Vase, modernism, red glass, designed by J. Słuczan-Orkusz, Poland, 1970s

A glass vase from the Krakow Glass Institute, designed by Jerzy Słuczan-Orkusz in the 1970s, is an example of Polish design from that decade combining modernity with craftsmanship. Ruby red blown glass forms a distinctive, shiny shape – a goblet on a tall slender stem, whose middle part is decorated with a series of pronounced ring grooves and a narrowing. The entire piece was handmade from a single piece of glass, as evidenced by delicate bubbles and irregularities. The vase has no additional fittings, and the surface texture – smooth, shiny – in places reveals subtle matting, scratches, signs of use, and patina resulting from long-term use. The item is preserved in a condition bearing natural signs of age and use, visible especially on the surface and at the place of the broken wrap. The expressive colour and slender, organic-geometric form speak of the boldness of Polish artistic glass of the 1970s, which experimented with colour and proportions while remaining true to workshop discipline. The richness of the red changes under the influence of light, revealing transparent layers and nuances, as if the vase evokes frames from the era – times of enthusiasm, craftsmanship, and the search for individual expression in everyday objects. The broken wrap and patina are treated here like small wrinkles of a hero who preserves the history of the place where it was created. This type of vase is worth displaying solo as a distinctive accent on a light wood chest of drawers or a simple metal table. It can break up a subdued mid-century modern arrangement as well as contemporary minimalist interiors. Combined with grey or navy ceramics, a single branch, or left empty, it attracts attention with the proportion of the goblet to the delicate, sculptural base. Good company are other vintage objects from the 1970s – geometric mirrors or hand-painted glass lamps.