FabrikantSwedish
Kosta
3 actieve items
Kosta Glasbruk, founded on 26 July 1742, is the oldest continuously operating glassworks in Sweden. It was established by two officers from Charles XII's army, Anders Koskull and Georg Bogislaus Staël von Holstein, in the forests of Småland. The name "Kosta" is a portmanteau derived from the founders' surnames: Ko(skull) and Sta(ël von Holstein). The location was chosen strategically between Stockholm and Karlskrona, with the surrounding forests providing abundant wood fuel for the furnaces.
During its first 150 years, Kosta produced utilitarian and fine glassware, including window panes, crystal chandeliers, and tableware, primarily for royalty, nobility, and wealthy merchants. The artistic direction shifted in 1898 when Gunnar G:son Wennerberg was hired as the company's first dedicated designer, introducing Art Nouveau influences to the production. In 1935, Tyra Lundgren became the first female artist at the glassworks. The Art Deco period saw Elis Bergh serve as artistic director from 1928 to 1950, creating geometrically refined pieces that are now prized by collectors.
The arrival of Vicke Lindstrand as artistic director in 1950 marked a transformative era. Previously at Orrefors, Lindstrand brought bold experimentation with color, form, and technique to Kosta. He pioneered the Ariel technique alongside Edvin Öhrström and created series including the Colora range of layered art glass vases and the celebrated Zebra vases with their distinctive colored line patterns. Lindstrand remained at Kosta until 1973, and his work is held by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Kosta merged with Boda and Åfors glassworks in 1976 to form Kosta Boda AB, later joining with Orrefors. Today the combined entity operates under the New Wave Group. The glassworks in Kosta village remains active and is a centerpiece of the Glasriket (Kingdom of Crystal) tourist region in Småland, which attracts around one million visitors annually.
At auction, Kosta glass spans a wide range of periods and styles. Mid-century pieces by Vicke Lindstrand are among the most collected, with prices ranging from modest sums for simple production pieces to several thousand kronor for rare art glass objects. Elis Bergh's Art Deco crystal and Wennerberg's early Art Nouveau pieces also attract strong interest. Kosta items appear regularly at Scandinavian auction houses including Bukowskis, Uppsala Auktionskammare, and across Auctionet's network of houses.