'Duckling Vase' by Per Lütken for Holmegaard (Denmark) 1960s

A beautifully designed vase by Per Lütken for Holmegaard, Denmark’s most celebrated glassworks. Lütken, who shaped the company’s identity from the 1940s through the 1970s, was known for his fluid, organic forms, pieces that feel almost alive in the hand. This sculptural vase is a perfect example of that vision.

Hand-blown in clear glass with a soft wash of blue at the base, the form rises into a long, elegant neck with a subtle branch-like projection, a hallmark of Lütken’s ability to make glass behave like a natural material. The shape is both delicate and dramatic, a single continuous gesture captured in glass.

Holmegaard pieces from this period were made using traditional free-blowing techniques, and the clarity, weight and balance of this vase show the skill behind it. It’s a beautiful standalone object, ideal for a single stem or for displaying as a sculptural piece on a shelf or sideboard.

Condition
Vintage condition with light signs of age consistent with hand-blown mid-century glass.

About the Designer - Per Lütken (1916–1998)

Per Lütken was one of Denmark’s most influential glass designers and the creative force behind Holmegaard for more than four decades. Joining the glassworks in 1942, he went on to design over 3,000 individual pieces, shaping the visual identity of Danish glass throughout the mid-20th century.

Lütken believed glass should feel “alive” - fluid, organic, and expressive - and he pushed Holmegaard’s craftsmen to master increasingly complex free-blown forms. Many of his designs begin with a single sweeping gesture: a curve, a tilt, a soft distortion of symmetry that gives the object a quiet sense of movement. His work often feels like a captured breath in glass: elegant, controlled, and deeply tactile.

Some of his most recognisable series include Arkipelag, Stub, Ship’s Glass, and Carnaby, each showcasing his instinct for combining simple silhouettes with subtle shifts in weight and colour. Today, Lütken’s pieces are highly collected for their craftsmanship, purity, and the unmistakable softness that defines his style.

About the Manufacturer - Holmegaard Glassworks, Denmark

Founded in 1825, Holmegaard is Denmark’s oldest and most prestigious glassworks. What began as a small royal glass factory in a marshland village grew into a defining symbol of Scandinavian craftsmanship and design. Throughout the 20th century, Holmegaard collaborated with leading designers - Per Lütken, Jacob Bang, and later Bang’s successors - each bringing a modernist sensibility to traditional techniques.

Holmegaard is celebrated for its commitment to hand-blowing, clarity, and precision. The company’s mid-century output, particularly under Per Lütken’s artistic direction, is characterised by sculptural forms, subtle colour gradients, and a deep respect for the properties of molten glass. Their pieces were designed not as decorative objects alone, but as functional, everyday art to be handled and lived with.

Vintage Holmegaard glass is now collected worldwide for its balance of innovation and craftsmanship, and for its role in shaping the language of Scandinavian modernism.