Birger Åström - Swedish studio stoneware

For many, the name Birger Åström is familiar from the underside of a bowl or vase from BeKå—the workshop located in Ås, just outside Örnsköldsvik. While his functional ware has frequently appeared at auction over the years, his large-scale sculptural works rarely have.

Birger Åström (1930–2020) opened the workshop in 1952 together with his brother, Karl Erik. From 1957, he operated it under the name BeKå Keramik. Over time, he transitioned from functional objects to decorative ceramics and stoneware sculptures, crafting his own plaster molds and developing his own unique glazes. His ceramics can be found in many homes throughout Örnsköldsvik, and he is also responsible for several public artworks in the municipality. Perhaps best known is Sjöluren—a sculpture that stood outside his workshop for many years and has been located at the Ting1 complex since 2018.

This themed collection focuses on his sculptural work. It features the fruit-inspired pieces for which he is most renowned—an apple standing 40 centimeters tall and a cloudberry measuring 52 centimeters in length—alongside sculptures of horses, a moose, birds, fish, figurative groups, pinecones, and abstract forms. Furthermore, the collection showcases a remarkable variety of glazes, ranging from olive green and mottled red to blue-gray and bronze-lustre finishes.

In total, there are 42 auction lots, most of which originate directly from his own studio in Örnsköldsvik. Welcome!