ArtistSwedish
Paul Hoff
14 active items
Paul Hoff arrived at Gustavsberg's porcelain factory in 1969 and found himself working alongside some of the most significant names in Swedish ceramics: Berndt Friberg, Lisa Larson, and Stig Lindberg were all active at the factory. Born in Stockholm in 1945, Hoff had studied at the University of Arts, Crafts and Design (Konstfack) from 1963 to 1968, training in both ceramics and glass. At Gustavsberg he found a factory with a deep tradition of giving artists creative freedom within an industrial production framework.
His most celebrated work from the Gustavsberg period is the series "Arter i fara" (Endangered Species), begun in 1973. These large stoneware figurines depicted threatened animals, including the mountain fox, toad, eagle-owl, and most famously the Lappuggla (Great Grey Owl, Strix nebulosa). Produced in limited editions for the department store NK in Stockholm, with part of the profits going to the World Wildlife Fund, the series combined artistic ambition with conservation awareness. The Strix nebulosa owl in particular has become one of the most recognisable ceramic sculptures in modern Swedish craft, its textured stoneware surface capturing the bird's dense plumage with remarkable naturalism.
The "Tarzan" series offered a different register: four animal figures (fish, horse, lion, and seal) in surreal, stylised forms with printed colourful decor that showed Hoff's range beyond naturalistic animal portraiture. After a period as glass designer at Kosta Boda, Hoff returned to Gustavsberg in 1981, resuming his popular production of birds and other animal figures.
At auction, Hoff's ceramics appear across Swedish houses including Crafoord Auktioner, Stockholms Auktionsverk, Karlstad Hammaro Auktionsverk, and Formstad Auktioner. The Strix nebulosa owl sculptures dominate the top of the market, reaching 14,100 to 16,000 SEK. With 176 items on Auctionist, his work maintains steady demand among collectors of Swedish studio ceramics and animal sculpture.