Dish designed by Berndt Friberg for Gustavsberg
Sweden, 1950s
Stoneware. Berndt Friberg was one of the most accomplished Swedish ceramicists of the 20th century, renowned for his exceptional glazes and forms. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Friberg personally threw and glazed every piece he created, earning him a reputation for unparalleled craftsmanship. His mastery of the rabbit’s fur glaze technique, achieved by mouth-spraying layers of differently coloured glazes, resulted in a striking variety of hues that collectors highly prize. During his lifetime, Friberg enjoyed great success, with even the King of Sweden, an avid ceramics collector, previewing his exhibitions to select pieces before the public.
Friberg’s work evolved over time, with his early matte glazes giving way to shinier finishes from the late 1950s, often featuring striking geometric patterns. His creations ranged from tiny miniatures, some no larger than a few centimetres, to large floor vases, each meticulously crafted with a small foot ring characteristic of his style. A perfectionist, Friberg ensured that his vessels were flawless, carefully avoiding dried glaze droplets on the brown foot rings that became a hallmark of his work.
For nearly fifty years, Friberg worked at Gustavsberg, Sweden’s most prestigious porcelain company, established in 1826. He began as a thrower for Wilhelm Kåge in 1934 and later collaborated with Stig Lindberg while developing his own signature style, influenced by traditional Asian pottery. His elegant designs, combined with his technical prowess, solidified his legacy as a master of Swedish ceramics.
Signed.
Berndt Friberg is among the most skilled Swedish ceramicists of the 20th century. He produced tremendously sought-after pottery and created exceptional glazes and forms. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he threw and glazed all of his pieces himself.
Berndt Friberg mastered the technique of rabbit’s fur glaze, which is achieved by mouth spraying layers of differently coloured glaze onto the body of the vessel. His ceramics with this type of glaze — in a large variety of different colours — are particularly collectable. Friberg was very successful during his lifetime. The late King of Sweden, a dedicated ceramics collector, was allowed to view Friberg’s exhibitions before the openings to select Fridberg’s pieces.
Friberg’s early glazed works were matte but became increasingly shiny from the late 50s onward, often showing striking geometric patterns. His work consists of objects in every size, ranging from miniatures — the smallest of which is no larger than a couple of centimetres — to large floor vases. Friberg always placed each of his vessels on a small foot ring, and since he was a perfectionist, he made sure that there were never any dried glaze droplets on these characteristically brown foot rings.
Friberg spent almost fifty years at Gustavsberg, the most renowned Swedish porcelain company that originated in 1826. He started as a thrower for Wilhelm Kåge in 1934, and from 1937 onwards, he also created pottery for Stig Lindberg. Alongside his work for other artists, Friberg developed his own style of producing elegant vessels based on Asian traditional pottery.
H: 9 cm / 3 1/2"
D: 32 cm / 1' 1/2"
Price: 19 500 SEK
Approximate price in your local currency
1 699 EUR
1 759 USD
1 437 GBP
274 139 JPY
