Designer: Charles Gwathmey (1938 – 2009) and Robert Siegel (born 1939)

Item: Courtney bud vase for Swid Powell

Description: The Courtney bud vase and candlesticks by Gwathmey and Siegel are two of the most iconic designs for Swid Powell, but are scarcely found. They were very expensive items when originally retailed, and it does not appear that many were actually produced. We are fortunate to have two available for sale, but we are offering them as singles. Both retain the “Swid Powell Made in Italy” marks and “GS” signature on the underside.

These were so well designed that the architects made these easily disassemble for ease of polishing. The base is screwed to the vase cone using the four screws on the top so the piece comes apart in three easy to polish pieces.

These can be found in the collections of The Museum of Fine Art Houston, Dallas Art Museum, Yale University Art Gallery, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and other public collections.

Manufactured by: Cleto Munari for Swid Powell

Country of origin: Italy

Year made: Ca. 1985

Materials: Silverplate over brass

Dimensions: 7 ¼” x 3 1/8”

Condition: Each are in very good to excellent condition. Each has some very minor polishing marks. We only have photos of one which shows some minor tarnish that we missed when polishing them.

References: Tapert, Annette. SWID POWELL: Objects by Architects, Rizzoli, 1990; O’Brien, Timothy and Walsh, Margo Grant, Collecting by Design, Silver & Metalwork of the Twentieth Century from the Margo Grant Walsh Collection, The Museum of Fine Arts Houston, 2008; Eisenman, Peter, Gwathmey Siegel: Buildings and Projects 1982 - 1992, Rizzoli, 1993.