Tall oval glass vase by Ronald Stennett-Willson (1915-2009), blue and grey; heavy base, widening at centre, very thick glass all the way to narrow flattened neck; mark : 'R.S' in an oval and '1970' scratched on the base.
Ronald Stennett-Willson (1915-2009) first began to work with glass in the 1930s, initially in the import and export industry, but he became fascinated by glass as a material. Although not from an artistic background, he began designing and making, and for some years also taught at the Royal College of Art. He first published a book, 'The Beauty of Modern Glass', in 1958. In Britain at that time fashions in glassware had mostly been dominated by the elaborate historical styles of past centuries, but Stennett-Willson championed the simple Modernist elegance of contemporary European glass, especially from Scandinavia.
His own work was much influenced by modern Scandinavian wares which, like this vase, were functional, practical but attractive. Decoration depends on the inherent qualities of the material rather than on applied motifs, as had often been the case in the past.
Stennett-Willson's work was ground-breaking and instantly recognisable. He became highly influential on later British designers and makers, working with many major manufacturers of the twentieth century. He is probably best known today for his work dating from the 1960s, when he set up his own factory in King's Lynn, Norfolk. This vase, which was donated to Norwich Castle by Stennett-Willson himself, was made in King's Lynn in 1970.
