“Cleopatra” Purple Glass Carafe Vase & Bowl Set – Ulrica Hydman-Vallien for Kosta Boda, 1989

Two-piece “Cleopatra” glass set designed by Swedish artist Ulrica Hydman-Vallien for Kosta Boda, comprising a tall carafe vase and a large footed bowl. Transparent glass, smoky aubergine-purple trails and applied dark glass snakes reflect Hydman-Vallien’s expressive approach to Swedish art glass.

• Dimensions:
  
  • Carafe vase: Height 31 cm, Dia. 10 cm
    
  • Footed bowl: Height 19.5 cm, Dia. 23.5 cm
    
• Material: Glass
  
• Brand: Kosta Boda
  
• Designer: Ulrica Hydman-Vallien
  
• Series: Cleopatra
  
• Design year: 1989
  
• Color: Transparent and smoky aubergine purple
  
• Condition: The carafe is in very good condition. The bowl has a small, stable hairline crack near the tip of the applied snake’s tail, clearly shown in the photographs. No chips or restorations.
  
• Era: 1989
  
• Origin: Sweden
  
• Remarks: Two-piece set from the Kosta Boda Artist Collection

Displayed together, the contrasting heights create a strong arrangement on a dining table, sideboard or large console. The carafe can hold a few long branches or flowers, while the bowl is best left empty so that the applied snake remains fully visible.

Ulrica Hydman-Vallien (1938–2018) was one of the most recognisable figures in modern Swedish glass. Trained in ceramics at Konstfack in Stockholm, she joined Åfors glassworks in the early 1970s and later helped define Kosta Boda’s identity through her expressive imagery of snakes, faces, flowers and human figures. Her best-known series include Open Minds, Caramba, Tulipa and Cleopatra, and her work is represented in major collections including Stockholm’s Nationalmuseum and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Kosta Boda is one of Sweden’s most established glassmakers, with origins in the Kosta glassworks founded in Småland in 1742. Over time, the brand developed through the connection between Kosta, Boda, and Åfors, and became known for pairing Swedish craft tradition with a more experimental, design-driven approach. During the 20th century, Kosta Boda gained international recognition through collaborations with important designers and artists, producing both expressive studio glass and functional objects.