Kaj Franck 'Kremlin Bells' Decanter & Pitcher
A 'Kremlin Kellot' or 'Kremlin Bells' decanter in yellow, purple, & smoke coloured glass designed by Kaj Franck for Nuutajärvi glassworks, Finland, 1957.
Arguably Franck’s most sought-after design, these stacking vessels were designed as a juice set. The round carafe which forms the lower section is intended to hold water, whilst the decanter with ball stopper is for juice.
The decanter was exhibited at the 11th Milan Triennale in 1957, where it was awarded the Grand Prix, the highest accolade.
Kaj Franck's utility glassware often takes inspiration from the functional, geometric and clean form of laboratory glass. The idea of a stacking pitcher, with a small decanter placed atop a carafe, is similar to a piece of laboratory glass produced at Nuutajärvi glassworks in the mid 1800's. This antique double vessel can be found on page 73 of the National Museum of Finland's 1983 publication Nuutajärvi - Kartano Ja Lasipruuki.
Model number: KF 500, KF 1500
Model Name: ‘Kremlin Kellot’ (Kremlin Bells)
Designer: Kaj Franck
Manufacturer: Nuutajärvi Notsjö
Year of Design: 1957
Dates Produced: 1957-68
Colour: Yellow, purple, smoke-grey
Full Height: 36 cm, Height of Decanter w. Stopper: 21 cm, Diameter: 6.7 cm, Height of Carafe: 20 cm, ⌀ 14 cm
Condition: Very good. One scratch to lower half of carafe. Small chip to the edge of the ground pontil (possibly during manufacture). See photographs.
Branding: Hand etched signature & date to carafe, ‘K. Franck Nuutajärvi Notsjö -60’.