Kaj Franck KF 268 Amber Vase

A hand-blown KF 268 vase in amber and clear glass, designed by Kaj Franck for Nuutajärvi Notsjö, Finland.

The vase has a beautifully simple tapered form, its conical body contrasting with an exaggeratedly thick and weighty foot. The vibrant yellow-amber colour and weight of the glass give the piece a strong architectural presence.

Franck makes particular use of the substantial glass at the base; the pontil has been ground and deeply tunnelled into the centre. This unconventional detail creates shifting shadows and reflections within the vase's foot, while the thickness of the glass intensifies its warm colour as light passes through it.

The luminous colour brings a particularly decorative quality to Franck's otherwise restrained form, shifting from golden yellow to deeper amber-brown where the glass is at its thickest.