the world the organically shaped, thick-walled, clear-cased pieces created in Scandinavia were imitated and adapted by a host of factories and designers.

What makes glass valuable?

The discovery that a simple mixture of sand (silica) and sodium carbonate could make glass is attributed to the Mesopotamians 5,000 years ago. We still depend on this formula today, exploring its versatility and beauty in countless ways.

Age is not an accurate barometer of value when assessing glass. A colourful 1950s Murano vase might be worth more than a 2nd century AD Roman glass phial. The assumption that a roughly made piece must be old, or that glass full of bubbles is an antique, isn't necessarily true either.

Antique glass epergne

The epergne is a table centrepiece, which may have a large central bowl or dish, and a series of smaller bowls suspended from a central stem or branches, with the smaller bowls used to display sweetmeats. Some of the grander examples were made in silver, but epergnes were also made in ceramic and glass. The name came probably from the French "épargne" meaning "saving", the idea being that dinner guests were saved the trouble of passing dishes. In traditional use, an epergne is a fancy way to display side dishes, fruit, or sweetmeats, or can be used for chips, dips, or other finger foods etc.
An epergne generally has a large central "bowl" or basket sitting on three to five feet. From this center "bowl" radiate branches supporting small baskets, dishes, or candleholders. There may be between two and seven branches. Epergnes were traditionally made from silver, however from around the start of the 20th century glass was also employed.