Holmegaard #16912 Vase by Peter Lutken for Holmegaard, Denmark (1960s)

Holmegaard model #16912 Vase designed by Peter Lutken for Holmegaard.

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.