Description

Lovely Swedish Organic Mid Century Modern pottery vessel created by Thomas Hellstrom for Nittsjö.  Jug style vase with top having a shinny brown glaze on top and spotted off-white bottom.  The whole surfaced is ribbed with lower portion being less prominent.  A single wing form handle was applied on the shoulder and the neck is covered with wood caning.

Stamped on bottom NITTSJO  SWEDEN 5222 and incised THO.

Measurements: 5 1/2 inches diameter x 8 inches high

The last image shows the Hellstrom vase next to a Danish BR vessel with textured bottom half, a perfect pairing.

Swedish ceramist Thomas Hellström (1924-2006) brough innovation with new techniques to Nittsjo when hired in 1958.  Hellstrom continued working for them even after retirement in 1980 for almost 50 years.  Hellstrom is represented at the Swedish National Museum of Art and Design.

The Nittsjo factory’s predecessor was founded in 1843 as a bricks producer.  Terracota utensils and stove tiles were introduced in 1847.  After a devastating fire in late 1890s, a new workshop for the production of ceramics was built. They started making modern pieces in the 1920s and in 1933, Jerk Werkmäster was hired as its first artistic director.  Nittsjo still in business today providing ceramics to the public.