Vintage Boda bowl. Colourful handmade glass from Sweden

I found a smart little bowl at the weekend. This small glass bowl is beautifully decorated with a swirl of white, yellow, and red colouring.

I wouldn't think the bowl has much age to it but it is good looking enough to deserve a place on the Potshots shelf. There's a small silver sticker for Boda, Sweden and the base is engraved Boda. There is also a signature on the base that looks like 'Ulrica'. Could this be for Ulrica Hydman-Vallien perhaps? I hope so.

More information on Ulrica Hydman-Vallien: Ulrica and Boda glass

A pair of Italian vases. So hot, they're cool.

Two smart Italian vases. Not pottery this time, these vases are made of glass.

The square shaped bases and the narrowing round necks make for a very pleasing shape. I like the the hot red and warm brown colours. Also, the lively marbled effect in the glass which has the look of flames and smoke. The vases were not bought together but they do make quite a stylish pair. It would be easy to place them in a modern mid-century styled interior.

The vases were made in the 1960s or 1970s by V. B. Opaline, Florence. There seems to be a lack of information on this manufacturer and their products. I can't find any details of their production dates or their designers. Perhaps the company was only small or they were making glass for just a short time.

Even so, whoever V. B. Opaline were, I'm glad they made these vases.

Frank Keramik Danmark. A Danish vase with a Swedish cousin

I was reminded about this vase by another pot I saw this week.

This is a small vase by Frank Keramik, Danmark. I wanted to show it because of the bright red/orange colour. Also, because of the unusual surface texture. There are raised areas of matt brown un-glazed pot in bands and diamonds. I would think this vase is from the 1970s.

It seems that this glaze technique is popular in Scandinavian ceramics. I was reminded about my little Frank vase when I saw a blog-post with a lovely Upsala Ekeby vase by Mari Simmulson on La momes Old fashioned, here: Mari Simmulson blue vase

Hornsea Jungle mugs. They were news in the 1970s.

Screen printed in black onto coloured backgrounds, the illustrations for these mugs have strips of newspaper cuttings incorporated into the bodies of the animals.

Known as Jungle Mugs, they were made by Hornsea Pottery in the late 1970s. The stylish illustrations have a sophisticated, highly graphic feel and yet they have subtle touches of humour. I love those blank expressionless faces. The range consisted of six different wild animals. As well as the tiger, hippo and elephant, there were also mugs depicting a lion, a toucan and an owl.

I don't know about you but I think they're just wild.

Troika wheel vases from the 1970s. Nice to have a round.

It's not the most obvious shape for a vase but these circular Troika wheel vases have got lots of style about them.

Not only that, but there's the added bonus of having two vases in one. Both sides are so different, when you want a change, simply turn the vase around and it's like looking at a new vase.

And they certainly are good to look at. I like the abstract designs – sometimes geometric, sometimes freely-drawn. There's also a nice depth of texture to the surfaces.

Made by Troika, Cornwall, England, these vases probably date from the 1970s. I have a feeling the blue coloured wheel vase was decorated by Anne Lewis.

It's been a pleasure to have these fine examples of Troika pottery around.

A knobbly bobbly West Geman Carstens vase.

We like knobbly bobbly surfaces on our retro vases, don't we?

Yes we do. And you get plenty of knobbly bits for your money on this one – it's over one foot (30cm) tall.

This chunk of 3D retro styling is by Carstens, West Germany. The vase is made up of three cylinder shapes. The middle one has a glossy honey-coloured glaze and those wacky, almost mushroom shaped, bobbles. Judging by the style, the vase is probably from the 1960s or early 1970s.

OK, it may be a little 'over-the-top' but I like this vase. I can see why the symmetrical, sculptural shape would appeal to interior designers. It would be perfect to help create a stylish mid-century look.

There's more information on Carstens West German pottery and their designers here: Carstens at Retropolitan