Orrefors Graal Kraka Glass Vase Sven Palmqvist Midcentury Danish Modern Kosta. This is a beautiful piece with very minimal wear. Please view the last picture, I tried to photograph the two marks, but they are not that noticeable and very hard to see. The vase weighs approximately 4lbs 11oz. If you would like additional pictures please send me a message. The vase, of bottle form, stands on a narrow flat round base has a blue net pattern design encased in purple tinted glass. The heavily made vase has a wide round shaped body and narrow shaped neck with a thick polished rounded opening. The vase has etched makers and artist marks to the base and is numbered P538. In 1944, Orrefors launched Palmqvist’s Kraka collection, which included vases, bowls, and ashtrays featuring a fishnet-like wire mesh pattern set into two layers of glass. The effect created trapped air bubbles and resulted in a beautifully patterned piece that was produced by hand from its launch year until 1972. Palmqvist’s distinguished career with Orrefors spanned over four decades, from 1928 until 1971 when he retired. The versatile designer also created glass sculptures that can be seen in churches, the entrance to the SVT in Stockholm, and offices in Dubai. Palmquist was buried in his hometown of Lenhovda, following his death in Orrefors in 1984. Palmqvist’s designs are housed in the (seasonal) Orrefors museum that opened in the place of the factory and he is remembered as a significant contributor to Scandinavian glass design in the 20th century. Kraka is a special type of glass with overlay (a clear inner layer and one or more colored outer layers). A craftsman then pulls a net over the outer layer and sandblasts it before adding a clear outer layer. Sven Palmqvist developed this technique at Orrefors in 1944. The name comes from a female character who wore only a fish net in a Viking saga.