Nanny Still 'Tzarina' Decanter

Nanny Still's 'Tzarina' series is an unconventional masterpiece of Finnish glass design. 

Whilst the application of colour & geometry conforms to Finnish glass of the period, and brilliantly communicates the 1960's 'Pop Art' aesthetic, 'Tzarina's distinctive opaline glass and delicate flourishes suggest the influence of 19th Century continental glassware. This gives Nanny Still's incredible series a surprising & highly individual aesthetic in the context of Modernist Finnish glass.

Handmade at Riihimäen Lasi Oy in around 1964, this conical 'Tzarina' decanter conveys the air of elegance associated with Still's masterful work. The graceful & tapered form, designed to be both functional and beautiful, is crafted from a delicately hued opaline pink glass.

The decanter features a clear glass stopper of stacked beads or spheres. This motif features on almost all items in the 'Tzarina' series, and was applied as stoppers, stems & handles. The stacking of geometric shapes is somewhat a signature of Still's work, and was revisited throughout her career with designs such as 'Juhannussalko' (1956), 'Harlekiini' (1958) and 'Carnevaali' (1960).