ARTHUR PERCY & HUGO GEHLIN. Vases, 8 pcs, glass, Gullaskruf Glasbruk.

Purple tinted glass, two bulb vases designed by Arthur Percy, other vases designed by Hugo Gehlin. Partially labelled.
Height 16-26.5 cm.

Carl Arthur Percy, born 10 August 1886 in Vickleby on Öland, was a prominent Swedish artist and designer. He began his artistic education at the Artists' Union School in Stockholm and continued his studies in Paris at the Académie Matisse together with some of his fellow artists, including his friend Isaac Grünewald. Percy debuted as part of the artist group "The Young Ones" and became known for his flower paintings and portraits.

During the First World War, Percy lived in Gothenburg before returning to France and Cagnes-sur-Mer. In 1923, he became artistic director at the Gefle Porslinsfabrik, where he created ground-breaking design and crockery that spread widely. His work became known for combining traditional and modern styles, and he became a seminal designer in the porcelain and glass industry. Among his successful tableware are "Iris", "Suecia", "Haga" and "Exotica".

After the Gefle Porslinsfabrik was sold to the Upsala-Ekeby companies in 1935, Percy gradually reduced his influence on the factory's production. Instead, he sought new clients and from 1946 composed glass for Gullaskruf's glass factory. He was lured there by his childhood friend William Stenberg, who was manager of the mill. Percy created for Gullaskruf the popular press glass series "Reffla", which gave the traditionally overdecorated press glass a modern character. He also designed clear, free-blown glass in soft pastel colors and often used it in his artful still lifes, called "layouts".

Arthur Percy was a significant designer within Swedish grace and Art Déco, and his artistic legacy lives on as an important part of Sweden's design history. His time at Gullaskruf's glass factory was a continuation of his successful career as a designer and contributed to giving the factory a new and modern expression.