Sigurd Persson (1914–2003) was a Swedish sculptor, blacksmith, and professor who is regarded as one of the twentieth century’s most influential Swedish designers. Growing up in a goldsmith family, Persson founded his studio in Stockholm in 1942. Throughout his long career, he crafted objects in various materials ranging from metal to glass to plastic. Aside from various homes in Scandinavia and elsewhere, Persson’s designs can be found in the collections of several museums, including New York’s MoMA, Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and London’s Victoria & Albert Museum.
Biography
In 1941, he founded his silver workshop and began designing jewellery and cutlery. He designed the cutlery for the Kooperative Forbundet in 1953. (Cooperative Society of Sweden). He worked as a designer at the Kosta Boda glassworks and produced in-flight tableware for several airlines. He wrote the book Modern Swedish Smycken (1950).
Recognition
Over his career, he received the following awards;
- He won medals at the 1951 (IX), 1954 (X), 1957 (XI) and 1960 (XII) Triennali di Milano,
- 1959 competition for cutlery sponsored by Scandinavian Airlines (included in the 1983—84 ‘Design Since 1945’ exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art),
- 1970 Prince Eugen Medal,
- 1967 Swedish Prize for Artists, and Gregor Paulsson Trophy.
Exhibitions
His work was the subject of the following;
- 1961 one-person exhibition at the Malmé Museum.
- Work was shown at 1950 Swedish exhibition,
- 1954—57 USA ‘Design in Scandinavia’ travelling exhibition,
- 1954 Sydney exhibition,
- 1955 Pforzheim exhibition,
- 1955 “H 55” exhibition in Halsingborg, and
- 1956 Havana exhibition.
Sources
Byars, M., & Riley, T. (2004). The design encyclopedia. Laurence King Publishing.
You may also be interested in
Estrid Ericson (1894 – 1981) Swedish designer and entrepreneur – Encyclopedia of Design
Estrid Ericson, a pewter designer and design entrepreneur, was the founder of Svenskt Tenn, a highly influential Stockholm store and manufacturer closely associated with the Swedish Modern aesthetic and export success. She studied art and crafts at Stockholm University from 1913 to 1915, and after working at Svensk Hemslöjd and Willman and Wiklund, she founded Svenskt Tenn in 1924 with pewter designer Nils Fougstedt.
Hannah Ryggen (1894 – 1970) Swedish textile designer – Encyclopedia of Design
Hannah Ryggen (1894 – 1970) was a textile designer and teacher from Sweden. She was born in Malmö and worked professionally in Norway. In 1924, she settled on a small farm in Trondelag, Norway, and began weaving. She opened her studio in 1924.
More on Swedish Designers
-
Praktika Tableware (1933) designed by Wilhelm Käge
Praktika Tableware (1933) designed by Wilhelm Käge. White earthenware stacking dishes, oval with rounded sides.Read More →
-
Group of Ten (est. 1970) 🇸🇪 design collective promoting creative individuality
Because its members had previous careers in the textile industry, they wanted to be free to promote their creative ideas. Read More →
-
Kurt Versen (1901 – 1997) Swedish lighting designer
In the 1940s and 1950s, executed many assignments from architects for flexible lighting appropriate to Modern interiors.Read More →
-
Wiwen Nilsson (1897 – 1974) Swedish Silver Designer
He was trained in the workshop of his father Anders Nilsson. He studied at the Konigliche Preussische Zeichenakademie, Hanau (Germany), and in the Paris studio of Georg Jensen while at the Académie de la Grande Chaumiere and Académie Colarossi.Read More →
-
Bruno Mathsson (1907 – 1988) Swedish Designer & Architect
Mathsson grew up in the town of Värnamo in Sweden’s Smland region, the son of a master cabinet maker. After a brief period of schooling, he began working in his father’s gallery.Read More →
-
Ulla Forsell (b.1944) Swedish Glassware Designer
Ulla Forsell was born in 1944 and studied at the College of Art and DesignRead More →
-
Margareta Aberg (b.1929) Swedish Designer
In 1956, she opened her own architecture studio with her husband Rolf Aberg; designed the Salabim cupboard of 1986 produced by Swedfun (Sweden). She specialized in interior architecture and designed hospitals, hotels, and schools including the Bracke Osterjard Hospital, Gothenburg, for handicapped children.Read More →
-
