Black Art Glass Vase – Claus Josef Riedel for Riedel, 1970s–1980s

Rare asymmetrical art glass vase by Austrian designer Claus Josef Riedel, combining a finely textured black exterior with a glossy interior and crescent-shaped opening. Its folded silhouette and shifting matte, polished, and silver-grey surfaces give the piece a subtle optical movement characteristic of experimental European glass design of the period.

• Dimensions: H 20 cm, W 14 cm, D 11 cm
  
• Material: Art glass
  
• Brand: Riedel
  
• Designer: Claus Josef Riedel
  
• Color: Black
  
• Condition: Very good vintage condition with minor surface traces consistent with age; no chips or cracks
  
• Era: 1970s–1980s
  
• Origin: Austria
  
• Remarks: Etched RIEDEL signature on the base; textured matte exterior and glossy interior

Compact but visually distinctive, the vase works particularly well on a console, side table, or illuminated shelf, where directional light brings out its layered surface. A strong collector’s piece for interiors combining Austrian modernism, monochrome design, and sculptural studio glass.

Claus Josef Riedel (1925-2004) was a Czech-born Austrian designer and longtime head of Riedel who revolutionized modern wine culture by proving that glass shape changes aroma and taste, pioneering grape-varietal-specific stemware (including early landmark forms like the Burgundy Grand Cru and the later Sommeliers line). He also translated this obsession with thinness and precision into porcelain for Rosenthal, most famously with the Asym vase (1976) in bisque porcelain (matte outside, glazed inside) and a Rosenthal 100-year anniversary matte porcelain vase (1979–80).