PIERRE FORSSELL (1925-2004). A brass “Kulvase” vase, Skultuna, marked with signature and Mässingssmedjan from the second half of the 20th century.

Height approx. 16.5 cm. Diameter 10 cm.

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LITERATURE
Thomas Lindblad, 2020, Designer Pierre Forsell: silversmithing, industrial design, sculpture in brass, p. 184

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ABOUT THE DESIGNER:
Pierre Forssell (1925-2004) was active at Skultuna Messingsbruk from 1955 to 1986 and for more than thirty years he helped to bring the old mill into a new era with his austere and modernist design.

His artistic career began at the age of 18 and at Konstfack he was trained in decorative painting and later switched to the silversmith line. After his education he was hired as a designer at Atelier Borgila in Stockholm and at the age of 27 he started as a freelance designer for Gense where he mainly designed stainless steel household items. In 1955 he exhibited at the Helsingborg exhibition H55 and received considerable attention for his functional and original design.

In his own workshop at Skultuna, Mässingsstudion, he designed several of his most iconic objects today, such as the Aniara candlesticks and the wall lamps Pendle and Reflex, and with his modern design, Forssell helped make brass a popular material and raised the status of the mill.

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PROVENANCE: Ingegerd Högström

Ingegerd Högström started working at Skultuna Mässingsstudio in 1981. She was a trained chemist and had previously worked in laboratory operations. At the studio, she handled bookkeeping, administration and guided tours of the studio that was adjacent to the workshop known as the forge. Her son tells us that she had a good relationship with the employees and provided them with homemade coffee bread in abundance. When Forssell retired, responsibility for the operation of the workshop was taken over by Rune Yttermalm and in 1991 when the business was shut down so did Ingegerd.

From her time at Skultuna Mässingsstudio, she brought with her many of the unusual objects designed by Pierre Forssell that are now on sale at Crafoord Auktioner's Design Sale XII.