Ingeborg Lundin (1921 – 1991) Swedish Glassware Designer
Ingeborg Lundin (1921 – 1991) was a Swedish Glassware Designer. Between 1941 – 1946 she studied at Konstaackskolan and Tekniska Skolan, Stockholm.Read More →
-
Stig Lindberg (1916 – 1982) – Swedish Ceramic, Designer, Painter
Stig Lindberg (1916 – 1982) was a Swedish ceramic, glass, textile, industrial designer, and painter and illustrator. During his long career with the Gustavsberg pottery factory, Lindberg produced whimsical studio ceramics and graceful tableware lines, making him one of Sweden’s most important postwar designers. Read More →
-
Anders B. Liljefors (1923 – 1970) Swedish Ceramicist
Anders Liljefors was a Swedish ceramicist. He initially concerned himself with household ware, discovered a new method of casting ceramics in a sand mould, and worked feverishly to extract new and unexpected effects from this material during the later years of his life.Read More →
-
Ola Wihlborg Swedish industrial and product designer
He took his first steps towards his career as a designer at Beckmans College of Design in Stockholm, Sweden, where he studied furniture and product design. After graduating in 2004, he began working as a freelance designer.Read More →
-
Sven Markelius (1889 – 1972) – Swedish Architect, Textile Designer
Sven Markeilus (1889- 1972) was a Swedish Architect, Town Planner and textile designer born in Stockholm. He taught in Stockholm and at Yale University. In the 1950s, Markelius designed simple wooden furniture and printed fabrics with Astrid Sampe, produced by Nordiska in Stockholm.Read More →
-
Louis Sparre (1866 – 1964) Swedish furniture designer
He was born in Gravellona Lomellina, Italy. He was the son of Pehr Ambjörn Sparre af Söfdeborg (1828–1921) and Teresita Adèle Josefa Gaetana Barbavara (1844–1867). His father had served as head of the banknote printing company for the Sveriges Riksbank. He spent his early childhood with his mother at Villa Teresita in Gravellona while his father was often on business trips.Read More →
-
Julius Olaf Randahl (1880 – 1972) Swedish silversmith
In 1901, he moved to New York and worked for Tiffany and Gorham Manufacturing. In 1907, he worked at the Kalo Shop in Chicago before opening his own Randahl Shop in Park Ridge, Illinois, in 1911.Read More →
-
Vicke Lindstrand (1904- 1983) Swedish glassware designer
He worked at Kariskrona Porslinsfabrik from 1935 to 1936; at Upsala-Ekeby from 1936 to 1950 (as art director from 1943 to 1950) Kosta Boda glassworks from 1950 to 1973, where he was design director while also maintaining his studio in Arhus. Often, his free-form work was engraved.Read More →
-
Sigurd Persson (1914 – 2003) Swedish metalworker & glassware designer
Sigurd Persson (1914–2003) was a Swedish sculptor, blacksmith, and professor who is regarded as one of the twentieth century’s most influential Swedish designers. Growing up in a goldsmith family, Persson founded his studio in Stockholm in 1942. Throughout his long career, he crafted objects in various materials ranging from metal to glass to plastic. Read More →
-
Carl-Gustaf Jahnsson (1935 – 1994) Swedish silversmith and designer
Designer of iKea Dragon Cultery Carl-Gustaf Hallberg Jahnsson (1935-1994) was a Swedish silversmith and designer.Read More →
-
Hertha Hillfon (1921 – 2013) Swedish Ceramicist
Several exhibitions followed this in and outside Sweden, most recently Prins Eugens Waldemarsudde in 2008. She was awarded the Lunning Prize in 1962. In 1971, she became a member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts.Read More →
-
Sofa, Borge Mogensen, 1945
This sofa’s straightforward execution and regular silhouette reflect characteristics that were considered essential for advanced design at the time. Nonetheless, the turned spindles, stretchers, and exquisite details owe a lot to Borge Mogensen’s use of the lexicon of traditional furniture forms—especially American Shaker and English Windsor—in his wRead More →
-
A & E Design a Swedish Design Consultancy
A & E Design a Swedish design consultancy was founded in Stockholm by Tom Ahlström and Hans Ehrich (1942–). They worked in Italy earlier in the 1960s. The company has gained a reputation for functional, durable and ergonomically sound everyday products.Read More →
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.