Description
There is something quietly disarming about this piece. On first glance it reads as pure brutalism — a dense, heavy block of Swedish press-moulded ice crystal that catches light and throws it back across a room in shimmering facets. Look a little closer and you find a small heart suspended inside the glass, frozen mid-1970s, as if placed there as a private gesture. That contrast — the chunky and the tender — is what makes this candleholder genuinely hard to put down.
Designed by Staffan Gellerstedt for Pukeberg Glasbruk in Nybro, Sweden, it holds two standard tealights or slim dinner candles in its twin wells. Lit, the ice texture becomes something else entirely: the candlelight refracts through the faceted surface, softening the brutalist form into something warm and atmospheric. Unlit, it works equally well as a sculptural object on a shelf or desk.
Details & Specifications
- Maker: Pukeberg Glasbruk, Nybro, Sweden
- Designer: Staffan Gellerstedt
- Era: Mid-1970s Scandinavian modern
- Material: Press-moulded lead crystal, heavy “ice” texture
- Capacity: Holds two standard tealights or slim dinner candles
- Dimensions: H 12 cm (4.7″) × W 14 cm (5.5″) × D 6 cm (2.4″)
Condition
- Very good vintage condition
- Bright clarity throughout the crystal
- A few tiny mould lines and base rubs typical for Pukeberg ice pieces
Why It Endures
Pukeberg ice glass from the mid-1970s occupies a particular and well-loved corner of Scandinavian design collecting. The heavy press-moulded technique, the textured surfaces, and the honest use of lead crystal are all hallmarks of an era when Swedish glassworks balanced industrial process with genuine craft instinct. This piece adds the heart detail — an unusual and personal touch that lifts it above the purely functional. It belongs in a collection, on a mantelpiece, or anywhere a room benefits from a little considered warmth.
Packed with care and shipped worldwide with full tracking. Any questions are very welcome.
