På Femte Våningen at Retromässan

These are a few of todays purchases; a Stig Lindberg vase, a Rolf Palm miniature and Berndt Friberg dish. If not yet posted on www.pafemtevaningen.com these will be available on Retromässan at Munchenbryggeriet, November the 11th to the 13th. På Femte Våningen would love to meet you there.

Bottoms up

Earlier we've pointed out Hans-Agne Jakobsson as an underestimated designer of lighting. In this matter the relative lack of interest in swedish potter Tom Möller (1914-2009) is even more startling. Tom and his wife Grete Möller ran a studio in Stockholm between 1943-70. Though mainly associated with Reijmyre glass (Tom also worked for Alsterbro and Lindshammar), Möller's ceramic pieces are far more scarce and characteristically interesting.

The simple and functional shapes of both glass and ceramics are by all means of high standard. However, it's in the surface designs that Möller's potency truly stand out. The pattern-like decors, even in solitary figures, are always of infallible and unpredictable colour sense. It's a bothering thought that Möller never put his mind to fabrics and wallpapers...

Putting his signature on pieces Möller generally abstracted the specific decor with a title and a symbol. These are in themselves pieces of art and indicate a sincere respect and pride of the individual works. It's about time that we pay them the same respect.

Miniature vase by Berndt Friberg for Gustavsberg contrasted with an Anna-Lisa Thomson floor vase for Upsala Ekeby. Soon to be posted on the website.

The website categories are now all updated and new objects will be posted throughout the month. Since the last post here a jewelry category has been created and a miscallaneous category is under construction. Proper blog posts are also to be expected but for now there's just a glimpse of some of the latest purchases for the store. Of particular significance here is the Guido Gambone vessel that we are very proud to add to our selection.

Small monuments

Arne Jones (1914-76): A few years ago I was living close to Västertorp sculpture park and saw his "Cathedral" sculpture regulary. A stunning piece. Considered a man of 1947 (1947 Års Män) Arne Jones and the others (such as Olle Bonnier, Pierre Olofsson and Lennart Rodhe) played a significant role in the breakthrough of concretism in Sweden. The "Blossom" wall sculpture for sale on www.pafemtevaningen.com is in deed not monumental but utterly decorative. Notable also is that "Blossom" sculptures only rarely are signed and numbered.

Elis Nordh (1918-1984): As I bought this piece a couple of years ago at a car boot sale the seller said "I believe it's art". At the time not familiar with the artist, well so did I. Elis Nordh is another an artist who made a large series of monumental public sculptures. A delicate example is the 1962 "Trollrunan" bronze in Norrköping. We've not yet decided wether this sculpture is to keep or to be posted on the website.

Sven Lundqvist (1918-2010): The first Sven Lundqvist I experienced was a close friend's ceramic model for "Lyckan" (Happiness) outside the city hospital in Eskilstuna. Here in Stockholm his sculptures are numeral and I associate this bronze (probably a print worker) with his quite common "Tidningsläsaren" (Paper reader) for some reason. Most likely founded at Herman Bergmans, Stockholm. Will be posted on the website soon.