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Large vintage Boda Smide handmade tree of life "Helicon" candle holder candelabra designed by Bertil Vallien
Boda Smide

Bertil Vallien "Tree of Life" Chandelier

£375.00
Shipping calculated at checkout.

A large iron candle chandelier in the form of a tree, designed c.1970 by Bertil Vallien as part of his 'Helicon' series and handmade at the Boda Smide workshop, Sweden. This desirable series is also known amongst collectors as "Tree of Life".

Boda was one of Sweden's leading glass manufacturers in the 20th Century, with their designers - particularly Erik Höglund and Bertil Vallien - making a sizeable impact on the aesthetics of the mid-century Scandinavian home. In the early 1960's, the glassworks expanded to form wood & metalworking departments, Boda Trä and Boda Smide, and each resident designer fully embraced the opportunity to explore new materials.

Bertil Vallien's collaboration with Boda's metal workshop produced arguably his most enduring work. Vallien fully embraced the raw nature of the material, iron, to create striking objects with an ancient handmade quality, and he often looked towards nature and folklore to inform his designs.

This large chandelier features four candle sconces which are supported by wrought iron tree branches. These branches feature decorative leaves which are hand-finished with hammered details, and the whole piece features a textured surface to enhance its handcrafted nature. At the end of each tree branch hangs a clear glass medallion, to catch the light when candles are lit. The chandelier, intended to hang above a dining table, features three extension hooks to adjust the height.

Bertil Vallien's iron tree-branch candle holders have remained popular since their introduction in the 1970's, yet this hanging example is rarely seen.