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.

Ready mades

Då På Femte Våningen nästan uteslutande söker felfria objekt finns det undantag. Det finns tillfällen då bristen är till föremålets förtjänst. Jag föredrar till exempel mitt knastriga vinylexemplar av Nina Simones Mr Bojangles framför Spotify's. Handtryckt linne, naturläder och svartmenat trä är aldrig så vackert som när ägaren försökt bevara det från tiden men i stora drag misslyckats. Den historian kan aldrig framkallas med färgstänk och sandpapper.
Några industrimöbler och skulpturala objekt kommer att läggas upp på www.pafemtevaningen.com efter årskiftet.

As På Femte Våningen almost solely seek flawless objects there are exceptions. There are occasions when the flaw is of advantage to the item. I for instance prefer my crackling vinyl example of Nina Simone's Mr Bojangles to Spotify's. Hand printed linen, natural leather and dark wood is never as beautiful as when the owner has tried to preserve it from time and generally failed. That's a kind of history that can't be called forth by stains of paint and sandpaper.
Some industrial furniture and sculptural objects well be posted on www.pafemtevaningen.com after the turn of the year.

Hans Agne Jakobsson

Två av Sveriges mest underskattade formgivare är enligt oss Hans Agne Jakobsson och Gunnar Ander (Ander är ett senare kapitel). Då båda var oerhört produktiva arbetade Jakobsson till skillnad från Ander ganska snävt och företrädesvis med ljuskällor. Efter initial anställning som industridesigner vid General Motors och sedermera Carl Malmsten och Werner West etablerade han 1951 Hans-Agne Jakobsson AB i Markaryd. Den dämpade belysningen blev ett kännetecken för företaget.
Bordslampan i mässing inhandlades på Lidingös Röda Korset för 6-7 år sedan och tillhör de få föremål i hemmet som jag tror att jag aldrig kommer göra mig av med. Ljuslyktorna i mässing och glas utformade Jakobsson för Liljeholmens Stämningsljus och förekommer i ett flertal varianter och med olika färgställning. Enastående såväl som solitärer som i grupp.

Hans-Agne Jakobsson and Gunnar Ander (Ander is a later chapter) are in our opinion two of the most underestimated designers in Sweden. Though both were utterly productive Jakobsson differ from Ander in being quite narrow and working preferably with lightspots. Initially employed as an industrial designer for General Motors and later Carl Malmsten and Werner West, he in 1951 established Hans-Agne Jakobsson AB in Markaryd. The soft light became a distinctive mark of the company.
I picked up the brass table lamp in a thrift store on Lidingö 6-7 years ago and it belongs to the very few items that I think I'll never get tired of. The lanterns in brass and glass were designed by Jakobsson for Liljeholmens Stämningsljus and appear in multiple shapes and colours. Stunning as solitaires as well as in groups.

Store is open

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