Kaj Franck 1603 Pitcher

A handled model 1603 pitcher designed by Kaj Franck for Nuutajärvi Notsjö, Finland, 1958.

Franck's exquisite designs of the 1950's achieve beauty & practicality by the use of geometry. This water pitcher, handmade from lilac glass, consists of a shouldered cylinder with a swooping neck. The 1603 pitcher is one of only a few glass designs by Franck to feature a handle; this has been applied in contrasting clear glass. Remarkably, the handle is hollow, containing a large elongated air bubble. This subtle detail demonstrates the skill of Nuutajärvi's glassblowers, whilst contributing to the pitcher's visual & physical lightness.

Kaj Franck was pivotal in the development of Finland's modern aesthetic during the mid-20th century, and is best remembered for elegant utilitarian objects for the home, such as this pitcher.